Very confused?????? Electrical issue

64merm

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Apr 19, 2010
Messages
32
I have a 1977 55hp model# 55772D. Well for some reason i have no electrical power, i have put 3 different batteries on and tried to jump the starter, and i still have nothing. I have tested the starter solenoid but im not sure if im doing it right. i tested the positive coming off the starter and i have no reading. i tested the positive coming off the harness/battery and im getting good readings at 12.6 volts. Does this mean my solenoid is bad or is somethng else wrong. I have also checked the fuse by the power commander and it is good i replaced it with a new one just to be sure. I also have no power to my accessories (nav light, tachometer).
 

mark1961

Ensign
Joined
Apr 30, 2007
Messages
940
Re: Very confused?????? Electrical issue

You wont have any reading at the starter until the solenoid is closed.....assuming your battery is fully charged, first thing i suggest you check is that all wiring is in good condition and every connection is clean and tight.....testing components will be next.
 

64merm

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Apr 19, 2010
Messages
32
Re: Very confused?????? Electrical issue

All the wiring is good and all connections are good this just started today. I did forget to mention that while i was cranking (before this issue happened) my son laid a wrench across the terminals on the battery. That is when it all started.
 

ac0j

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Apr 26, 2011
Messages
98
Re: Very confused?????? Electrical issue

Clean the battery connections, make sure you have a good ground connection at the motor.
 

64merm

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Apr 19, 2010
Messages
32
Re: Very confused?????? Electrical issue

Clean the battery connections, make sure you have a good ground connection at the motor.


The connections are good. Everything is clean.
 

ac0j

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Apr 26, 2011
Messages
98
Re: Very confused?????? Electrical issue

You missed some thing, the wrench would have made a lot of black carbon at the battery, also would have drained the battery VERY FAST. Just because you have 12 volts, doesnt mean you have any current. You could show 12 volts through a wet human hair, but it will NOT run ANY electric circuit. Start at the battery, and work twords the engine. CLEAN EVERYTHING again.
 

Boater Bill

Cadet
Joined
Aug 11, 2008
Messages
16
Re: Very confused?????? Electrical issue

I had my grounding stud rust out on me bad enough once that it got a super week connection that wrecked havoc on me...just a thought - check the integrity of the grounding posts.
 

64merm

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Apr 19, 2010
Messages
32
Re: Very confused?????? Electrical issue

You missed some thing, the wrench would have made a lot of black carbon at the battery, also would have drained the battery VERY FAST. Just because you have 12 volts, doesnt mean you have any current. You could show 12 volts through a wet human hair, but it will NOT run ANY electric circuit. Start at the battery, and work twords the engine. CLEAN EVERYTHING again.


All the wrench did was arc the battery then that is when i lost all power. And the bettery was only slightly drained so i threw on my other battery which was at a 98% charge, and i had the same issue. Then i hooked up the battery from my truck, and got the same issue. I know it has nothing to do with dirty or corroded connections because they are not dirty or corroded. And everything worked just fine before the wrench touched both terminals on the battery. It is basically acting like i have no battery hooked up.
 

ac0j

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Apr 26, 2011
Messages
98
Re: Very confused?????? Electrical issue

All the wrench did was arc the battery then that is when i lost all power. And the bettery was only slightly drained so i threw on my other battery which was at a 98% charge, and i had the same issue. Then i hooked up the battery from my truck, and got the same issue. I know it has nothing to do with dirty or corroded connections because they are not dirty or corroded. And everything worked just fine before the wrench touched both terminals on the battery. It is basically acting like i have no battery hooked up.

There is only two main components in this circuit, the battery, and everything else. You know its not the battery, so that leaves everything else. I cant help you with magic, you can either CHECK EVERYTHING ELSE, or sell me the boat really cheap when you give up! I will take off every wire, starting with the main power and ground cables. MAKE sure they are near 0 ohms from one end to the other, and when I find the bad connection, I will take it fishing! I would have it done in less than an hour! There is only 5 or 6 places a problem like your could be. If you havent found it, you didnt check it.
 

Will Bark

Lieutenant
Joined
Aug 1, 2010
Messages
1,470
Re: Very confused?????? Electrical issue

Do you have a fuse under the cowl by the starter solenoid? Sounds like you have a fuse blown somewhere that you haven't found. Good luck.
 

Silvertip

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 22, 2003
Messages
28,771
Re: Very confused?????? Electrical issue

Have someone hold the key in the START position while you check for 12 volts on the small ignitiion terminal on the starter solenoid. If you measure 12 volts the ignition switch and the circuit forward and back to the solenoid is ok. If not, you have a blown fuse under the engine cover, the ignition switch is bad, or the wiring from the engine to the switch or the wiring from the switch to the engine is open. If you jump the solenoid from the large termiinal with the red cable from the battery, to the small terminal from the ignition switch, the solenoid should energize and the engine should crank.. If not, you are doing it wrong. If the solenoid doesn't click it is bad. If it clicks, but the starter doesn't spin, use a jumper cable and jump from the battery POSITIVE directly to the large terminal on the starter. If that doesn't work the starter is bad (assuming the ground cable from the battery to the engine block is ok.)
 
Top