Engine control panel woes

[Jimski]

Fuels gauge in my boat has never worked. Finally replaced the sender when I found a broken wire tang in the sender. Still didnt work. Resort to Google - found the Teleflex trouble shooting guide and by their reasoning my gauge was bad. After removing the sender wire the gauge should go to to full. It stays on E.

Replaced the gauge (only $23). No change.

Measure voltage at the gauge. It was 0.2 volts. OK, there is the problem. Now it gets weird.

I see 12.3 volts on the hot side of the ignition switch to ground. Turn the switch on and the voltage drops to 0.2. The fuel and temp gauge dont work, but the ammeter does. Tach is also broken. Glow plugs work and engine turns over fine. I have no clue where to go next. Not sure spending $650 on a new panel will cure the problem.

 

[kloudie1]

bad connection between battery and hot side of "ignition" switch.. maybe a bad fuse.. Trace the hot connection back to its power source kinda wiggling it as ya go.. you'll find it.. Go as far back as the battery terminal if necessary, checking volts at accessible connections with switch on.. Good Luck
Other but less likely is a shot battery..

 

[Stu Jackson]

If how you use your boat includes using the alternator to provide battery charging, then you should also replace the ammeter with a voltmeter. The reason is that eons ago they ran the charging wire all the way back to the cockpit panel from the power producing alternator and only then back to the house bank.

Details:
Engine harness upgrade: A comprehensive overview by Gerry Douglas Important WARNING for M25 owners

There's nothing wrong with your "panel", it's the wiring to and from it. Take it a wire at a time, also check the wiring harness.

PS - C30 systems are identical to our C34 systems in these regards.

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