Mercruiser 3.0LX No power to gauges, ignition, won't start - 1996 Bayliner 1950

[johnnyl5]

Good day all,

I pulled the boat out to get her ready for the season and I'm having an issue. When I first turned the key to accessory everything turned on and the dash lit up and gauges moved. Turned her over quickly but did not start and then wham no more power to the ignition. Nothing on the dash light lights up, gauges don't move, starter doesn't turn. Thought it was an issue with the starter as I had an issue last year so replaced it with a spare but still nothing. Trim bilge etc. all work fine. I checked and cleaned every wire I could see. Hit the reset button a hundred times and can't figure this out. Checked wires at the ignition switch and they all seem to showing voltage. What am i missing? Is there a hidden fuse? Could it be an ignition switch or slave solenoid? Your help is appreciated.

 

[Silvertip]

Break out the voltmeter or test light and follow the juice starting at the battery. The fact that everything is dead says you are missing the obvious. When you said you checked the wires on the ignition switch and they "seem" to show voltage is not a valid check. They either do or they don't. A solenoid would not affect the gauges or any other accessories. You have an obvious "supply" problem caused by a popped breaker (check it electrically -- not just by pushing the button) or there is a bad battery cable.

 

[alldodge]

There is a 20 fuse or breaker which feeds the dash panel

 

[johnnyl5]

Thank you for your replies. My apologies for sounding passive. There is 12v at the ignition switch and on either side of the breaker Any idea where the 20 fuse might be. I checked all of the fuses under the dash.

 

[johnnyl5]

Really hoping for some more direction. Went back out tonight to play around. I have 12v at the ignition on the B wire. When I try to connect the B wire to another wire on the ignition switch nothing happens. I was figuring that doing this would hot wire the boat but I get nothing.... not even a light on the dash. Any help is appreciated.

 

[glenn property of pam]

12v isn't always 12v. turn the switch on then test for 12v on the B terminal and the I terminal. The test should be to a wire that is dc negative not to a piece of metal. If the voltage drops from 12v to anything less than 12v then you are looking for a bad/dirty connection that is causing voltage drop under load on either the positive or negative wire. Fuse should be on the red/purple wire and is a inline (a fuse that is corroded will also cause the same kind off voltage drop).
If you have a true 12v and the voltage doesn't drop then post back

 

[NYBo]

Check the main breaker on the motor.