No Power At Engine Gauge/Starting Panel

[bilge53]

1987 Senator 35' w/135 Lehman. Ran engine several weeks ago. Went to start this morning and no power to gauges, warning horn or start system. Battery voltage and connections good/clean. Cannot find 12v on back of key switch. Does anyone know what feeds the panel and gauges?

Thanks,

Don

 

[Russell Clifton]

Any possibility at all that the shift lever is not in neutral?

 

[bilge53]

Checked that first. Alarms should still go off. Thanks.

 

[Westiculo]

We have a grand banks. There are master switches for each engine (also lehman 135) hidden inside one of the stairs going down to the galley. You might have something similar. It'll definitely throw you for a loop if you didn't recognize they were there. We store stuff in those steps so they do get bumped from time to time.

 

[Larry M]

See if in the wire harness either behind the instrument cluster or by the engine there’s a plug/connector? I’ve had issues with ours before. I take it apart, spray with contact cleaner and we’re good to go.

 

[Comodave]

I have SP225s. One of mine would not start. Found a 25 amp fuse down by the starter that was blown. Brian said it wasn’t factory. Don’t know but I have a bunch of 25 amp fuses aboard now. You might look around for any fuseson the engine.

 

[O C Diver]

Have no idea with a Lehman, but both my Cummins and my John Deere have a fuse in the wiring harness. Might want to look for one near the engine end of the harness.

Ted

 

[Pack Mule]

That happened with mine once . I had loose ground somewhere but can’t remember where. Seemed like it was close to my inverter.

 

[kchace]

Mine has a fuse where it ties to power at the starter solenoid. Mine also has has a fuse in the remote engine panel.


Ken

 

[DavidM]

The OP says that gauges, warning horn, and start circuit are all dead and there is no power to the "ignition" switch. That means that there is a problem with the DC supply to the switch and not the shift neutral or the starter relay as these are downstream of the ignition switch.


On many boats, modern Mainships for example, there is an "engine" breaker on the main DC panel that supplies the ignition switch. Look for something similar and if it is tripped, well ok. But on an older boat like yours it may be a bad/corroded connection. Start with the DC input terminal to the switch and work backwards. I realize that this may not be easy on an old boat.


David

 

[bilge53]

Well, it is fixed, We traced wires as best we could and determined that the power for the panel came from the starter. We did not have continuity through it but could not access all of it. Ran a new #10 feed to key switch and she started right up. It is amazing how these things happen. Thanks to all.

 

[Comodave]

Did you put a fuse in the new line?

 

[bilge53]

Senator 35

Absolutely. I will always wonder what the break looks like. Wire clipped and labeled.