Post by footy3 on Jul 8, 2022 11:42:32 GMT -5
I replaced both batteries, what was installed was 2 interstate 27M-xhd starting batteries. I decided to go with one starting battery and one deep cycle house battery. First I removed all leads, one at a time, zip tying together everything on each lead to make sure I didn't mix up any cables on the reinstall. Followed other people's lead and advice on how to remove the batteries by moving the starboard battery further starboard first, then turning the port battery 90 degrees to remove, went pretty simply.
Tested all systems with battery switch one 1, 2 and both, everything seemed to work. First time out, ran about 12 miles, fished, drifting with motor off for about an hour (got skunk btw) then came back in the inlet drifted for about another hour (got some decent fluke and a bunch of dogfish), sometimes leaving the motor running, other times shutting it off. Daughter had to be back to work, so time for one more drift, ran to the starting point, turned off motor, drifted for about 15 minutes, lines up time to go, switch the battery to the starting battery, turned the key, motor clicked and all electric off, no gauges, sonar, radio, vhf, completely dead. Uh oh...
Switched to battery 2 (deep cycle) still no electric at all. tried both, same. noticed we were drifting quickly into shallow water, managed to quickly find the wrench to loosen the gypsy to drop anchor manually. Tried the switch several times, all positions, no power at all. I have a 40 amp breaker button below my switch, along with breakers for 2 bilge pumps and "accy" tried pushing all breakers, including all breakers under the dash, nothing amiss. Opened up battery compartment, didn't see anything obviously wrong, put the switch back on 2, nothing. Gave the switch a gentle but firm punch with the heel of my hand, all electronics came on. Started the boat, decided to run on both, as I didn't want to mess with success, pulled in the anchor, via winch, all fine, hit the throttle, went for about 15 seconds, then died. Smacked the switch again, all came back on, started, ran home, no problems.
Today I pulled the switch cover off and saw no obviously loose wires. Everything seems to be working fine today on land. The 40 amp breaker has good continuity between posts. Oddly, the accy breaker only has a red lead attached, no ground. I can't find a loose unattached ground wire anywhere. The 2 bilge pump breakers both have red and black leads attached. I did find a loose red wire, with a broken ring terminal. My boat had the winch installed at the dealer, and there was some debate if the original install used heavy enough wire, so it could be a remnant of that rewire, although it does disappear into a black corrugated, wiring tube that runs back to the area where the batteries are located. Upon further checking I noticed the central terminal on the switch, which runs power back to the motor, was actually about 2 turns loose. So I hate to be captain obvious, but this is probably the problem right? Would that terminal being loose and losing connection kill power to everything, radios, sonar etc? How often do these switches go bad? Should I get a spare switch to keep on the boat in case I run into the problem again, or alternatively, in a pinch, can you "jump" the switch with a jumper wire?
The wiring diagram from Sailfish is page 7 sailfish-boat.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/sailfishboats/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/245DC_Owners_Manual_2018.pdf
I know enough about wiring to know I know nothing about wiring.....
thanks in advance.
Tested all systems with battery switch one 1, 2 and both, everything seemed to work. First time out, ran about 12 miles, fished, drifting with motor off for about an hour (got skunk btw) then came back in the inlet drifted for about another hour (got some decent fluke and a bunch of dogfish), sometimes leaving the motor running, other times shutting it off. Daughter had to be back to work, so time for one more drift, ran to the starting point, turned off motor, drifted for about 15 minutes, lines up time to go, switch the battery to the starting battery, turned the key, motor clicked and all electric off, no gauges, sonar, radio, vhf, completely dead. Uh oh...
Switched to battery 2 (deep cycle) still no electric at all. tried both, same. noticed we were drifting quickly into shallow water, managed to quickly find the wrench to loosen the gypsy to drop anchor manually. Tried the switch several times, all positions, no power at all. I have a 40 amp breaker button below my switch, along with breakers for 2 bilge pumps and "accy" tried pushing all breakers, including all breakers under the dash, nothing amiss. Opened up battery compartment, didn't see anything obviously wrong, put the switch back on 2, nothing. Gave the switch a gentle but firm punch with the heel of my hand, all electronics came on. Started the boat, decided to run on both, as I didn't want to mess with success, pulled in the anchor, via winch, all fine, hit the throttle, went for about 15 seconds, then died. Smacked the switch again, all came back on, started, ran home, no problems.
Today I pulled the switch cover off and saw no obviously loose wires. Everything seems to be working fine today on land. The 40 amp breaker has good continuity between posts. Oddly, the accy breaker only has a red lead attached, no ground. I can't find a loose unattached ground wire anywhere. The 2 bilge pump breakers both have red and black leads attached. I did find a loose red wire, with a broken ring terminal. My boat had the winch installed at the dealer, and there was some debate if the original install used heavy enough wire, so it could be a remnant of that rewire, although it does disappear into a black corrugated, wiring tube that runs back to the area where the batteries are located. Upon further checking I noticed the central terminal on the switch, which runs power back to the motor, was actually about 2 turns loose. So I hate to be captain obvious, but this is probably the problem right? Would that terminal being loose and losing connection kill power to everything, radios, sonar etc? How often do these switches go bad? Should I get a spare switch to keep on the boat in case I run into the problem again, or alternatively, in a pinch, can you "jump" the switch with a jumper wire?
The wiring diagram from Sailfish is page 7 sailfish-boat.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/sailfishboats/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/245DC_Owners_Manual_2018.pdf
I know enough about wiring to know I know nothing about wiring.....
thanks in advance.