electrical problem

[HOTPURSUIT]

Hey Guys, something a little weird happened yesterday. when the boat was at rest the gas gauge was fine, as soon as I got on plane it dropped to zero fuel. I stopped and topped off the tank, same thing happenned, when the boat was still the gas gauge showed full. then I noticed when I got on plane not only the fuel gauge dropped but the indicator light on the raw water pump and the aft bilge were lit. I stopped the boat neither were running and when I tried to turn them on neither would work the bilge would not turn on manually or with the float switch. on the way home I got about a quarter mile from my dock and the fuel gauge started working. I stopped the boat and checked the raw water pump amd the bilge, they were both were working again. took the boat for a short ride this morning and all is still well.. any ideas. thanks Mike

 

[DaleH]

Sounds like loose connections. Have seen weird things when the main OB harness got a short where it had been spliced. So just be sure you have clean and tight connections from OB to battery cables to main harness to terminal panels et al.

 

[Megabyte]

You should have a switch at your helm to power both the wash down and the manual override for the bilge pump(s).
Look behind your helm and locate the power wires for those items and you just might find that the gas gage is on the same circuit.

My guess was similar to Dales. A loose connection that is common to all 3 items.

 

[Brian S]

This May be your issue, it was mine:

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=5511&hilit=Pump

 

[Megabyte]

This May be your issue, it was mine:

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=5511&hilit=Pump

Ah yes... I'd forgotten about that little connector.

 

[HOTPURSUIT]

Thanks for all of the quick responses, Saturday morning I found where the connectors were. It looks like someone had already removed the connector for the bilge and raw water and spliced them thru, I checked them and gave a tug on all the connections. I checked all the connections there and at the dash panel. Also checked the connections at the fuel sending unit, all appeared good nothing caught my eye. and since everything was working again I took the boat for a ride went trolling for a few hours and the problem never happened again. Hard to trouble shoot something that isn't broken. It still baffles me as to why the problem occurred when I brought the bow up to get on plane and it would go away when I stopped and brought the boat off plane. Well when it happens again hopefully it will stay that way so I can find it. Thanks Mike

 

[HOTPURSUIT]

I was on the boat last Sunday and the same problem came back, I finally found that connector it was behind the starboard access plate, but it looked good. So I started cutting tie wraps in the bilge and tracing wires, one negative (black) wire took me to a negative terminal bar mounted on the starboard bulkhead in the bilge, It was mounted high enough that I had never noticed it before, it was pretty corroded, I shot it with some penetrating oil and everything came back up. I am planning on taking it apart and cleaning/replacing whats needed this weekend, I hope this does it

 

[HOTPURSUIT]

Here's a pic of the terminal bar I pulled out of the bilge, I was half way thru cleaning it. I relocated it to a spot I can get to and maintain it when I clean my battery terminals I replaced all of the crimp terminals on the wiring. It was so corroded I had a hard time just getting the screws to break free. I will replace it with a new one, but I just wanted to get it put back together yesterday to make sure it corrected the problem. So the next time you have the bilge hatch open on a 2520XL take a look on the starboard side up high.