2011 Z521 electrical issue

[kyduck]

Guys I have a new to me ranger and today I took her out and cranked the motor and started idling out. Started to turn on my graphs and nothing. Then I tried turning on the accessory lights, nav lights, livewells etc with no luck. The outboard and trolling motor worked however. I figured it was a fuse, but I couldn't find one for the life of me. Could someone point me in the right direction with some things to check or where I might find the fuse.
The boat is in a storage shed away from the house too, so if I might be able to figure out the size of fuse to get if applicable before hand it would be helpful.
TIA

[Ranger519VS]

Your boat has a resetable breaker in the bilge area on the starboard sidewall next to the starting battery. There should be a short red wire coming off the battery and going to the breaker. You have to turn it on to get everything but the motor working.

[kyduck]

I saw that one and actually reset it. It wasn't thrown either, so I pushed it off then back on just to double check.

[Super 91]

Keypad bad possibly? Not sure about that though if the graphs are working.

[kyduck]

The push buttons start and stop the outboard and the red indicator lights are on just not functioning

[rangered]

Sounds like a key pad issue. Try and disconnect your leads off the cranking battery for 1 hour and then while they are off check the key pad and brain box
connections.. The brain box is up under the console. Take off the connections 1 at a time and reconnect. Put battery cables back on and power up key pad and
see what happens. If key pad needs replaced get the brain box also. About $500 for both from Ranger. Good Luck

[kyduck]

I'll give that a shot...thanks

[joebw]

Make sure your main breaker is turned on.....My Ranger will start with it turned off, but nothing else works.

[howieranger]

The main breaker can fail and cause the symptoms you describe, it failed twice in the 9 years I had my Z521. Take a 12v test light or a DVOM to check for voltage with the breaker on.

[kyduck]

The main breaker can fail and cause the symptoms you describe, it failed twice in the 9 years I had my Z521. Take a 12v test light or a DVOM to check for voltage with the breaker on.

Apologies if this is a dumb question but are you testing the breaker directly? I have a test light, just wondering where exactly I could put the wires to test the breaker. Thanks

[howieranger]

Attach the clip to the negative battery post and probe both terminals. With the breaker closed the light should come on at both terminals. If is not on or dim on one of the terminals replace the breaker. If it does not light at all you have no voltage to the breaker and need to trace the wiring from the breaker to the battery.

[kyduck]

Alright, so here’s the deal. Unhooked the battery and brain box for 1 hour. Hooked everything back up and magically everything started working again. Keypad, all accessories etc. gonna try in a new black light to the lighter plug and it all quit working again. I’ve gotten everything unhooked again and gonna try to plug it all back up in a bit. You all thinking brain box short?

[kyduck]

Hooked everything back up again and no dice. Not working again. Breaker was good btw.

Update...I disconnected the power to the brain box and all the other connections. Hooked them back up and we are working again?? I’m guessing it’s the brain box, but I’m unsure if I should get a new one or just try and ride this out for a bit? Any suggestions from you all??

[jc2bg]

You should get a new one. Keep the old one if you want, as a last-ditch spare. These parts don’t last forever, and aren’t always at your fingertips when you need one.

[kyduck]

Just an update in case someone has issues. Talked with Ranger yesterday and they recommended voltage testing at the battery, breaker, and brain box. With all that being good then replacing the keypad was the initial suggestion followed by keypad and brain box pair. I'm not sure why, but I took the boat out last night and never had an issue again, so I think I'm gonna try and just ride it out until it happens again and then replace the pair. Cost for the two is around $730 btw. Thanks for all the input guys.

[agg5910]

I have had more than my share of electrical issues, each time it was determined to be a bad ground. Check all of your main connections (hot and ground), if they are corroded, even remotely, replace the connector. Good luck....

[kyduck]

So a warranty issue from years ago on the keypad only. Ran into the same issue yesterday, so I switched out the keypad only and we are up and running again. Seems to have fixed the issue, but time will tell. Appreciate all the feedback.

[kyduck]

Well, when I left the boat everything was working but getting back on the boat a couple days ago the problem is happening again so I ordered the brain box to replace. We'll see.

[Super 91]

Bust Out Another Thousand.......BOAT........sucks at times, but that is just the way it is. Hope the brain box will get you fixed

[chopper1]

I have this exact same thing happening on my 2006 Z21. Did you ever come up with what the core problem was?