Beta panel dead

[dgadee]

I have a keyless panel which is completely dead. All the contacts look good - only in a year and battery power seems to be getting to engine. However no lights and no clicks on pressing buttons.

I looked at old posts and tested power to panel at brown/white and black. 2.1v. Is that ok? If it is I'll get onto Beta. If not must be a bad connection somewhere.

 

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

You say that the panel/engine is only in a year. Did youfit it yourself, or was it fitted by a Beta Agent? In the latter case I think your first course of action should be to contact them.
My previous boat had a Beta engine fitted by Ryan & Roberts in LImerick, a year before I purchased, but it never gave a moment's trouble, so I can't comment on their service.

 

[Bobc]

Get the big loom connector apart and get some switch cleaner in there.

 

[dgadee]

Yes, self fitted. Never a problem till now. I have taken the multi connector apart and it looks spotless.

 

[Bobc]

Is there a fuse in the loom anywhere? (Can't remember, but I suspect there might be).

 

[Boater Sam]

Some looms have 2 multiplugs................................................

 

[dgadee]

Yes, 40A fuse before the multiplug is fine. No, only one multiplug so far as I can see,

 

[VicS]

You say that the panel/engine is only in a year. Did youfit it yourself, or was it fitted by a Beta Agent? In the latter case I think your first course of action should be to contact them.
My previous boat had a Beta engine fitted by Ryan & Roberts in LImerick, a year before I purchased, but it never gave a moment's trouble, so I can't comment on their service.

Yes, self fitted. Never a problem till now. I have taken the multi connector apart and it looks spotless.

Check for power on the brown /white tracer 2.5mm² wire on the back of the push button switches (Use a test lamp, or analogue meter , rather than a digital voltmeter because digital voltmeters need so little current they will sometimes give a normal reading through a poor connection and will make a fool of you sooner or later... Dont ask!)
If no power primary suspects would have been one of the multipin connectors in particular pin number 1, which carries the incoming +ve supply , and pin nunber 10 , which is the negative connection . Non operation of the warning lights etc points the finger at a lack of a positive supply rather than a bad negative connection

Also check the 40A blade fuse which should be somewhere near the starter motor

You don't mention any engine details ( hp etc) but if one of the larger ones or if it has an isolated negative return see the schematics in the Installation Guide and Operators Manual

 

[Graham_Wright]

A friend had a similar problem and I went through the lot without finding anything amiss. But, unbelievably, half a turn on the power feed to the starter terminal, which was already tight, fixed it. Contacts and tags looked bright and clean.

 

[dgadee]

I got 2.1V at the rear of the panel on brown/white and black (with a digital thingy) so presume it should be 12v? I will go over my connections again - it will turn out to be something like a loose connection, I hope). Will use a bulb to test, as suggested.

 

[Jokani]

Don't forget to check the negative to the block as well.

 

[AndrewB]

I got 2.1V at the rear of the panel on brown/white and black (with a digital thingy) so presume it should be 12v? I will go over my connections again - it will turn out to be something like a loose connection, I hope). Will use a bulb to test, as suggested.

Sounds that way to me.

I installed a Beta 35 three years ago. One thing I'm not happy about is that loom, which is in an exposed position on the side of the engine and has developed a knack of losing contacts from time to time, presumably with engine vibration. Even if you find that's where the problem is and sort it now, you may get recurrence. Call in your guarantee to get it fixed.

 

[Hydrozoan]

On an older 3-cylinder Beta I had a problem with the panel which turned out to be the return from it to the engine, below the heat exchanger. The connection had corroded unseen within the heat shrink, which only a sharp tug revealed - I presumed that the very slight 'weep' at the anode in the h/e was likely to have been responsible.

 

[VicS]

Don't forget to check the negative to the block as well.

Also check the battery connections and the battery lead connections at the engine ends

and the battery isolation switches

 

[Graham_Wright]

When you do your volt drop testing, try to apply a load. 12 volts at one of a one megohm resistor will still look like 12 volts at the other end unless there is a current draw.

 

[ghostlymoron]

Please let us know when you found the fault.

 

[dgadee]

JB1966 was correct! Check the earth ....

I always look for the complicated issues when I know it is usually the most basic. An earth cable came out of a ferrule. Put together and everything working.

Thanks for the advice, all.