Engine electrics

[MJWB]

Replaced fuel filters on Sunday. Went to start engine and no electric. Wet day, batteries fine, all other electrics working no problem.
Any thoughts? Damp in electrics panel for engine in the cockpit?
Any ideas out there please?

 

[RichardS]

I assume you mean that you hear/see nothing when you turn the key to the starter position?

A poor/failed electrical connection, perhaps dislodged when you changed the fuel filters, is the obvious answer.

Richard

 

[VicS]

Replaced fuel filters on Sunday. Went to start engine and no electric. Wet day, batteries fine, all other electrics working no problem.
Any thoughts? Damp in electrics panel for engine in the cockpit?
Any ideas out there please?

Bad connection somewhere most likely
Check/ clean /remake all battery lead connections to engine ( both ends and negative as well as positive ) to begin with,

Check systematically using a bulb ( eg old type car headlamp bulb) on a couple of leads rather than a digital multimeter
( Digital voltmeters take so little current that they will give a normal reading through a poor connection. Sooner or later they will make a fool of you ..... I have the tea shirt.

 

[Graham376]

Agree with above. Does ignition warning light come on? If it's a basic panel with just a key switch and no electronics, unlikely damp would be the problem. First place to check is starter solenoid connection and any loom plug/socket.

 

[penberth3]

Replaced fuel filters on Sunday. Went to start engine and no electric. Wet day, batteries fine, all other electrics working no problem.
Any thoughts? Damp in electrics panel for engine in the cockpit?
Any ideas out there please?

Is your master switch on?

 

[MJWB]

Is your master switch on?

Yes definitely

 

[Rappey]

I had similar. It was a spade terminal that had fallen off the back of the ignition switch.

 

[MJWB]

I assume you mean that you hear/see nothing when you turn the key to the starter position?

A poor/failed electrical connection, perhaps dislodged when you changed the fuel filters, is the obvious answer.

Richard

Panel in the cockpit shows nothing. Push button to turn ignition on. Alarm test usually sounds, nothing. Warning lights usually illuminate until engine starts, nothing. Push button to start engine, nothing. Looks and behaves dead as a dodo. Yet other systems in boat work. Not a complicated electrical set up I'm sure, though it is to me. Keep thinking I'm missing something obvious but nothing apparent to me.

 

[MJWB]

Agree with above. Does ignition warning light come on? If it's a basic panel with just a key switch and no electronics, unlikely damp would be the problem. First place to check is starter solenoid connection and any loom plug/socket.

Okay will check that when I go back.

 

[snowbird30ds]

Check around starter terminals, that's often where the panel gets it's power and easy to dislodge a spade.

 

[Beneteau381]

Bad connection somewhere most likely
Check/ clean /remake all battery lead connections to engine ( both ends and negative as well as positive ) to begin with,

Check systematically using a bulb ( eg old type car headlamp bulb) on a couple of leads rather than a digital multimeter
( Digital voltmeters take so little current that they will give a normal reading through a poor connection. Sooner or later they will make a fool of you ..... I have the tea shirt.

Tee ?

 

[Stemar]

Tee ?

On a bumpy trip it'll soon be a tea shirt however it started life...

 

[mil1194]

I have experienced exactly the same issue on a previous boat. Everything electronic worked perfectly except (very very very rarely) when you turned the ignition key to ‘on’ there was no warning buzzer, no movement from fuel gauge etc and when it did this there was no point turning the key any further. I changed the ignition switch and that made no difference. I never got to the bottom of it and I was ‘lucky’ that it used to rectify itself. I genuinely wished that it would permanently break so that it could be investigated properly. This won’t help the OP unfortunately. ?

This could happen one day and then the next day it would be perfect without having touched ANYTHING apart from the key.

 

[3663Ian]

Do you have a Volvo Penta 2002 or similar?
If so there may be a 4 way fuse mounted on the top front of the engine. It has a push on spade connector on each side. But the front one can be moved to into 4 different positions. It is designed so you can quickly change from a blown fuse to a good one.
I have seen one of these appear perfectly intact but cause intermittent starting problems as described by mil1194. It apparently had some sort of hairline crack that affected all the fuse outputs.
May not be your problem....but took a while to fault find as the fault disappeared as soon as you touched it or put a meter on it and moving to a new position apparently solved the problem but only temporarily.

 

[smithy]

Main wiring harness between engine and panel undone/ loose?

 

[Jase6100]

Panel in the cockpit shows nothing. Push button to turn ignition on. Alarm test usually sounds, nothing. Warning lights usually illuminate until engine starts, nothing. Push button to start engine, nothing. Looks and behaves dead as a dodo. Yet other systems in boat work. Not a complicated electrical set up I'm sure, though it is to me. Keep thinking I'm missing something obvious but nothing apparent to me.

I had the same problem last Sunday. I have an old Volvo Penta engine. I followed the usual starting procedure, decompress, turn key, alternator light on and push button to start. Initially it turned the engine but as it was cold struggled to start. I went to try again and nothing when I pushed the button.

I CHecked the battery and this read 12.4 volts. I took off the ignition panel and checked readings at the key switch and push button switch with the multimeters. The key switch droped to 11.8 when I turned the key. I tried numerous times. I ya the charger on the battery but no power to the engine. All other electrical instruments ok. I took the spade connectors of the solonoid and scratched my head for a while. I returned the connectors to the solonoid and hey presto the power returned. Very strange. I turned the engine over and will return this weekend to troubleshoot further.

 

[Stemar]

Do you have a Volvo Penta 2002 or similar?
If so there may be a 4 way fuse mounted on the top front of the engine. It has a push on spade connector on each side. But the front one can be moved to into 4 different positions. It is designed so you can quickly change from a blown fuse to a good one.
I have seen one of these appear perfectly intact but cause intermittent starting problems as described by mil1194. It apparently had some sort of hairline crack that affected all the fuse outputs.
May not be your problem....but took a while to fault find as the fault disappeared as soon as you touched it or put a meter on it and moving to a new position apparently solved the problem but only temporarily.

I replaced mine with one of these after similar problems
FHAC0002LXN | Littelfuse 30A Inline Fuse Holder for ATO Automotive Fuse, 32V ac | RS Components

 

[Lucy52]

The engine earth strap can work lose, all that vibration.

 

[sogood]

Does your engine have a trip switch that might need to be reset?

 

[Eeyore]

Started my engine one morning, ran up to operating temp and shut down. Went to immigration to check out, get last minute shopping. Back onboard, same as OP, nothing on the start button, no buzzer, no lights, nothing! The 'ignition' relay had failed, cheap and quick fix.