Just joined forum. Electrical issues???

chuck

Hi! Just joined the forum.  Saw the advice about wiring diagrams and have already sent a "ping" to Terri for any help she can give me on the 1997 FD196RS that I just bought.  The trim, tach, speedo, amp gauges don't work.  Also nav lites, anchor lite, and accessory outley  Am going to attempt to trace down every wire (with help and advice), fix whats needed and make up my own diagram that I will carry with me in the boat.  The boat has a 1997 Johnson 115HP motor with an "OIS" optical ignition system (whatever that is) Any other help or advice would be appreciated.  Chuck

nquirk

@chuck.  The one thing all of these items have in common is the ground.  When you have a failure of that nature, it's always best to work on the ground first.  You'll notice coming into the console a ground wire that will then daisy chain across all of the switches.  Inspect that and look to see if there is any breaks, corrosion, etc.

If you want to also isolate it as a ground problem, get a length of wire and run it direct to your battery ground.  Then place that ground on one of the switches (nav lights, etc) and see if it now works.  If it does, then you've isolated the issue to a ground. 

If Terri provides the wiring diagram, it will be easier to trace these wires although most Hurricane harnesses are fairly common across most models I've worked on.

Hope this helps.

rdcastle

I assume that you checked the main fuse and/or any breakers in the circuit. I accidentally blew the dash main fuse when attempting to get some reading on the inop all around light mount on my bimini. It is (or should be) located in-line near the battery on a positive wire from the battery to the panel.

chuck

Thanks, I think I'll run a positive and a negative main line up to the console and put it on terminal strips.  Then I can simply send all grounds there.  Any new things I add, the power will be right there.  Chuck

1pointofview

I had some electrical issues with my 188 where certain switches would stop working and it turned out to be some master power relays going bad.  The relays in mine where 2 square little things that all the switches connect to.  Once I replaced them, everything worked like a champ.  you can only get them through a dealer though...