Short somewhere 2001 232CC

ruggerole

My switch panel on the right is intermittently working.  There must be a short or loose wire. I have looked behind this panel several times but no luck. Everything on this panel goes out at the same time so I think it must be the main power wire or a common ground. Any suggestions?

aero3113

There might be one plug for that panel. I would check for it behind, disconnect and check for corrosion. There could be a loose ground wire somewhere also.

ruggerole

So I opened up this switch panel to look behind it (many wires). There is one loose wire behind the fresh water switch that I will look into further as soon as I can figure out where it goes. I replaced the 12V cigarette lighter outlet and replaced with a dual USB port that has a digital voltage meter with a toggle switch. You can see the blue voltage reading is on but if I switch anything on this panel it goes off and the entire panel is dead. With the batteries off and the ignition key off the voltage is fluctuating between 6 and 12 volts. I have no idea why.

Handymans342

All battery connections clean and tight? Wires on charger tight?

ruggerole

All look to be clean and tight. Put a volt meter on a switch and reads 4.57 amps. Other items (VHF radio) 12.5 amps.
There are so many wires behind this panel and no slack. Even ran a new ground wire from a known good ground and no change. 

Handymans342

ruggerole said:

All look to be clean and tight. Put a volt meter on a switch and reads 4.57 amps. Other items (VHF radio) 12.5 amps.
There are so many wires behind this panel and no slack. Even ran a new ground wire from a known good ground and no change. 

You mean DC volts, not amps right?

Handymans342

ruggerole said:

All look to be clean and tight. Put a volt meter on a switch and reads 4.57 amps. Other items (VHF radio) 12.5 amps.
There are so many wires behind this panel and no slack. Even ran a new ground wire from a known good ground and no change. 

You mean DC volts not amps correct?

Handymans342

If you run a temp ground wire to the battery and read between that and a known + 12 volt line on the dash you only have 4.5 volts? 

Handymans342

Does everything else work at the helm? All gauges work? Boat starts?

Lake_Bum

I'd get a volt meter, and a test light, and just start at the batteries, and work your way back to the panel.  Not the easiest solution, but you'll find it eventually!  I hate electrical problems! 

Handymans342

Lake_Bum said:

I'd get a volt meter, and a test light, and just start at the batteries, and work your way back to the panel.  Not the easiest solution, but you'll find it eventually!  I hate electrical problems! 

I love them but he needs to answer faster

ruggerole

Thanks all. And yes, Volts not amps.
It ended up being a fuse that was corroded. Replaced and all is good. After I tried a new ground wire without any change, I tried a new power wire and it solved the problem so I tracked it back. All is good now. Thanks everyone.

Handymans342

ruggerole said:

Thanks all. And yes, Volts not amps.
It ended up being a fuse that was corroded. Replaced and all is good. After I tried a new ground wire without any change, I tried a new power wire and it solved the problem so I tracked it back. All is good now. Thanks everyone.

Great job! Any pics?