No power at fuse panel - Freedom 235

[Rob LT]

I have a new to me 2019 Freedom 235 - owned for about 6 months with no issues. Started boat yesterday and have no power to any instruments/gauges/displays. Engine starts/runs on Battery 1, 2, and all. All battery connections looked good - I removed/cleaned battery terminals... didn't think it would help, it did not. Confirmed with voltmeter that I have no power at the fuse panel (top of the "closet" behind instrument panel).
I'm thinking my next troubleshooting step will be taking apart battery selector switch. Before doing so, wondering if there a breaker or inline fuse between battery switch and fuse panel? I'm new to this forum... tried several searches before posting, no joy. Thanks in advance for any advice!

Rob

 

[Halfhitch]

You should have a heavy circuit breaker back near your batteries. It may be tripped.

 

[SkunkBoat]

the red button 40A breaker

 

[Rob LT]

Thank you for the advice! Update: I checked the "main" 40 Amp breaker (red button) and located the 100 Amp breaker near batteries - all good! While the 100 Amp breaker was not tripped, I believe it's defective. After a bit of testing/experimenting, discovered that disconnecting the 100 Amp breaker restored power to all instruments.
I'll replace the breaker as soon as I can get a new one. Curious why a 100-amp breaker (seems excessive) and what it is for - perhaps accessories that I don't have... trolling motor or onboard charging system? I do have windlass & know there's a breaker for it at the helm.
Reluctant to ask but suppose I should. So, I'm intending to use the boat this weekend (without breaker installed) - unless I get feedback from you more experienced gents that this is a bad idea. Thoughts?

 

[wspitler]

You need to get the electrical schematic . Do you have a bow thruster? When you say disconnected, do you mean jumpered across, keeping the circuit complete? If so I would get a temporary in line fuse or breaker installed as a temporary safety feature. The 40A button is normally for all of the house items. 40A should be high enough to handle the load. If you simply removed the 100A breaker, and things worked OK, then there should not be any safety concerns. Make sure to cap the wire ends, especially the hot wire to the breaker you disconnected. If you physically pushed on the 40A button, maybe it was tripped. Something doesn’t sound right though.

 

[seasick]

100A sounds large for an accessory panel feed but it could be a feed for a windlass. The fist question is what gauge is the wire that the 'fuse' feeds.
Also, was it a fuse or a circuit breaker?

 

[seasick]

You need to get the electrical schematic . Do you have a bow thruster? When you say disconnected, do you mean jumpered across, keeping the circuit complete? If so I would get a temporary in line fuse or breaker installed as a temporary safety feature. The 40A button is normally for all of the house items. 40A should be high enough to handle the load. If you simply removed the 100A breaker, and things worked OK, then there should not be any safety concerns. Make sure to cap the wire ends, especially the hot wire to the breaker you disconnected. If you physically pushed on the 40A button, maybe it was tripped. Something doesn’t sound right though.

If removing the fuse made all the things that didn't work, now work, there is something very strange going on.Very strange...

 

[SkunkBoat]

Get the manual to the boat. If you don't have the printed one you can get a pdf for your year and model on www.gradywhite.com

Wiring is diffent from model and year due to changes in battery, switch , and breaker placement on the boat.


btw, red button breakers suck.

 

[seasick]

Get the manual to the boat. If you don't have the printed one you can get a pdf for your year and model on www.gradywhite.com

Wiring is diffent from model and year due to changes in battery, switch , and breaker placement on the boat.


btw, red button breakers suck.

They are not too bad in 'dry' bilges but wet ones can cause corrosion and failures.