Sailfish newbie electrical questions

[onoahimahi]

Hi - I've got a new-to-me 1994 Sailfish 252. During the survey, the surveyor had all the lights working but I haven't been able to get the spreader lights, cockpit lights, or the courtesy light over the helm to turn on since. The cabin lights, nav lights, spotlight, and electronics work fine, however. What am I doing wrong? I found the fuses in the hard top electronics box and they are fine and 12 volts is getting there. I tried with all 3 batteries turned on, and all 4 Aux switched turned on, although I don't know what any of Aux switches are for. The only thing odd that I noticed was that the backlighting for the first of the 4 Aux switched isn't turning on.

Are the little rubber buttons above the switches covering circuit breakers for each circuit? I pressed them all but didn't really feel anything underneath the rubber.

I downloaded the manual from the Grady White site but unfortunately the electrical schematics are not very legible - it's hard to read many of the colors, etc. Are there better copies available anywhere?

Thanks,
-Scott

 

[SmokyMtnGrady]

There are no circuit breakers in the switches. I am not familiar with the spreader lights on your boat. On mine they are combined with the cockpit dome light. One switch for the dome and one for the spreader. I am assuming this is the same and if so I would point to the switch. I had to replace mine within a year of owning it and I bought my boat new.

I am chasing an electrical ghost as it were and I will be cleaning the contacts on the backs of the switch panel and adding a corrosion guard to the contacts. Congrats by the way on your ride and enjoy the up coming boating season. Tight lines and calm seas...

 

[SmokyMtnGrady]

There are no circuit breakers in the switches. I am not familiar with the spreader lights on your boat. On mine they are combined with the cockpit dome light. One switch for the dome and one for the spreader. I am assuming this is the same and if so I would point to the switch. I had to replace mine within a year of owning it and I bought my boat new.

I am chasing an electrical ghost as it were and I will be cleaning the contacts on the backs of the switch panel and adding a corrosion guard to the contacts. Congrats by the way on your ride and enjoy the up coming boating season. Tight lines and calm seas...

 

[onoahimahi]

My spreader lights are also connected to the dome light - neither one is working and the cockpit lights are not working either. It's strange because the surveyor had them all working during the survey. I'm hoping it is operator error but haven't found it yet.

Thanks,
-Scott

 

[SmokyMtnGrady]

The switches have that boot on them, right? I had voltage at the switch on the hot side but none coming out on the switch side. Most things Grady uses on their boats is top notch, but who ever makes these switches could do something to improve their duty life. They can be cantankerous to be honest and I do not think it is you Scott at all. It is a very easy replacement for sure. I would call a local Grady Dealer and perhaps get one from them. I suspect though this switch is commonly used on other brands and perhaps you could find it online at west marine or something.

Cockpit lights - the white ones that are really stern lights correct? Mine are flaky too. They often become intermittent at the light itself and not the switch. While saltwater does not touch them on the back per se, they are susceptible to corrosion and vibration. I usually take them out clean the socket and bulb and add a touch of dielectric grease to reduce corrosion and so forth. Boat lighting and trailer lighting can take the joy of boating at times (lol)...

 

[onoahimahi]

The boat was trucked 800 miles from North Carolina to Boston so maybe some items got shaken up a bit.

 

[onoahimahi]

I'm the OP and I finally solved this electrical problem - it was a bit elusive. Since both the helm light and spreader light weren't turning on, I first thought it was operator error since the surveyor had them on. I finally traced it down to the fused terminal block in the hardtop electronics box. I had 12 volts at the top and bottom of the fuse, but there was a bad connection between the fingers that grab the fuse and the piece that accepts the screw that holds the wires. There is a rivet holding those two parts of the fuse holder together and that connection had become loose and intermittent. I jumpered out the original fuse holder with an inline fuse holder for now and am good to go.

-Scott

 

[mboyatt]

Glad you solved the mystery. I have a 1994 tournament 192. Been preparing for the season and noticed my cockpit lights have stopped working. :-| now I am in for what you went through. Hopefully it will be an easy find and fix.