Idiot lights

Status
Not open for further replies.
H

Higgs

Have a new/used boat with a Yanmar 3QM30. When I turn key to on, the idiot lights for oil and charging go on, but not the water temp. Put in a new sending unit and went crazy trying to find out why it did not go on. Bulb is good - wiring has continuity and grounds seem OK. Spoke to 2 "experts" who, after I described wiring to them, thought the light was not intended to go on when key was set to on. I am looking for other 3QM owners with a similar instrument panel who can fill me in on what their boats do. For electrical gurus, which I am not, here is the wiring: the hot side of the bulb is chained to/from the oil and charger lights. The other side has two wires - one to the warning buzzer the other to the sending unit. Both have continuity. The sending unit has no other wires-only the one that runs to the bulb.
 

Bill G

.
May 30, 2004
7
Hunter 27 Deltaville VA
Water Temp Light

I think the lights are working just fine. With the key on and the engine not running the oil press lite will be on because the oil press is 0, the charge lite will be on because you are not charging (actually discharging) and finally the water temp lite will be off because the engine is cold (not overheated). You would expect the water temp lite to come on if the engine overheated wouldn't you? Bill
 
H

Hooper Harris

Your lights work fine

At least it works like mine... I had the same question and checked my operating manual for my Yanmar 3GMF, and it checks out to be OK. Switching the key on does not accomplish a panel check, just a power up of the panel's circuits. As pointed out by Bill, you have no oil pressure and no alternator output, so you get two lights and a horn. Temperature is OK, so no temp light. Without a press-to-test function, there is no way of testing the water temperature warning (light and horn), other than grounding the appropriate wire from the panel.
 
H

Higgs

Thanks

I had assumed (I know the joke for that word) that the instrument panel worked like a car which lights up everything to let you know your system is working. Live and learn, I guess. This cost me several extra days in Sheboygan, WI as I worked on the "problem". Now that I have it figured out we get steep 5 footers out of the direction I want to go. I hate these Skipper Bud marinas as they are so expensive. Thanks for the responses - when the weather clears I am out of here - stern lights, if you will.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.