342 Wiring question - FIXED!!

Stodge

OK fellow 342 owner, I have a monster gremlin that just moved in.  Pretty sure it's a bad ground.  Here are my questions:  On the ground block at the transom, I only see 1 heavy (#4 give or take) wire.  The rest are fairly small.  Is that what you see on yours?  Also, is there a separate ground block in the helm and if so, where?  I see it mentioned in the wire diagram but that's a logical diagram.  I need to know if there is a physical block in the helm and if so where to find it.  

Many things are not working, like the engine hatch, blowers etc.  My bilge pump works but I bypassed the original neg connection and ran it to the ground block.  What I should have done was track down my ground problem then, but the wires disappear into a bundle and parts unknown. 

Time to dive into the bilge and track wires....

davidbrooks

I can look and take a picture this weekend when I go to the boat. The one thing I can attest to is that there is not a separate ground block at the helm. The wiring harness comes up the starboard side of the boat and then splits to all of the various gauges.

aero3113

On my 330 there is actually a small power block behind the switch panel. It’s possible you have that and something came loose. I was surprised to see it was just out in the open and not mounted or covered. I made sure everything was tight and wrapped it with electrical tape.

Aqua_Aura

Clean the ground block in the transom and check connections. Yes even if it visually looks like it was just polished do it again and physically check connections.

aero3113

I removed / cleaned all of mine and spray them with terminal protector.

Black_Diamond

I’m not aware of running across a ground block behind the dash.  Unless is it buried deep in there. 

The blower ground runs thru your fire ext in the engine compartment. Check that connection. 

Aqua_Aura

Yes @aero3113 we know your boat is perfect and gets all the attention she needs 😆. I'm just jealous. 

But yes they should look like that perfect example and even if it visually looks good still want to check the screws are tight. 

Stodge

I have no power at the helm.  Nothing that works from the helm will turn on except the cabin lights, the bilge pump and the windlass.  But I re-routed the bilge pump ground.  The windlass I think has a direct connection too.  The cabin lights may be powered from the house.  Had to use the lugs on the battery door to open the engine hatch.   There is clearly a fault somewhere.  I need Kreskin to find it.

Aqua_Aura

Are you sure the batteries are good and they have a good connection?. Start simple and move from there. 

Stodge

Just replaced the batteries.  Engines start fine.  Connections are tight.

Looking at 342 wire diagram. The 12v outlet (cigarette lighter socket) circuit has a complex path for positive and a single negative connection to a box on the diagram labeled "ground block"  Now I don't know if they mean the one on the transom or if there is a block with a nice big wire going to the helm to a mystery ground block.

Stodge

Also looking at the same diagram, right after the battey is what I think is a circuit breaker symbol marked "helm power" and a box labeled "helm power distribution bus".  Where are these gems?

YYZRC

My 330 has a ground block behind the DC breaker panel.  Probably not your issue but thought I'd mention it.

LaRea

Stodge said:

Also looking at the same diagram, right after the battey is what I think is a circuit breaker symbol marked "helm power" and a box labeled "helm power distribution bus".  Where are these gems?

The battery switch panel in the cockpit should have two flip switches for 12V to helm and cabin.  

Stodge

LaRea said:

Stodge said:

Also looking at the same diagram, right after the battey is what I think is a circuit breaker symbol marked "helm power" and a box labeled "helm power distribution bus".  Where are these gems?

The battery switch panel in the cockpit should have two flip switches for 12V to helm and cabin.  

Interesting, I have 1 flip switch for the cabin, nothing for helm.  Mine is a 2002 so maybe they added the helm switch later.  But the battery switch panel is a good place to look though.  Still want to know what they use for a ground up at the helm.

Stodge

I used a jumper cable from the engine block to the helm, then tested cig lighter socket breaker for power.  Zippo.  So, my conclusion is that it's the hot to the helm that is being interrupted.  Even though the older 342 does not have a helm power flip switch in the battery panel, I am hopeful that the helm power passes through it. Question is:  do they run a single hot from the battery switch to a block in the helm, then pull off of that? The drawings suggest that.  The search continues.

reneechris14

The other post from @bert_florida montions some similar problems. I originally hook my gps to the acc switch in the dash an it would show low voltage so I powered it directly from the house battery and added a extra ground to the switch. 05 a have 2 breakers in the battery box.

Black_Diamond

Have you checked the switch and breakers at the panel by the transom door?

davidbrooks

I am not sure what wiring diagrams you are following.  I have a 2003 342 and have collected some useful docs over the years.  Some from the web and some from Rinker.  Gonna attach them here.  Hope they help.  It sounds like you are doing the right thing by isolating and testing.  The owners manual pdf has a wiring diagram on page 28 that makes the most sense to me.  

Stodge

Black_Diamond said:

Have you checked the switch and breakers at the panel by the transom door?

In the 2002 there is a breaker for the cabin only.

Stodge

davidbrooks said:

I am not sure what wiring diagrams you are following.  I have a 2003 342 and have collected some useful docs over the years.  Some from the web and some from Rinker.  Gonna attach them here.  Hope they help.  It sounds like you are doing the right thing by isolating and testing.  The owners manual pdf has a wiring diagram on page 28 that makes the most sense to me.  

Thanks David.  I have the first one you sent which is for the 2004.  I did not have the other 2 and will search for clues there.  Thanks!!

Stodge

Fixed!!!  So what I found was that there are 2 heavy hot wires going to the ignition switch breakers.  On has a quick-tap so you can plug a second spade in next to it.  There is also a heavy red wire that feeds the helm there.  That wire is supposed to be on the quick-tap.  Somehow both the hot for stdb and port were on the stbd breaker and the feed for the helm power was on the port breaker.  I put the hots where they belong and the helm feed back on the quick-tap and life is good again.

aero3113

Strange, why did it stop working though? Was a wire disconnected?

Stodge

aero3113 said:

Strange, why did it stop working though? Was a wire disconnected?

She was in for service and it may have been loose.  But it appears they re-assembled the wires to the ignition wrong.  No idea why there in there when she went in for an injector service.

Stodge

davidbrooks said:

I am not sure what wiring diagrams you are following.  I have a 2003 342 and have collected some useful docs over the years.  Some from the web and some from Rinker.  Gonna attach them here.  Hope they help.  It sounds like you are doing the right thing by isolating and testing.  The owners manual pdf has a wiring diagram on page 28 that makes the most sense to me.  

I looked at page 28 from the owner manual again.  Sure enough it shows the power for the helm switches coming off the starter switch.  Didn't click at first.

bert_florida

Glad you have it figured out! At least your boat has ignition breakers lol that's a good thing!

davidbrooks

Glad you found it.  Speaking as a guy that has pulled the wire loom off the wires in the engine room and completely rewired in a new harness to the guages i understand the frustration when you don't have a map of how it was meant to be in the first place.