Help needed! Dead engine electrics.

Bucksribster · 19 April 2013, 14:30

Today I went to collect my RIB from my mate's barn, with a view to going for the first run of the season tomorrow. Weather looks perfect.

I connected up the battery, and went to tilt the engine so I could move the boat, and it seems none of the engine electrics work, including the power tilt. This means I cannot move the boat, as I cannot tow it with the engine down

All the other boat electrics work. Sounder, VHF, nav lights and a newly installed chart plotter. But the power tilt, fuel gauge and ignition / starter are dead.

Any ideas where I should start to look? I have wiggled all the connectors I could see. I have checked all the fuses. I did wire up the new GPS myself, but that works OK, and it is hard to see how looping in another accessory could have affected the engine electrics. My guess is that tilting back the console to gain access to the wiring may have disturbed something, but there is nothing obvious.

The boat is an Avon Adventure 560 of 2000 vintage, with a yam F100 four stroke.

Any suggestions (at least the clean ones) gratefully received.

Silverfox · 19 April 2013, 14:36

Has a fuse blown?

Nos4r2 · 19 April 2013, 15:10

Get the multimeter out and check you've gopt power at the motor first, then work your way through the loom. You can test the controls just by unplugging them from the motor and using the multimeter on the multi pin plug if you've got someone there to operate it all.

There's a 703 control wiring diagramme on Ribnet if you search my previous posts.

Bucksribster · 19 April 2013, 16:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

Get the multimeter out and check you've gopt power at the motor first, then work your way through the loom. You can test the controls just by unplugging them from the motor and using the multimeter on the multi pin plug if you've got someone there to operate it all.

There's a 703 control wiring diagramme on Ribnet if you search my previous posts.

Thanks for this, and I have found the diagram. It looks like it was for a 50hp, but I guess it will be valid for my F100? Also I took the cowling off the engine, but could not offhand see where the wiring connector is, but I did not look that hard. I am going there again tomorrow. I'll let you know how I get on.

Thanks again.

Bucksribster · 19 April 2013, 16:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silverfox

Has a fuse blown?

No, I checked them all with a meter. That would be too easy eh?

Nos4r2 · 19 April 2013, 17:26

No worries.
If it's a 703 control, it'll be the same unit. The outboard wiring will be different though.

TRevor Lawson · 19 April 2013, 21:42

Do you have a master battery cut out switch, these can play up, due to dirty connections inside of switch, if its the type that has a red key that turns,remove key and spray with wd 40 and push key in/out against spring a common prob on our race cars if not used for a while.

Ribochet · 19 April 2013, 21:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bucksribster

This means I cannot move the boat, as I cannot tow it with the engine down

If it helps the engine can be tilted up manually if you loosen the manual valve screw counterclockwise until it stops - this procedure will be shown in your owners manual

spartacus · 19 April 2013, 22:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ribochet

If it helps the engine can be tilted up manually if you loosen the manual valve screw counterclockwise until it stops - this procedure will be shown in your owners manual

That would be a last resort, as you'll need to bleed it afterwards which seems to take forever to purge air.

The fact other electrics are out suggests a damaged or dirty connection.

Could be corroded internal wiring. A multimeter on continuity setting will confirm. First steps are to clean all connections including bullet connectors.

Ribochet · 19 April 2013, 22:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by spartacus

That would be a last resort, as you'll need to bleed it afterwards which seems to take forever to purge air.

Are you sure?

spartacus · 19 April 2013, 22:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ribochet

Are you sure?

Had to to it on my Twatsoo a couple of years ago when the trim pump failed. But I did strip it down, drained the fluid, etc.

willk · 19 April 2013, 22:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bucksribster

No, I checked them all with a meter. That would be too easy eh?

A random ask, but did you check the fuse located IN the engine itself...?

Bucksribster · 20 April 2013, 00:35

Thanks for the advice guys. I had checked the battery isolation switch on the meter and it seemed OK. Also all the other electrics on the boat work OK.

I did not see any fuse in the engine, maybe I need to take a closer look.

I tried taking a few of the bullet connectors apart and pushing them together again, but no luck so far.

I'll try tracing the power to the engine as suggested and see from there.

I'm not keen on tilting the engine manually unless I have to. I need to sort the electrics in any case.

willk · 20 April 2013, 08:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bucksribster

I did not see any fuse in the engine, maybe I need to take a closer look.

I'm not familiar with your engine, but I'd have thought it should? Someone here will know...

Bucksribster · 20 April 2013, 19:24

Well following all your good advice, I tackled it again today. It turned out it was in fact one of the fuses on the engine. There is a 30a fuse hidden behind a covering panel, and with typical Japanese thoroughness, there is not only a little tool in the cover for removing the fuse, but a spare fuse in the fuse holder.

I replaced the fuse, and everything came back to life. I have two slight remaining worries:

1. Why did a 30a fuse blow? It should take a huge current surge to do this. Could I have accidently touched a wrong connection on to the battery?

2. When I came to tilt the engine, it started tilting fine, and then seemed to gradually run out of power, eventually stopping. After leaving it for a few minutes, and trying it again, it did the same again, starting fine and then stopping. The boat has two 85ah batteries, and I checked the voltage on them. Around 12.6v with no load, dropping to around 12.3v when I was operating the tilt mechanism. It may be better with the engine running I guess.

In any case, many thanks again for all the good advice, and especially willk who asked the right question.

So it looked a perfect RIBing day today, and I was in a barn looking at a multimeter. Livin' the dream eh?

willk · 20 April 2013, 19:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bucksribster

and especially willk who asked the right question.

...well, I was bound to get one right EVENTUALLY.

Nos4r2 · 20 April 2013, 21:23

12.6v sounds like the batteries are a bit low, or maybe goosed. It's worth trying to charge them.

Also, check your trim motor isn't getting hot. It could be a faulty trim motor pulling lots of power that's caused the fuse to blow.

simonc2409 · 21 April 2013, 09:34

I know it may sound rather too obvious but are the battery connections clean? I had something similar happen to me a few years back and all that was wrong was a corroded battery terminal. These things get overlooked and salt water kills em all.

Bucksribster · 21 April 2013, 23:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by simonc2409

I know it may sound rather too obvious but are the battery connections clean? I had something similar happen to me a few years back and all that was wrong was a corroded battery terminal. These things get overlooked and salt water kills em all.

I think the battery terminals are ok, but now you mention it, I was a bit worried whether the cable coming from the negative clamp was a bit. corroded. I'll try unscrewing the clamping screws to have a closer look. It's likely to be next weekend before I will be able to get there again. Gotta go to work :-(

simsy · 21 April 2013, 23:34

12.6 when not running is fairly well fully charged I.e 100% is 12.65 volts....