99 Mercruiser Electrical Problem
 

I got the boat ready Saturday to start her up for the first time. Been
charging the battery during the winter months. Hooked it up. Raised the
lower unit so I can move her to the driveway. Lowered it back down.
Checked all the fluids. Everything looked good. Put the muffs on and
turned on the water. Turned the Key and nothing. Nothing at all worked.
Radio doesn't come on and the horn doesn't even work. Battery is fully
charged, fuses are fine, kill switch is not engaged.
I had a friend of mine who was working on it so I am not sure which
cables he jumped on the starter/solenoid. When I turn the key there is
no power anywhere in the boat and it doesn't click the starter either.
He did a jump at the starter and got it to turn the motor a little.
Then he jumped another wire and there was power back in the entire
boat. Where is my problem?

--------------------
1999 SeaRay 180 Bowrider,
3.0L Merc 135hp I/O

Get a meter or test light and go along the path from the battery to the
motor to the dash. There should be power to a large red wire going to the
ignition switch. Normally comes from the + lead of the battery at the
starter or solenoid connection.
Bill

wrote in message
oups.com...
I got the boat ready Saturday to start her up for the first time. Been
charging the battery during the winter months. Hooked it up. Raised the
lower unit so I can move her to the driveway. Lowered it back down.
Checked all the fluids. Everything looked good. Put the muffs on and
turned on the water. Turned the Key and nothing. Nothing at all worked.
Radio doesn't come on and the horn doesn't even work. Battery is fully
charged, fuses are fine, kill switch is not engaged.
I had a friend of mine who was working on it so I am not sure which
cables he jumped on the starter/solenoid. When I turn the key there is
no power anywhere in the boat and it doesn't click the starter either.
He did a jump at the starter and got it to turn the motor a little.
Then he jumped another wire and there was power back in the entire
boat. Where is my problem?

--------------------
1999 SeaRay 180 Bowrider,
3.0L Merc 135hp I/O

Bad connection. Once you get something to work it sometimes fixes it by
burning thorugh the oxidation. Start cleaning connections. Use a wire
brush. Start at the battery.

wrote in message
oups.com...
I got the boat ready Saturday to start her up for the first time. Been
charging the battery during the winter months. Hooked it up. Raised the
lower unit so I can move her to the driveway. Lowered it back down.
Checked all the fluids. Everything looked good. Put the muffs on and
turned on the water. Turned the Key and nothing. Nothing at all worked.
Radio doesn't come on and the horn doesn't even work. Battery is fully
charged, fuses are fine, kill switch is not engaged.
I had a friend of mine who was working on it so I am not sure which
cables he jumped on the starter/solenoid. When I turn the key there is
no power anywhere in the boat and it doesn't click the starter either.
He did a jump at the starter and got it to turn the motor a little.
Then he jumped another wire and there was power back in the entire
boat. Where is my problem?

--------------------
1999 SeaRay 180 Bowrider,
3.0L Merc 135hp I/O

I had an 2000 larson 3.0 mercruiser. It had a 50 amp breaker on top of
motor. the button is round and red so try pushing it to reset. never had to
do it my self but it will shut down all power to dash fuse panel.
"Calif Bill" wrote in message
ink.net...
Get a meter or test light and go along the path from the battery to the
motor to the dash. There should be power to a large red wire going to
the
ignition switch. Normally comes from the + lead of the battery at the
starter or solenoid connection.
Bill

wrote in message
oups.com...
I got the boat ready Saturday to start her up for the first time. Been
charging the battery during the winter months. Hooked it up. Raised the
lower unit so I can move her to the driveway. Lowered it back down.
Checked all the fluids. Everything looked good. Put the muffs on and
turned on the water. Turned the Key and nothing. Nothing at all worked.
Radio doesn't come on and the horn doesn't even work. Battery is fully
charged, fuses are fine, kill switch is not engaged.
I had a friend of mine who was working on it so I am not sure which
cables he jumped on the starter/solenoid. When I turn the key there is
no power anywhere in the boat and it doesn't click the starter either.
He did a jump at the starter and got it to turn the motor a little.
Then he jumped another wire and there was power back in the entire
boat. Where is my problem?

--------------------
1999 SeaRay 180 Bowrider,
3.0L Merc 135hp I/O

We followed it from the battery to the starter, thats were we stopped
and did the jumps. What wire should I follow once I leave the starter?

No breaker button here. Wish it were that easy.

Guaranteed I will be doing this.

wrote in message
ups.com...
No breaker button here. Wish it were that easy.


All boaters need to learn a little electrical trouble shooting. When you
are dead in the water at sea or in the middle of the big lake it could save
your life or at least a cold night. At the ramp it could save the boating
day. Easy to take a test light and trace the power path if you have an idea
of the power feed network.
Bill

There is a red wire to the dash and from the dash to the ignition is violet.
Also check that the ground is ok also. You can have power to the dash, but
if the ground wire is open, then same results. I think the starter wire
from the ignition switch is yellow, but no guarantee on that.
Bill

wrote in message
ups.com...
We followed it from the battery to the starter, thats were we stopped
and did the jumps. What wire should I follow once I leave the starter?

I'll be working on it later this week or this weekend. I'll let you
know what I come up with. Thanks for your help and if you thing of
anything else let me know.
-g


Calif Bill wrote:
There is a red wire to the dash and from the dash to the ignition is
violet.
Also check that the ground is ok also. You can have power to the
dash, but
if the ground wire is open, then same results. I think the starter
wire
from the ignition switch is yellow, but no guarantee on that.
Bill

wrote in message
ups.com...
We followed it from the battery to the starter, thats were we
stopped
and did the jumps. What wire should I follow once I leave the
starter?