I knew the day was going way too well. After a month in the yard, when the lift dropped me back in the water the engine was hard starting. I'd started it the day prior while in the jackstands, and it started fine, but the belts were loose. I replaced the alternator belt and tightened the water pump belt. The alternator belt was a tad smaller than the original and ended up being much tighter (I always have problems with the regular size belt loosening). I attributed the hard starting to the tighter belts. The alternator is a 100-watt replacement which had been working fine. All was fine for the two-hour trip, until I stopped at the dock and shut it off. Minutes later there was no power to the cockpit instrument panel. No starting power, no test light nor buzzer power. All dead. I put a meter on the inside panel connections; no power. I metered the alternator and found 12V there, along with what looked like a seloinoid attached to the engine block behind the alternator, and found 12v there as well. Any ideas as to where I should check next? Scott Rubicon 83 Hunter 31 Key West
Lost all power at cockpit instrument panel
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panel and 12-volt
there won't be any 12-volt power at the panel unless the key is turned to "on." There should be +12 volts on the input side of the key. This is why the buzzer shuts off when you turn off the key switch. You will have 12-volt power on one side of the alternator - the heavy gauge wire - as this should be a short run from the battery. You will also have power to one pole on the solenoid. When you apply 12-volt/push the starter button it will close that circuit and apply power to the starter. I would think that the next thing to check is power coming into the key. You probably either have a loose connection or a blown fuse - I think there must be a fuse somewhere though I don't know that for a fact... I have never looked. If power is coming into the key-switch, but not getting to the rest of the panel when you turn the key to "on," that sounds like a bad switch... or a loose or corroded connection on the other side.
there won't be any 12-volt power at the panel unless the key is turned to "on." There should be +12 volts on the input side of the key. This is why the buzzer shuts off when you turn off the key switch. You will have 12-volt power on one side of the alternator - the heavy gauge wire - as this should be a short run from the battery. You will also have power to one pole on the solenoid. When you apply 12-volt/push the starter button it will close that circuit and apply power to the starter. I would think that the next thing to check is power coming into the key. You probably either have a loose connection or a blown fuse - I think there must be a fuse somewhere though I don't know that for a fact... I have never looked. If power is coming into the key-switch, but not getting to the rest of the panel when you turn the key to "on," that sounds like a bad switch... or a loose or corroded connection on the other side.
B
Briann
Tight Belts
You mention that your belts are tighter than normal. A generator or water pump belt should have it's width in deflection. In other words: if the belt is 1/2" wide, the deflection should be no more than 1/2". This is not the reason that you don't have power at the helm but if the belts are over tensioned, the bearings in both the alternator and water pump will be history sooner than you would expect.
You mention that your belts are tighter than normal. A generator or water pump belt should have it's width in deflection. In other words: if the belt is 1/2" wide, the deflection should be no more than 1/2". This is not the reason that you don't have power at the helm but if the belts are over tensioned, the bearings in both the alternator and water pump will be history sooner than you would expect.
Following it back
There's no power to the key switch, and the panel is completely dead regardless of the key position. Looks like I'll have to trace back the power input side to the key switch and see where it goes. Anyone know where it should lead to? Thanks for the tip about the over-tightened belts. Guess I'll have to put the larger sized belt back on, even though it keeps loosening. I guess that's better than burning out the bearings.
There's no power to the key switch, and the panel is completely dead regardless of the key position. Looks like I'll have to trace back the power input side to the key switch and see where it goes. Anyone know where it should lead to? Thanks for the tip about the over-tightened belts. Guess I'll have to put the larger sized belt back on, even though it keeps loosening. I guess that's better than burning out the bearings.
starter fuse blown??
I have a '79 33 with a 2QM15 engine, also dealt with what appeared to be a dead instrument panel.... found a fuseblock directly mounted to the top of the engine with a 20a fuse... replaced the blown fuse and voila', everything worked as it should!!
I have a '79 33 with a 2QM15 engine, also dealt with what appeared to be a dead instrument panel.... found a fuseblock directly mounted to the top of the engine with a 20a fuse... replaced the blown fuse and voila', everything worked as it should!!
Found it!
There it was, hidden under the selonoid, a 30amp in-line fuse block running alongside the wiring harness running from the cockpit to the engine. Fortunetely, there was a spare 30amp fuse deep down inside the fuse block. I suspect the unusually tight new belts just drew too much amperage during the hard start and blew the fuse. The other good news is that the new very tight alternator belt has now loosened up to the correct tension; just needed a little run time. Woo Hoo! Thanks everyone.
There it was, hidden under the selonoid, a 30amp in-line fuse block running alongside the wiring harness running from the cockpit to the engine. Fortunetely, there was a spare 30amp fuse deep down inside the fuse block. I suspect the unusually tight new belts just drew too much amperage during the hard start and blew the fuse. The other good news is that the new very tight alternator belt has now loosened up to the correct tension; just needed a little run time. Woo Hoo! Thanks everyone.
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