Folks, After a nice afternoon sail on Buzzards Bay I came in and discovered a strange electrical problem that has me stumped. All my devices powered by DC voltage are not working. That includes instruments, potable water pump, sump pump, macerator pump, lights, stereo, etc. I get 12+volts to the DC power switch, also get 12+volts to the fuse and also to the switch for each device when in the "on position". I also get 12+volts to the pumps, etc but they are not operating. Anyone have a clue? Thanks, Jack McLaughlin Summerwind 1986 Catalina 27 6264
Electrical Problme
- Thread starter summerwind
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The one common thing is.........
no ground. Check the -12V side of all the circuits. When you get one fixed, all the rest will work.
no ground. Check the -12V side of all the circuits. When you get one fixed, all the rest will work.
You need to be well grounded.
From what you say you have battery to all of your equipment, but is it able to get to ground. A better word for ground mite be battery return. The power returns to the battery over the ground system. A open or high resistant connection back to the negitive post of the battery will cause this problem.
From what you say you have battery to all of your equipment, but is it able to get to ground. A better word for ground mite be battery return. The power returns to the battery over the ground system. A open or high resistant connection back to the negitive post of the battery will cause this problem.
Inboard?
The other post hit nailed it. And, if you have an inboard don't miss checking the ground point on the engine.
The other post hit nailed it. And, if you have an inboard don't miss checking the ground point on the engine.
How to find an electrical short
Sounds like I have a short somewhere. What is the best way to find the short?
Sounds like I have a short somewhere. What is the best way to find the short?
No short
It's not a short. A short circuit happens when the hot and ground leads (+ and -) somehow connect with each other outside the regular circuit, before the juice gets all the way down the circuit to the appliance. (By "appliance", I mean anything that is wired in to use your 12 volts - running lights, stereo, pumps, etc.) When a short happens, you either blow a fuse (or trip a breaker), or you may have a fire. Sounds like you have an "open circuit", the opposite situtation, where one of the wires breaks or become electrically disconnected from the circuit so no (or not enough) juice can flow out to the appliance from the battery on the hot lead and back to the battery down the ground lead . As the others have mentioned, it's likely a bad ground. Since NOTHING works, its likely in the circuit coming from the battery to the fuse panel that distributes out the electricity to all the appliances. To isolate that, use the impedance testing function on your multimeter, and connect one end to the battery ground terminal, and one at a time to the other end of the ground wire in each circuit. The meter should read zero, or close thereto if the circuit is good. When you've found the bad one, you'll get a high (or infinite) reading on the meter. One other thing to be aware of is that you might have a bad ground that allows current to pass, but just not enough current to run the appliance if it uses a lot of current. The instruments usually use little current, the bilge pump, macerator etc. use a lot. If that is the case, then your meter may show you have a good circuit, because the meter only draws a very small amount of current, but not enough can pass to run the appliance. But in your situation, since NOTHING works, it would have to be a VERY bad (but still existant) ground to prevent ANYTHING from working. Good luck!
It's not a short. A short circuit happens when the hot and ground leads (+ and -) somehow connect with each other outside the regular circuit, before the juice gets all the way down the circuit to the appliance. (By "appliance", I mean anything that is wired in to use your 12 volts - running lights, stereo, pumps, etc.) When a short happens, you either blow a fuse (or trip a breaker), or you may have a fire. Sounds like you have an "open circuit", the opposite situtation, where one of the wires breaks or become electrically disconnected from the circuit so no (or not enough) juice can flow out to the appliance from the battery on the hot lead and back to the battery down the ground lead . As the others have mentioned, it's likely a bad ground. Since NOTHING works, its likely in the circuit coming from the battery to the fuse panel that distributes out the electricity to all the appliances. To isolate that, use the impedance testing function on your multimeter, and connect one end to the battery ground terminal, and one at a time to the other end of the ground wire in each circuit. The meter should read zero, or close thereto if the circuit is good. When you've found the bad one, you'll get a high (or infinite) reading on the meter. One other thing to be aware of is that you might have a bad ground that allows current to pass, but just not enough current to run the appliance if it uses a lot of current. The instruments usually use little current, the bilge pump, macerator etc. use a lot. If that is the case, then your meter may show you have a good circuit, because the meter only draws a very small amount of current, but not enough can pass to run the appliance. But in your situation, since NOTHING works, it would have to be a VERY bad (but still existant) ground to prevent ANYTHING from working. Good luck!
electrical problem
I solved the problem. It was a corroded terminal on the negative terminal of the battery. Thanks for the responses that pointed me in the right direction and saved me a bunch of money by not hiring the marina to solve the problem.
I solved the problem. It was a corroded terminal on the negative terminal of the battery. Thanks for the responses that pointed me in the right direction and saved me a bunch of money by not hiring the marina to solve the problem.
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