Help with BRP Gauges (Sorry Long Winded)

[dblplasabre]

Guys I need some help. I had new gauges installed in my boat in August everything seemed to work fine. I went to winterize my boat and was going to listen to my radio and nothing happened on the radio. I know it doesn't sound like a gauge issue yet. I checked voltages everywhere and it seems like voltages are good. Checked breakers, all good.

The only thing that I can think of is that a ground wire came loose and is back feeding through the system somehow. The only changes that have been done are the gauges electronicly. I contacted the boat mfg and was trying to troubleshoot with them. They had me check for good connections on the gauges and to see if any issues with the gauges. Everything seemed to be fine. After I check for good connections it seems like I lost the gauge that has the System Check in it. I know this because when I go to turn the key the system check does not go through its regular steps or lights up. I lost the tilt/trim on the engine also . Almost like I blew a fuse somewhere.

After all that here are my questions.

Does the engine have fuses on it that might have blown due to the back feeding and the gauge and system check not working? If so, where on the engine should I look for fuses?

[SEAHORSE]

It would have been real nice if you had read and followed the very first post on the main page:

*** READ THIS FIRST *** Rule #1 ***** Before asking motor questions

[Danrude]

It would help us to know what boat you have as well, meanwhile use this information to troubleshoot the 12 volts for the accessories. http://continuouswave.com/whal....html

[dblplasabre]

Sorry about that, I deserve the ridicule.

2008 150 HO
E150DHLSC
SN 05227***

BassCat Sabre FTD

[dblplasabre]

I found the fuse and it was blown. System check gauge is working and so is tilt/trim. Now all I have to do is find where I am backfeeding the system.

[bgiles]

Hi there, just a suggestion .... take a look to see how the new gauges are wired to one another, specifically the power lead. Generally, the power lead is bridged from one gauge to the next for the ones that do require power, as not all gauges require the 12 volts. Depending on the gauges, there may be a seperate 12 volt feed for the back lighting which sometimes is controlled by a switch, those too are usually bridged from one to the other.

Typically, the radio is wired from a seperate fused 12 volt source, sometimes fused twice ... since the radio was not working with that fuse blown tells me that they have the radio wired on the same path as the system check and tilt'trim, which is not usually done. As you say, the only thing that changed was the wiring of the new gauges so it sounds like something is not quite right.

Since you know what fuse has blown trace the wiring back to see what that particular lead is picking up along the way. Chances are, you will find something that is not supposed to be there.

Another thought is that perhaps the new gauges are drawing a little more current than the old ones and the fuse rating is not large enough to handle the new load.

Now having said that, Don't replace it with something larger, find out what is wired from that particular fuse .. my guess is you will find that the radio has been bridged off of that circuit that provides the power to the system check and tilt/trim which it shouldn't.

It's not as bad as it sounds once you get behind there

Bruce

[dblplasabre]

Thanks Bruce, What I think happened to blow the engine fuse was when I was checking the connections on all gauges I think one of the wires touched another to pop the engine fuse. Not sure. but my search continues.

Have you seen the newer style Tach with system check gauge? That is basicly the only difference from the old system that I could think of that might have caused this issue. If you have seen this gauge I have a question. Since it looks like there are six pins leading into the gauge via a deutch connector do I still need to run power and a round to this gauge?

[SEAHORSE]

does your keyswitch have to be on to use the radio?

[bgiles]

In addition to Seahorse's question ... what is the state of the nation now that the engine fuse has been replaced. Does everything seem to work except for the radio, if so, trace backwards from the radio to see where the 12 volts and ground are coming from.

About your other question ... I believe it is a 8 pin connector but the 12 volts and ground are wired to that connector. Typically, the only other connection would be for the backlighting of the actual gauge which is 12 volts. Keep in mind that if there is a backlighting terminal, it should be connected from the other backlighting terminals from the other gauges. Sometimes the backlighting is on all the time and sometimes it is wired through a switch that handles your navigation lights etc.

Bruce

[dblplasabre]

Seahorse- just master power switch not the key switch.

Bruce- system check gauge is working properly and tilt/trim is working fine.
BassCat is sending me a new radio to see if that is what is causing issue. I am not sure if that is what is causing the true issue. I have tried to trace all the wires that are supplying power to the radio. I also found that there is a seperate rotating console light (same wire color as radio) that is not working either. When I rotate the light it is sending some sort of voltage to my master switch, my master panel and also my hydraulic jackplate gauge. I am thhinking that it is back feeding somewhere just need to locate the source. I have not taken a voltmeter to it yet to verify how many volts. But it is pulsing on all of the items that I mentioned.

[bgiles]

Sounds like you are headed in the right direction ... just throwing this out there .. if by chance that console light switch controls the brightness of the console than it's quite possible the switch / potentiometer is messing things up.

Just another thought .. depending on the type of jackplate you have, perhaps there is a defective relay which is causing this "pulsing' voltage.

Shouldn't be too much longer before you figure it out ... the worst part is trying to piece togeather what is wired to what.

Bruce

[dblplasabre]

The light is more like an RV rocker switch light. When you push up or down on light it rotates and turns on.

On the back of the light is that pink wire that I mentioned for accessories and then the ground wire. If the light is burned out would this cause a problem?

[bgiles]

Yikes .. that is a tough call ... the only thing I could think of is if that light is some how wired in "series" with the other things after it. It's like the Christmas light scenario ... if one bulb goes out .. everything after it does as well.

I wouldn't imagine it's wired like that mind you, but, was that light working before all the trouble started.

Best bet may be to draw out on paper what is connected to what on the circuit that you think is messing things up.

Hang in there

Bruce

[dblplasabre]

Not sure if it was working or not. I have Blue Waters in the boat that I installed last year. So I might just disconnect that light completely and see what happens.

[dblplasabre]

Found a bad ground that blew up the radio. BassCat sent me a new radio. That is why I chose BassCat. My boat is just over a year old and they still covered it. Awesome customer service.

Thanks to everyone that chimed in on my issues.