HELP Please! All Engine Electrical Gone

[RLJ676]

I bought a new boat 2 weeks ago and have been getting it ready to go (fluids, impeller, etc). Yesterday was to be its first trip for fun. It's a 28 Powerplay with a 99 HP500.

The boat is wired for 2 batteries with a Perko switch, but only had one in it and has worked and ran with it. Yesterday I hooked up a deep cycle to the second wire. I then soon lost power to the accesories, etc and thought the starter battery was low. I switched to "both" batteries and then got them to work. Put boat in water and then tried to start it......NOTHING. When I looked the stater battery's post had melted off!

So I unhooked everything and tried to start on the deep cycle, nothing. Tested the starter battery and re-hooked it up and nothing from the engine on stilll. There's power to the accessories that don't go through the engine (tilt/tabs/blower, etc) and there's power TO the starter, but that's where it stops. The ignition wire running right off the starter solenoid (right next to the live power in) is dead, and every wire that comes off engine harness is dead (gauges, ignition, etc).

So, did somehow whatever bad hookup I had fry the starter solenoid? Or, is it possible that it fried the circuit breaker on the motor, as I tried resetting it several times and nothing worked?

Thanks

 

[MacGyver]

I bought a new boat 2 weeks ago and have been getting it ready to go (fluids, impeller, etc). Yesterday was to be its first trip for fun. It's a 28 Powerplay with a 99 HP500.

The boat is wired for 2 batteries with a Perko switch, but only had one in it and has worked and ran with it. Yesterday I hooked up a deep cycle to the second wire. I then soon lost power to the accesories, etc and thought the starter battery was low. I switched to "both" batteries and then got them to work. Put boat in water and then tried to start it......NOTHING. When I looked the stater battery's post had melted off!

So I unhooked everything and tried to start on the deep cycle, nothing. Tested the starter battery and re-hooked it up and nothing from the engine on stilll. There's power to the accessories that don't go through the engine (tilt/tabs/blower, etc) and there's power TO the starter, but that's where it stops. The ignition wire running right off the starter solenoid (right next to the live power in) is dead, and every wire that comes off engine harness is dead (gauges, ignition, etc).

So, did somehow whatever bad hookup I had fry the starter solenoid? Or, is it possible that it fried the circuit breaker on the motor, as I tried resetting it several times and nothing worked?

Thanks

The "ignition" wire on the back of the starter you describe will only be live when you turn the key to the start position.

Also...check your lanyard and make sure you are in neutral

 

[Sean Stinson]

You have a dead short somewhere a battery post just doesn't melt off....I would start at the battery switch and start working back....Something is definitely backwards!!!!

 

[RLJ676]

The "ignition" wire on the back of the starter you describe will only be live when you turn the key to the start position.

Also...check your lanyard and make sure you are in neutral

Checked those two, as I hoped that was it.

What about everything else coming off the harness back to the front, the gauges, etc? They are all dead too.

 

[Sean Stinson]

Check the engine harness ground and make sure it making contact somehow to something it shouldn't be!!!!! Do you have power to the solenoid when the key is turned to the start position...in other words does the engine turn over????

 

[RLJ676]

You have a dead short somewhere a battery post just doesn't melt off....I would start at the battery switch and start working back....Something is definitely backwards!!!!

I think however it was hooked up with the second battery was the problem and shorted it. Now I have it back just on the one battery.

I started at the battery and everything is live till it gets to the motor, then nothing. The stuff that is not ran through the motor all still works.

Where does the harness coming off the engine pull power from? It appears to me it comes through the power to the starter, but I am not sure. It is all dead though coming off the engine.

 

[RLJ676]

Check the engine harness ground and make sure it making contact somehow to something it shouldn't be!!!!! Do you have power to the solenoid when the key is turned to the start position...in other words does the engine turn over????

Nope, it doesn't turn over at all.

I have checked the grounds and think they're OK.

My feeling is there's a fuse or something "burnt out" I'm missing, as this all happened when the 2 batteries were hooked up and cooked the post. Therefore I don't think it's a "wiring issue" now that it's back to the single battery hookup.

Can the circuit breaker in the engine burn out?

 

[TMS1155]

Main fuse right on starter between battery post on sol. and feeder wire to eng. Looks like a square block.

 

[RLJ676]

Main fuse right on starter between battery post on sol. and feeder wire to eng. Looks like a square block.

That's a fuse! The "yellow" block that looks like it's made of resin?

I bet that is it then, as it's live on one side of it, dead on other basically, thanks.

Now the question is there anyone who'd be open today to sell me one.

 

[Sean Stinson]

Thats your problem change that and you should be in business!!!! My question is why did the terminal melt to start with??????

 

[Ratickle]

Thats your problem change that and you should be in business!!!! My question is why did the terminal melt to start with??????

WOuldn't he have had to gone parrallel to 24 volts and the only thing saving the entire harness was the breakers and fuses? COuld be in the switch or, never seen it, reversed markings on battery.

 

[RLJ676]

WOuldn't he have had to gone parrallel to 24 volts and the only thing saving the entire harness was the breakers and fuses? COuld be in the switch or, never seen it, reversed markings on battery.

That's all I can think is either I hooked em up wrong (which I certainly don't think I did at all and checked after unhooking a melted post I think), or the wiring is set up to be hooked up different than I did it. I hooked the second wire to the positive, and the negative is just a jump to the other batteries common negative. The switch is set up for 1, 2 or both.

I went out and took out this fuse and it definitely was the problem! Doesn't look like any fuse I've ever seen, and of course it is a Merc part so I can't grab one this weekend, but at least I know what my problem is. Now I just need to figure out how the hell to hook up this second battery as I'm having a nice stereo put in and will need the deep cycle as well.

Thanks TMS1155 (and everyone).:USA: Nobody around my marina yesterday knew that was a fuse either so they must not blow too often, but as it's a 90 A that's probably not a surprise.

 

[mbam]

Couple of things - terminal will melt off the battery if the connection is loose. It acts like an arc welder. One of the guys in my shop did it last week on a fork lift - to a brand new battery

The connection to the fuse - the cable from the battery DOES NOT GO to the stud on the fuse, it attaches directly to the starter. The #8 wire from the engine harness goes to the stud.

 

[Ratickle]

Couple of things - terminal will melt off the battery if the connection is loose. It acts like an arc welder. One of the guys in my shop did it last week on a fork lift - to a brand new battery

The connection to the fuse - the cable from the battery DOES NOT GO to the stud on the fuse, it attaches directly to the starter. The #8 wire from the engine harness goes to the stud.

Would that also blow the fuse?

And, is it only if the positive cable is loose?

 

[Geronimo36]

I've seen starters go bad and/or lock up and when you turn the ign. key a whole chain of events start. Try and verify the starter is working by jumping the positive post and the ignition terminal with a screw driver (or use a starter button if you have it handy) on the starter solenoid. If it cranks over you should be ok.... I'd hate to see you buy a new fuse block, hook it up and as soon as you turn the ignition key you fry it again.

Best of luck and lets us know how you make out!

 

[RLJ676]

Couple of things - terminal will melt off the battery if the connection is loose. It acts like an arc welder. One of the guys in my shop did it last week on a fork lift - to a brand new battery

The connection to the fuse - the cable from the battery DOES NOT GO to the stud on the fuse, it attaches directly to the starter. The #8 wire from the engine harness goes to the stud.

I was wondering if being loose could have caused it, but it didn't seem likely. There are several grounds connected to the post with a wing nut, so it could have been loose maybe.....

The power is to the starter, not the fuse.

Thanks.

 

[RLJ676]

I've seen starters go bad and/or lock up and when you turn the ign. key a whole chain of events start. Try and verify the starter is working by jumping the positive post and the ignition terminal with a screw driver (or use a starter button if you have it handy) on the starter solenoid. If it cranks over you should be ok.... I'd hate to see you buy a new fuse block, hook it up and as soon as you turn the ignition key you fry it again.

Best of luck and lets us know how you make out!

I'll try and check this, but I think it was a battery/wiring issue as my accesories that don't run through the harness (trim/tabs, etc) died before turning ignition. This had to have been when the terminal fried off. Thanks.

 

[TMS1155]

Sounds like you reversed batt. that blows fuse instantly and would also melt post. Never trust color of cables in a used boat, alot of dumb people get in bilges over the years and dont understand color codes.

 

[RLJ676]

Sounds like you reversed batt. that blows fuse instantly and would also melt post. Never trust color of cables in a used boat, alot of dumb people get in bilges over the years and dont understand color codes.

In this case I might have been that dumb person.:willy_nilly:

I am definitely a little concerned still that the wiring's funny or my battery's reversed or ........ but most likely I just screwed it up. I am having the valve springs done this week so I'm gonna have him check the wiring as well to be sure.

 

[Sean Stinson]

Hope it all works out for you pm me your number and I can walk you through the battery switch wiring