Trim, Accessories, ignition goes in and out

[JRyno10]

So I am trying to get my wiring 100% operational. My Trim (only down) does not work, doesn't get power occasionally. Shaking the wires/fidgeting with them seem to get it to work again. However this will also sometimes cause my accessories to not work or my ignition. I'm not sure where I should start to address these problems. I really want to get everything 100% reliable. Would hate to not be able to get power to my Bildge or ignition while out on the water.

 

[KMixson]

Sounds like a loose connection to me. Tighten all of your connections and then see if it works. If not, it may be a broken wire somewhere.

 

[LDUBS]

+1 on loose connection. Maybe start by checking that the connections at the battery are good? Who knows, might be a very easy fix.

 

[richg99]

Anytime LOTS of things are acting goofy, it is often the GROUND. Nothing else is connected to all of those things at once.

So, as suggested above, start checking your ground connection from the battery on forward. Pull, clean, and retighten each ground connection first.

richg99

 

[DaleH]

I too seen this or corrected it for customers. So in order of occurrence, I'd ..

1) Check ALL your connections, especially grounds

2) Check run of harness from OB connections to helm or side control connections. Once found an OMC amphenol connector (large red pull-apart plug) full of corrosion. Cleaned it up and all was well!

3) Bad ignition switch ... tried EVERYTHING, then - duh - became cognizant that the Owner had a ton of keys on his key change ... the weight wore out the switch, causing internal shorts.

FYI, intermittent problems are the WORST to troubleshoot!

 

[JRyno10]

Thanks everyone for the input. There were a few things that were causing intermittent use and they were one loose connection at the switch and a few connections that were not clean. Sand paper and corrosion block cleaned those up and so far it seems that my most of my electrical problems have been resolved but only time will tell. The only thing I am still having trouble with are my Navigation Lights.

I'm not sure what the issue with them is. This evening when I walked out to mess with them I flipped the switch and my bow lights came right on. I then tried to plug my stern light in and it did not turn on. Next I took my voltmeter and tested to see if I was getting power to the light and was getting 12.2-12.6 volts. Even at 12.2 that should be enough power to illuminate my stern light isn't it? Throughout this time my bow lights continued to stay on until I walked into the garage to find some sand paper to try and clean the stern light contacts and when I can back my bow lights were off and could not get them to come back on. I'm not sure where to go from here.

 

[KMixson]

As for the bow lights, check for loose bulbs in their sockets. I have seen bulbs get hot and cause them to loose the connection in the bulb socket. As for the stern light, check that the bulb is good. Also check the socket on it also. Bulbs should fit snugly in their sockets. If they are sloppy loose the connection is greatly compromised. The bulb itself needs to be clean enough to complete the connection from the socket. I have seen clean bulbs with bad connections and corroded bulbs with good connections. Sometimes it don't make sense.

 

[DaleH]

Next I took my voltmeter and tested to see if I was getting power to the light and was getting 12.2-12.6 volts.

What was your DVM grounded to when you got this reading?

Try another bulb?

 

[richg99]

Has any seller come out with a LED replacement bulb for those lights?

You'd still have corrosion and connection issues, but the bulb would be out of the picture.

richg99

 

[KMixson]

Has any seller come out with a LED replacement bulb for those lights?

You'd still have corrosion and connection issues, but the bulb would be out of the picture.

richg99

Yes, there are LED bulbs that can replace these. Here is one link to them

https://www.superbrightleds.com/cat/tail-brake-turn/filter/Base_Type,1156,1,40:

 

[Stumpalump]

Flip your dash switch 30 times. Corrosion in the switch will allow you to read 12v until you put a load on it. Flipping the switch multiple times can clean the internal contacts. You can short the switch wires together also for troubleshooting.

 

[JRyno10]

Ok now I'm dumbfounded. I have replaced the switch. It purchased new bulbs.. it's not the bulbs.. when I use my voltmeter on the light bulb socket it reads 12.65. Why does the bulb not illuminate?

 

[DaleH]

Ok now I'm dumbfounded. I have replaced the switch. It purchased new bulbs.. it's not the bulbs.. when I use my voltmeter on the light bulb socket it reads 12.65. Why does the bulb not illuminate?

Put the bulb to battery, by some quick leads to the 2 contacts. Those light bulbs have a different patterns to the connections points and the 2 'tits' that orient & hold the bulb into the socket. You might be getting power to your socket ... but not to the bulb.

 

[JRyno10]

After redoing every single connection and checking every wire, it was as simple as a broken ground wire that was hanging on by a thread in an area I couldn't see.

 

[DaleH]

After redoing every single connection and checking every wire, it was as simple as a broken ground wire that was hanging on by a thread in an area I couldn't see.

.. that why I had specifically asked HOW you got 12.6 at the socket? If you had grounded it "elsewhere" ... you only tested 1/2 the circuit [-X

Always test voltages using the available contacts for that load in question.

 

[KMixson]

Ok now I'm dumbfounded. I have replaced the switch. It purchased new bulbs.. it's not the bulbs.. when I use my voltmeter on the light bulb socket it reads 12.65. Why does the bulb not illuminate?

Check to make sure the spring inside the bulb socket is pushing the positive contact inside the socket upward to contact the positive contact on the bulb. The positive contact inside the socket may be stuck in bottom of the socket.

 

[JRyno10]

Dale, for future reference where should I have grounded it? I should have put the red on the light bulb socket and the ground where?

 

[DaleH]

Dale, for future reference where should I have grounded it? I should have put the red on the light bulb socket and the ground where?

Should be a + an - connector in the bulb socket ... else the bulb won't light.

 

[JRyno10]

That is exactly what I was touching. The + and - that the bulb sits in.

 

[DaleH]

That is exactly what I was touching. The + and - that the bulb sits in.

Then I'd say you have the wrong bulb for that socket ... look again at the positions for the contacts & the seating 'tits'. Not just that they are there ... but where they are specifically. You may think your bulb is seating and turning to lock ... but it may not be contacting the contacts.

Like someone else said, there should be a spring-loaded socket ... maybe the spring corroded and the base (with contacts) is all the way to the bottom ... ? You insert the bulb ... but the contacts don't connect bulb to socket.