No Power at ignition switch, what feeds it?

[Glastron Boater]

Boat- 1981 Glastron HPV 165
Outboard- 1987 Force 125

This is a new to me boat, and in order to start it I have been having to jump the motor directly.

With more Diag time, I have recently found the switch itself is not getti,g any power.

With my power probe, I am able to send power straight to the switch where it should be, and switch works fine to crank.

I started to pull the harness, but ran out of time.

It appears it is coming from the motor? And not directly from the battery?


Thank in advance.

 

[Silvertip]

Actually, power does come directly from the battery -- but with an intermediate stop under the engine cover. Not familiar with Force engines, but typically there is a fuse under the engine cover (sometimes hard to find because it may be in a rather hard to see fuse holder). Check that fuse. Bet it's blown. That circuit feeds +12 volts to the "B" terminal on the ignition switch. With the key in the START position you should see +12 volts on the "S" terminal on the ignition switch. That's the circuit that powers the starter solenoid.

 

[Glastron Boater]

Ok I'll check those spots. I didn't see any fuses under the cowl, but I'll look closer.

It spins over if I jump it at the start wire on the motor itself. Then I jumped it out of the switch itself, the yellow wire on mine. And it turned over.

Then yesterday I jumped the switch input, which is the bigger red wire on mine, and turned the key to start and it turned over with the turn of the key, so that is where I figured I don't have the power going in.

I just didn't know if there was circuit breaker or junction somewhere...

I'll look at it tomorrow.

Thanks

 

[kmarine]

I would double check connections for corrosion and plug connectors as well get a test light.

 

[Glastron Boater]

I have a test light. And the power probe is a test light, only better because it allows you to jump power like I did. I will check all connections. I just fixed 2 wires to the positive cable but that didn't change anything. They were hooked up, but just squeezed in the terminal, so I got that fixed properly.

There is1 small wire I found I will have to trace to see where it goes, but it is a small gauge and goes down by the gas tank somewhere, on the other side.

But it's way too small to be that wire I'm looking for.

 

[tblshur]

glastron boater most i seen starts at the positive or battery side of solinoid 1 or two red wires with a fuse in one of them close to solinoid hope this helps have a good day

 

[Glastron Boater]

Ok I'll look at the solenoid and look for a fused wire.

I wasn't sure if they used the solenoid as a junction or power distributor, and it appears they have.

Working on a job right now but I'll check it out in a couple hours.

Thanks.

 

[Glastron Boater]

Found my issue. After your help, I started looking in the motor area for fuses and circuit breakers, and sure enough one breaker was tripped. Reset it, cranks over with the key just fine.

thank you everyone for directing me in the right direction.

 

[Grandad]

Found my issue. After your help, I started looking in the motor area for fuses and circuit breakers, and sure enough one breaker was tripped. Reset it, cranks over with the key just fine.

thank you everyone for directing me in the right direction.

Glastron, you may not be out of the woods yet, unless you know what caused the breaker to trip. Breakers don't trip without reason. Was any work done near the wiring system that could have caused the breaker to trip. If that's the case, perhaps something accidentally shorted and will no longer be a problem. If it trips again, find out why before you're disabled someplace. - Grandad

 

[Glastron Boater]

Glastron, you may not be out of the woods yet, unless you know what caused the breaker to trip. Breakers don't trip without reason. Was any work done near the wiring system that could have caused the breaker to trip. If that's the case, perhaps something accidentally shorted and will no longer be a problem. If it trips again, find out why before you're disabled someplace. - Grandad

Yes, I know, I have to look or find what caused it to trip. I just bought this boat last month, so I don't know what was done to it necessarily.

But I will test it and have some tools with me on the first water test, and I know of a good little spot where to take it out for the first time.

But now at least I know where to look.

 

[Glastron Boater]

I think I found the reason for the breaker tripping. My Choke solenoid does not work properly and trips the breaker after about 5 seconds.

I will get that fixed and that should be it. That's the only issue I have found so far.

 

[Grandad]

Good to hear. If that solenoid trips the breaker consistently and you can prevent tripping by isolating the solenoid circuit, you're likely out of the woods now, electrically anyway.

 

[Silvertip]

Why would the choke solenoid be activated for five minutes? It should only be active as long as the key is pushed in while cranking. If the choke was indeed activated that long the engine would die due to flooding.

 

[Glastron Boater]

Why would the choke solenoid be activated for five minutes? It should only be active as long as the key is pushed in while cranking. If the choke was indeed activated that long the engine would die due to flooding.

5 seconds, not minutes. The choke solenoid never worked since I have owned the boat, which is about a month now. Seller jumped the starter to run it before I bought it.