The negative cable is just as important as the positive one. Clean both.
Then check and clean the other end of both.

"Inno" wrote in message
ps.com...
I have a 99 Larson with the Volvo 4.3 L 190 HP engine. When it starts
it runs quite well but today it seemed to be totally electrically
dead: no noise at all when trying to crank, no lights, no horn, no
blower, etc.

The battery is brand new (one day old), fully charged and the clamps
are tight. This has been an intermittent problem where I would let it
sit for a bit then it would be ok but today it would not show any sign
of electrical life at all. The positive cable seems to be tightly
connected down near the starter. I can't get at the neg. cable. The
fuses seem to be ok and if it was a fuse I would think that just some
circuit(s) would be affected and it would not be this intermittent
problem.

What should I be looking for that would shut down the entire elec.
system?

Please help! I am very far from any Volvo service shop and need to
fix this on my own. I am sure this must be something very simple I
do have an ohm-meter but it was at home three hours away today.

Any ideas would be much appreciated!