A few dead switches, no idea why

[ethosb]

Bow motor trim switch, fuel gauge and jackplate indicator all went out at the same time. No blown fuses. '06 Ranger 519VX with dual tanks and dual sending units and doubt both sending units failed at the same time. I had disconnected the battery to replace the onboard charger. Made all the necessary connections afterwards, but then these items were not working. All other things work, such as the 3 graphs, livewells, both bilge pumps, lights, horn, trolling motor, etc. All fuses are good as I pulled and tested each one. I even took the batteries back out to make sure I had not tucked a wire away and did not reconnect. Any ideas on what to check next?

Thanks,
Brian

[eh2000]

Bummer.

Does the trim at the console still work?

Did you notice any corrosion when you disconnected your battery terminals?

[Bill Reynolds]

I don’t know if this applies, but check post #5 on this thread.
http://www.bbcboards.net/showthread.php?t=383567

[ethosb]

Bummer.

Does the trim at the console still work?

Did you notice any corrosion when you disconnected your battery terminals?

Motor and jack plate all work as they should and no corrosion on the terminals.

[ethosb]

I don’t know if this applies, but check post #5 on this thread.
http://www.bbcboards.net/showthread.php?t=383567

I took the battery out this morning to verify I did not have a wire tucked up somewhere, so it was out for about 45 minutes to an hour. Still did not work afterwards either.

[ethosb]

So far, I have not found any wires that I failed to reconnect to the battery to explain why I have no power to the jack plate gauge indicator, bow motor trim switch is dead, and the fuel gauge does not work for either tank. I do have power to the bow motor trim switch and the continuity of the switch checks out as well. Is there a relay between the bow switch and the motor? All fuses in the rod locker are intact. Any suggestions?

[Sunny Jim]

I'm no expert but the fact remains that something changed when you redid your wiring. You will have to find what you missed. Could be a bad terminal connection or broken wire under the insulation. You can check continuity with an ohm meter. If you have access to a tone generator you can trace wires back to their source. Tone generators are available in the electronics section at Menard's, Home Depot, Lowes. Good luck.

[bqtoot]

I have a Nitro but my fuel gauge went to zero one day for no apparent reason. A few other things also did not work. After a lot wire tracing, I found a plug hidden deep in the wire bundle under my console came unplugged. Was very difficult to find, but once I plugged it back in, everything sprang back to life....worth a look.

[Bill Reynolds]

Do you have a wiring diagram?
If not go to the Ranger website and download the owner manual for your boat. I looked at the 2006 but was not sure which of the wiring diagram was yours.

[wmitch2]

Check again for a missing connection to the battery, but I'd guess it's a Pos connection under the dash that has come loose. Look around the POS buss bar under the dash.

[ethosb]

I do have a tone generator and I will be tracing wires next. I am the second owner, so there is wiring the previous had installed that I have to work through as well. I will check for any hidden in-line fuses and bad grounds.

[Sleepy111]

I suspect a ground wire was missed on the battery reconnect. Prob flipped up where you can’t see it or got the ring hid inside a wire bundle and went unnoticed. You’ll find it and want to kick yourself for letting it beat you up, lol.

[ethosb]

Quite probable and I removed the battery to check for a missed wire. Perhaps I will remove the other one in that bay to see if it is tucked. I think it may be a ground wire in that when I activate the bow motor trim switch, I get a faint flash of light emitted from the bow navigation light. Which makes me believe a ground wire is off.

[wmitch2]

You might also check to see if you have a Pos wire on the Neg post or vise versa.

[Jonestrollingmotor]

So far, I have not found any wires that I failed to reconnect to the battery to explain why I have no power to the jack plate gauge indicator, bow motor trim switch is dead, and the fuel gauge does not work for either tank. I do have power to the bow motor trim switch and the continuity of the switch checks out as well. Is there a relay between the bow switch and the motor? All fuses in the rod locker are intact. Any suggestions?

If you have power to the bow trim switch and it doesn't work, but all the other trim switches are working then it doesn't make electrical sense. There is no ground involved at this switch, or any trim switch. The only relays involved are the same ones that the other trim stations work at the outboard. Remove the middle wire on the switch and touch it to either outter wire. The trim will go up or down if the switch is bad. If there is no power (or a power drop due to connections or shape of wire) then the trim will not work and would indicate a bad hot wire.

[Jonestrollingmotor]

Check again for a missing connection to the battery, but I'd guess it's a Pos connection under the dash that has come loose. Look around the POS buss bar under the dash.

Again, I'm thinking a badconnection on a positive wire. You DID turn the breaker on the starboard side on after changing batteries. That breaker controls the positive going to the fuse block at the dash.

[ethosb]

I removed the 2 batteries I had taken out while replacing the on board charger. I used a mirror, felt around up in the boat, and stuck my head all up in there and could not locate any missing wires. The only thing I know I did differently was put the big motor on a stand alone battery versus having the 2 connected in parallel. I will disassemble the bow panel again and will see if touching the middle wire to the other terminals will activate the trim. As of now I have 4 pairs of wires connected to the 2 batteries. Big motor battery has 1 positive and 1 negative wire connected. The other battery to the positive terminal has the positive wire from the breaker connected, positive of the on board charger, and another positive wire (jack plate). The negative terminal has a large ground, negative of the on board charger, and then another negative (jack plate). I have an equal number of wires in regards to positive versus negative.

[Kenfuel]

I'm I understanding correctly? You have the motor wired to one battery? And your took the other wires that were connected to the starting battery and have moved them and connected them to a second battery?

[ethosb]

I'm I understanding correctly? You have the motor wired to one battery? And your took the other wires that were connected to the starting battery and have moved them and connected them to a second battery?

You are correct sir, which is the only thing I did differently when I installed the replacement on-board charger. I did put the batteries back in parallel after I got home from dinner a bit ago to see if that was the issue in that having done so was the only thing I had done differently. Once I connected them back together in parallel, all is functioning as it should be now. Any way to run the big motor alone and not have these issues?

[Kenfuel]

Humor me and hook everything back to one battery and see if it doesnt fix it...seems like I remember being here before. ....