Trim gauges sit in the up position when no current is passing through them. If the gauge is staying in the up position, then you have either lost the positive supply to the meter, or the negative supply (that passes through the trim sensor) is open circuit. The first thing is to turn on the ignition, remove the wire from the trim sensor (usually plugs onto the back of the meter/gauge) and use a wire connected to ground (negative battery terminal) to touch the exposed terminal on the gauge. Your gauge should move to the other end and read that the drive is trimmed fully down. If this happens then you have a problem with your wiring to the trim sensor, the trim sensor itself, or the wioring from the trim sensor to ground.
If touching the meter with the grounded wire did not make the meter move, mthen you have a problem with the 12volt supply to the meter, or the meter itself is broken. You need to locate the 12volt supply to the meter (Purple wire on my boat) and check if you have 12 volts present. If you do then the meter itself is broken, if you don't have 12 volts, follow the wiring until you find where the 12 volts is getting lost (probably a bad connection or dead fuse).
Remember that the above test will only work with the ignition turned on!!
Gary
