Intermittent Power steering function

[mrigas]

Good Morning all: Yesterday as I was taking my 2019 25 foot GCWA to the winter storage marina, for the first time since I bought the boat a few months ago, the power steering did not work. We have the Yamaha 250XB with the Sea Star electric Power steering system. When I started the boat I felt much more pressure than normal needed to move the wheel and did not hear the usually wining sound that the pump makes when you turn the wheel. I checked the fuse and the wiring plugs and they were all normal. About 30 minutes later, almost to the marina, the power steering function came back on and worked fine the rest of the trip until the boat was pulled out of the water for storage.

Has anyone experienced this before, if so, how did you manage the issue?

Thanks

 

[Pbakk]

Not sure, but kinda sounds like a loose ground wire?

 

[Bill N]

An intermittent connection can be very difficult to locate when things are working properly.
I'd put a test light or better yet an audible alarm at the steering pump and follow the wiring while shaking the wires in hopes of finding a momentary loss in connectivity. Good luck!

 

[LaurencetheAdventurer]

I had similar issues; it was related to the Power Steering being wired directly to one battery, so when switching back and forth, if not charging the battery on the power steering, the steering would go in and out until I switched over. Had it rewired during an annual visit.