Guages not working-Help

[scott5555]

Recently re-built my dash on a 2001 Sea ray 240 Sundeck. Put all guages back and wired back up just like before. Worked fine until I turned on the Nav lights one evening and all the guages wacked out and jumped to the forward peg. Turned off Nav lights and guages returned to normal. I have avoided night use until I pull the boat for winrter and get everything checked out, however recently all guages are pegged without using NAV lights. What is causing the short???

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Guages not working-Help

Apparently the NAV/ANC light switch wiring is incorrect. Unless you drew yourself a diagram or had clearly marked where each wire was connected, you did not do it exactly like it was. If you did it would work. Does the NAV/ANC switch have three or six terminals?

 

[jhebert]

Re: Guages not working-Help

[The gauges...] worked fine until I turned on the Nav lights one evening and all the guages wacked out and jumped to the forward peg.

Your gauge circuit is probably missing a ground.

Is the gauge illumination controlled by the NAV LIGHTS circuit?

 

[scott5555]

Re: Guages not working-Help

The NAV & Anchor lights are on a combo switch panel, no way to screw this up as the whole panel unplugs/plugs back together. Lack of ground connection on the guages makes more sense. However now they are working again. I have condensation forming inside some of the guages can that cause a short from time to time? Or can a guage go bad and cause the problem?

 

[jhebert]

Re: Guages not working-Help

Is the gauge illumination controlled by the NAV LIGHTS circuit?

 

[bassboattech]

Re: Guages not working-Help

its pretty simple wiring and all color coded....aslo ck the grounds at the batt....i have seen where cust put the small ground on the pos side of the batt and created lots of back feeding though the ground circuit

 

[jhebert]

Re: Guages not working-Help

For a detailed explanation of why a gauge might appear to function normally but then jump to the peg when the gauge illumination circuit is energized, see

http://continuouswave.com/ubb/Forum6/HTML/002089.html

The resistance of the incandescent illuminating bulbs when off provides a substitute path to ground.

 

[scott5555]

Re: Guages not working-Help

Yes

 

[scott5555]

Re: Guages not working-Help

Thanks to all who gave me advice and input. It was the ground wire. I added a new one direct from the fuel guage (as all are tied together) back to the ground bar and bam.......everything works fine!!