Lost power to control panel

[Fender151]

Hi,  I have an fault with the NB that I cant resolve.

I have an Isuzu 42 with Isuzu control panel, boat 2009

The boat has been left for the last two months, previously, a two week cruise, all working fine. 

Returned to boat today, went to start engine, no lights on the control panel. checked starter batter connection and all tight, wiggled a few wires, back to switch, lights came on, engine started as normal, ran for 2 to 3 mins, battery light comes on, the voltage indicator stops working as does the rev counter,   and I cant stop the engine on the stop button,

Spoke with local chandlers, who have been helpful and on the button in the past, prime suspect, battery isolator switch, new one fitted, same outcome.

I am going to check the starter  switch with meter, but not hopeful this will find the problem.

Any advice on likely causes would be much appreciated.

 

Thanks

[Iain_S]

Is there a "main engine fuse"?

I know Betas have one, usually hidden away behind the starter motor, and the Vetus one is usually attached behind the engine block, but I'm not sure about Isuzu. 

[Tony Brooks]

Measure the CRANKING battery voltage between the battery pos. and neg. CLAMPS and the with the meter probes on the lead posts. You may find all but zero between clamps and 12V ish between lead. That would indicate dirty battery terminals so clean the mating surfaces up t bright metal and refit. preferably  smearing the posts with terminal dressing or Vaseline.

 

If the lead to lead reading is less than about 10V suspect a discharged battery.

 

 

[David Mack]

Do you have a multiway plug in the wiring harness, between the engine and the control panel? These are a known weakness, and can either come partly undone, or the terminals tarnish so you don't get power through.

[Sir Nibble]

You have lost the supply to the ignition switch. Panel fuse?

[Tracy D'arth]

Bet its a corroded multiplug in the loom to the panel from the engine.

[Fender151]

Thanks all for your replies.

I have cleaned the battery terminals as suggested by Tony, fault is the same.

I cant test the battery voltage while cranking the engine as no starter power.

I am going to search for the multiplug, any suggestions on where I might find it?

Thanks.

 

[Awayonmyboat]

Izuzus have a Multi Pin plug in the cable to the panel. Simply follow the wires down from the panel and you will find it a few feet down.

Edited November 23, 2021 by Awayonmyboat
Typo

[Tony Brooks]

40 minutes ago, Fender151 said:

Thanks all for your replies.

I have cleaned the battery terminals as suggested by Tony, fault is the same.

I cant test the battery voltage while cranking the engine as no starter power.

I am going to search for the multiplug, any suggestions on where I might find it?

Thanks.

 

 

That has ruled the terminals out now so the next thing to check is that multi-plug. The reason I went for battery terminals first was because it seemed that you had been away from the boat for a for while, nothing when you got back to it, then the electrics came back, and then you lost them. That is typical of a corroded terminal, but where abouts? The battery terminals are often easier to find and get at so I suggested those first but the multi-plug is always a suspect, as was the master switch.

[Fender151]

1 hour ago, Awayonmyboat said:

Izuzus have a Multi Pin plug in the cable to the panel. Simply follow the wires down from the panel and you will find it a few feet down.

Many thanks, I am off on the multi-plug hunt

[Bee]

This can be an autumn problem, cold days, warm days, cold nights = condensation. Cars usually have an advantage, good ventilation and airflow around the engine, boats - especially with the engine under a cruiser stern can suffer. Electricity is awkward stuff and damp and corrosion can send it off all over the place. It can be interesting on an older car, with plugs, points, coil and plug leads and distributer to lift the bonnet on a dark damp night and watch all the little blue sparks - and that's with the engine running OK, With a proper misfire you can see the electricity running away and escaping.

[mrsmelly]

As others have said, my guess is the dreaded multi plug. Wether its that or not when you locate it and open it and clean it up, use some of that spray stuff for terminal cleaning. When you re connect the two parts use a thin tie wrap around the block pulled fairly tight, this helps keep water out but more importantly stops the poxy thing coming adrift.

[Fender151]

Gold star to all who pointed me to the problem being Multi-plug, it was the engine bay end that had become disconnected. It had been gaffer taped up, so I couldn't see it had become disconnected, must have stood on it after my last trip out because the boat was running fine when I moored up and I hadn't been down in the engine bay before I tried to start up on Sunday and had a dead control panel, go figure!

I have cable tied the two ends together and relocated it out of harms way. 

Any how's, I have a new battery isolator switch, a cheap fix,  and have tightened and cleaned all the terminals, so no bad outcome.

Many thanks for all the advice.

 

[Jen-in-Wellies]

I'll post my usual advert for Contralube 770. I was pointed to this stuff when running an ancient car by a former army mechanic. I use it on the boat to protect electrical connections in the engine bay from condensation. A squirt of this stuff is in every terminal in the engine wiring multi-plug , as well as other connectors. That and cable tying the plug/socket out the way of errant feet and making sure the weight of the cable loom isn't trying to pull it apart.

Jen

[Briss]

1 hour ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

I'll post my usual advert for Contralube 770. I was pointed to this stuff when running an ancient car by a former army mechanic. I use it on the boat to protect electrical connections in the engine bay from condensation. A squirt of this stuff is in every terminal in the engine wiring multi-plug , as well as other connectors. That and cable tying the plug/socket out the way of errant feet and making sure the weight of the cable loom isn't trying to pull it apart.

Jen

I was just about to suggest using di-electric grease on the terminals of your block... but clicking on Jen-in-Wellies link to Contralube770 I see it is di-electric grease. I used di-electric grease on the fuse box of my motorbike which was cleverly designed so rain water would run into the fuse box. A smear of grease on the blade terminals of the fuses and relays stopped the starter relay "tracking" from the live and kept everything clean and working.