although my batteries are up, I can not get juice in the system. First I thought it was the battery switch;replaced it but no help. After checking every fuse and connection I could find I thought I would try using the booster cables to create a ground and it worked; I attached to the neg. terminal and the engine block. Does this mean somewhere there is a bad ground? I dont understand how the system works when there is no obvious connection between the neg post and the engine ( like a car ) Where will I find this grounding?
how is my system grounded
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engine ground
Rob It would help if you had a multimeter to verify where you are losing continuity in the ground. My guess it is at the engine in a bad connection. Find where the battery gnd wire connects to the block and clean it thoroughly.
Rob It would help if you had a multimeter to verify where you are losing continuity in the ground. My guess it is at the engine in a bad connection. Find where the battery gnd wire connects to the block and clean it thoroughly.
See the posts "Electrical Connection" down below
This, together with detailed trouble shooting tips was recently covered. John Brecher
This, together with detailed trouble shooting tips was recently covered. John Brecher
What batteries?
You do not say whether you have more than one battery bank and/or which is not charging. Regardless there should be only one black #2 or #4 cable attached on the engine block somewhere. That cable should go to one of the battery's negative post and it does not matter which. Then all other negative posts should tie together. My engine ground goes to the start battery because it is closest. From there the cables are daisy-chained to each of four house bank batteries. Somewhere one of those cables is disconnected or loose.
You do not say whether you have more than one battery bank and/or which is not charging. Regardless there should be only one black #2 or #4 cable attached on the engine block somewhere. That cable should go to one of the battery's negative post and it does not matter which. Then all other negative posts should tie together. My engine ground goes to the start battery because it is closest. From there the cables are daisy-chained to each of four house bank batteries. Somewhere one of those cables is disconnected or loose.
Robs reply
there are two batteries, both neg are joined together,each pos has a cable to the main switch,one cable (common)run from the switch to the starter Not connection exists from the neg to anything (when I jump neg to block it works for starting but not cabin lights etc )Beats the hell out of me thanks for the help
there are two batteries, both neg are joined together,each pos has a cable to the main switch,one cable (common)run from the switch to the starter Not connection exists from the neg to anything (when I jump neg to block it works for starting but not cabin lights etc )Beats the hell out of me thanks for the help
Rob, you do not have power because your
batteries are not connected to your electrical circuits. Leave the existing cable which connects the (-) terminals of both batteries in parallel. You are missing a wire which goes from one (1) of the negative battery poles to a ground in the engine. It is strange that this wire would be missing so look behind or in between the batteries to see if it is just laying around. Perhaps the batteries were disconnected for boat storage and never connected back up. I was looking at the wiring diagram for the h30 and although is not very clear where that negative wire may connect to the engine it does show that all leads, except the float switch and the mast ground, are connected to a common ground at the switch panel which is in turn grounded to the engine with a 10 gauge wire. Because of this your cabin lights should have worked when you ran a jumper from neg battery to engine ground; that is if the breaker for cabin lights was on. The missing wire to engine ground should be at least 4 gauge. Good luck
batteries are not connected to your electrical circuits. Leave the existing cable which connects the (-) terminals of both batteries in parallel. You are missing a wire which goes from one (1) of the negative battery poles to a ground in the engine. It is strange that this wire would be missing so look behind or in between the batteries to see if it is just laying around. Perhaps the batteries were disconnected for boat storage and never connected back up. I was looking at the wiring diagram for the h30 and although is not very clear where that negative wire may connect to the engine it does show that all leads, except the float switch and the mast ground, are connected to a common ground at the switch panel which is in turn grounded to the engine with a 10 gauge wire. Because of this your cabin lights should have worked when you ran a jumper from neg battery to engine ground; that is if the breaker for cabin lights was on. The missing wire to engine ground should be at least 4 gauge. Good luck
Diagram.
Here is a wiring diagram from the H37C and should be the same for your Cherubini. It illustrates what Benny and I are trying to explain. On my boat the black ground comes off of the back/port corner of the Yanmar and over to the starter battery negative post. As you point out the battery switch common red wire goes to the starter. On that same starter post there should be a #10 wire, maybe red, going to your electrical breaker panel. And I cannot remember where the black ground wire from the breaker panel is tied. But I think it is to the same bolt as the #4 battery ground.
Here is a wiring diagram from the H37C and should be the same for your Cherubini. It illustrates what Benny and I are trying to explain. On my boat the black ground comes off of the back/port corner of the Yanmar and over to the starter battery negative post. As you point out the battery switch common red wire goes to the starter. On that same starter post there should be a #10 wire, maybe red, going to your electrical breaker panel. And I cannot remember where the black ground wire from the breaker panel is tied. But I think it is to the same bolt as the #4 battery ground.
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