1998 488VS - Lost Power Bow Switches (Trim)

[ruggedwebmaster]

Greetings, all!

New to the forum and to the Ranger B2 team.

Purchased 1998 488VS Comanche from dealer here in Ozarks country a few weeks ago.

Boat came with no fish finders, etc.

Purchased Lowrance and ran power from battery to bow on starboard side with fish tape; wasn't confident in my electrical abilities to tap into an existing source at the bow.

I did try to find a hot line on the piece of whatever it is that all the panel switches are connected to but gave up.

After connecting my finder/gps (successfully) with adapters for Fortrex transducer in place, my trim power at the bow switches is gone.

Is there an inline fuse or fuse block I can check?

Trim works at the helm and on the motor, so it appears to be limited to the bow area.

Trying to avoid $$$ at a dealer to find what I hope is a quick fix - same idea I had in installing the fish finder/GPS myself. :-)

Thanks for any help!

[Rip Bass]

You know it’s something you did because it worked before. There shouldn’t be a fuse between the consol trim and bow trim, more likely you pulled a wire loose,just have to find it. There should be three wires attached to the bow trim switch,blue,green and something else,probably red or white. Verify that you have power at the bow trim with a test light or ohm meter. On the bow switch,the center wire is constant hot,green wire is down trim and blue wire is up trim. If power is going to the switch but none is coming out,the switch is bad. If no power is going to the switch them you have likely pulled a wire loose between the bow and consol switch,you will need to trace it down. Usually the wires going to the bow are in a bundle with a connector under the bow panel,be sure to check that for a loose or corroded wire and there is not usually any connectors hidden between the consol and bow.

[ruggedwebmaster]

Thanks!!!!!

Digging in after work tonight.

[518RangerJeff]

You could have blown the switch also.

[joebone1]

the breaker does knock the power off to the trim. check for a breaker on the starboard side in the battery compartment.

[Tom Rollins]

Go to the fuse box (in the starboard rod locker) and check for the fuse to the bow panel. Probably corroded.

[ruggedwebmaster]

Go to the fuse box (in the starboard rod locker) and check for the fuse to the bow panel. Probably corroded.

That did it; 10amp fuse popped; works now. Didn't realize that little black thing in the starboard compartment was a fuse box! Thanks, all...now I keep a ready supply of various fuses waterproofed and handy in the same compartment!!!