None of rocker switches work- help!

[Senor Snagger]

I'm super frustrated here. Just started up the boat after its winter hibernation. Engine runs great(knock on wood)

So here's my problem. The key starts the engine,

The gauges light up and function, but not a single rocker switch(or the fm radio) works on the panel. Each rocker has its own fuse and it looks like power comes into the panel from a big wiring harness from the engine under the dash(maybe I'm wrong). The rockers look like they are wired together(meaning they all share the same positive and negative and the wires just "jump" from one switch to the next.

I'm really super frustrated and would really appreciate your help.

[ontherise]

Is there a fuse on the hot wire that feeds the panel? If so check it.... Did you disconnect the battery's for the winter? Maybe you didn't re-connect one of the wires at a battery??

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[Senor Snagger]

I'm 95% sure I reconnected all of the battery lines. I've got a separate line for the fish finder and the float switch bilge.

I do not see a separate fuse for the panel except for the button fuses on each switch. Power to the panel comes from the motor. Motor is a 1996 2 stroke 90hp merc.

Edited March 21, 2015 by Senor Snagger

[Sea-IV]

Señor there might be a Maxi fuse setup on the engine. Looks kind of like a miniature tampon. My buddy had the same situation last year. Boat would fire up and run but had no power to gauges or rockers. I looked everywhere and then lifted engine cover and found a fuse in the harness that was blown. Changed it and no problem since

[Senor Snagger]

It's an outboard. 90elpto. Gauges work. Rockers don't. That's the baffling part

[Sea-IV]

I would still check the fuse coming from the starter on your outboard. It's always something simple that we don't look at and if gauges are working I would bet it's a main fuse or relay that has blown

[Senor Snagger]

I'll have to get back into the motor. There's a 20 amp fuse that I found that was intact on the motor but I will keep looking. If I had hair I would have pulled it out already

[Sea-IV]

I agree had all these issues over the years as well. Even had my buddy take it to a shop and paid $300 and they couldn't find the issue either

[MCF]

If it is set up like my Sea Nymph and other boats I have seen, there is a block under the dash or near the dash that all the toggle switches run to.  This happened to me during a tournament a couple years ago.  Gauges worked, toggles didn't.   To save time, ran a temp wire from the switches back to the battery, that isolated the issue with the block under the dash.  Again, sounds like something simple that might be being overlooked in the frustration/heat of the moment.   

[SylvanTroller]

Take your multi meter and check dc voltage at each rocker. There is usually one power wire in that harness that feeds the switch panel. If there is no voltage at the rocker (which there shouldn't or else it would work) follow that power wire. There is likely an in line fuse on the red wire at the battery. Also take you meter and check your ground to make sure it is good as well.

Worst case run a new hot and ground from the battery and feed the switch panel from those.

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[Senor Snagger]

It's 9:15 and I just got home from a birthday party. Wish me luck im going in.....

The power wire goes into a big harness. Will start at the engine and work forward. 10:30 is my time out

[Frogger]

Interesting. I'll keep an eye out when I go back out to continue my work, I've got the sea nymph, had my head stuck up under the dash all afternoon rigging up an auto pilot. Why do I think that each rocker switch on mine has a tie to my ignition.... I'll have to check.

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[Consigliere]

If it's not a fuse or broken feed wire. its a ground.

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[Senor Snagger]

I'm here to collect my Darwin Award.

Note to self- check tightness of wing nut on positive battery terminal........

I'm pissed yet relieved.

[TileMan Dan]

Well as least it was an easy fix. Dont need anything major especially when season's about to start.

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[mac150]

I thought you weren't supposed to use wing nuts for a boat battery because of vibration.

[Sea-IV]

Always something simple

[Senor Snagger]

Never had a problem using wing nuts except for when I bring the boat out of hibernation obviously....

[LongLine]

You can use wing-nuts just as long as you use something a lot more than your fingers to tighten them.

 

Tom B.

(LongLine)

[Xxx]

I'm here to collect my Darwin Award.

Note to self- check tightness of wing nut on positive battery terminal........

I'm pissed yet relieved.

Like I mentioned earlier about electrical problems, most people put the carriage before the horse, it's most of the time, either a connection at the power source or a bad ground. Even though I use a.zip tie to hold all the wires together when I pull the batteries I missed one for the running lights, in my mind I had all the wires on well I back tracked and sure enough there hung a wire. A man wants to kick himself in a$$ at that point. I glad you found the problem!!!!!

[scobar]

wingnuts with lock tight works great

[traveling man]

Your not the first person to overlook simple things. I've kick myself several times for stuff like this.

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