I am at wits end trying to trouble shoot the solenoid on my Beneteau. This is an omnipotent solenoid, it controls permission relays for windlass and bow thruster, engine blower, starter, injector primer and probably other things I am missing. At some point I hired someone to troubleshoot the wiring and it worked for awhile but I noticed the RPM gauge acting funny and the lighting for the engine hours stopped working. I ignored this but recently the windlass and bow thruster stopped working. I looked at the wiring schematics I have and there is no detail or inset for this solenoid. There are 4 blades on the solenoid which means a possible 16 combinations of connections. I eliminated 8 as they would have grounded incorrectly and set out to try the remaining 8. On the 4th try, UREKA, it worked! Engine started, bow thruster and windlass worked. Only to return the next day and it was back to square one, starter would not work, blower stays on, I need some advice. Following are images that may help:
2008 Beneteau 43 Solenoid Troubles
- Thread starter DPW
- Start date
Frustrating! But I think you demonstrated what the problem is when you reseated a connection, and it worked for a day. Clean male connections as best as possible with a pencil eraser, use needle nose pliers delicately to tighten loose female connections. then use di electric silicone to prevent further corrosion. Plan on the job taking a while, especially if you have to contort to get at the connections. Make each connection the best that you can and you will chase the gremlins away!
Capted; I managed to buy a new solenoid from boatclick.com. Tho the new one has five connections vs four in the original I was able to figure out the proper connection sequence and everything seems to be working now. I think your point has merit in that the new solenoid has clean contacts which may hae been the problem, I kept the old one as a spare and cleaned it up. Thanks.