1999 Bass Tracker Switch Panel has no power

[mattb91193]

So my bass tracker switch panel worked fine, and now the switches won't work. My navigation lights, bilge pump, and my acc switch do not do anything. Is there a reset somewhere? I checked the fuses quick and that didn't solve anything.

Am I missing something.

Thank you for your help.

 

[typed by ben]

all you need is a hot and ground. what exactly have you checked? is there perhaps a breaker somewhere near the battery that isnt resetting?

 

[mattb91193]

I don't think there is a breaker. I might be wrong, I don't know much about it I just bought it a couple months ago. Everything worked and I took it out on the lake yesterday and the switches didn't work. I have power to the key because I can start the motor, but bilge or anything else doesn't work.

At this point I have changed and checked all fuses.

 

[TheMaestro]

Follow the + positive lead starting from the battery. Does it go to anything near the battery? A breaker that may look like a small plastic rectangle with screw posts? Perhaps a non resettable breaker?

 

[sawmill]

Is your key separate from the dash or is it on the dash? If it is on the dash you have power to the dash. No matter where the key is there is a wire usually on the assy side of the switch that supplies power to the dash. You have a corroded wire connector or a bad ground somewhere for you key to the switch panel.

 

[mattb91193]

Yes the key is on the dash. I wish I could find a diagram to see how the switches are wired so I could know where to begin in testing the positive and ground. But all the switches don't have a positive and negative red and black wire running to them. If they did this process would be extremely easy.

I just don't know where to go from here

 

[sawmill]

A switch should not have a neg going to it. What they have one side is hot all the time and the other wire goes to whatever lights or pump or whatever the switch says it is for. Take your tester and set it on 12 volt and hook the ground to your ground on the switch and the positive touch the posts on the switch to find the hot side. Start on the first one next to the key. The ground wires usually go thru a block some place on your boat and come directly from each item being controlled by the switch

 

[RivRunR]

switches don't typically have a ground unless they are lighted switches, and then the ground is only for the switch's light.

I'm guessing there is a single positive lead from the battery, (maybe thru a breaker first), to the switch panel. If you can find that lead from the battery on the panel, test it with a meter to see if power is getting to the panel. If not, then either the wire is bad, or the breaker is tripped/bad.
If it has a breaker it should be near the battery, or even on the battery post.

 

[mattb91193]

Well this is what the switches look like........Any advice on what to do or test?

 

[TheMaestro]

:-s well, just from the pic it appears a black wire with a blue terminal on the left is not plugged into anything...

 

[mattb91193]

Well there is a black wire that is connected to all of the switches, is that suppose to have a (-) or (+) output?

 

[TheMaestro]

Generally, black is ground (-) and shouldnt be going to switches,unless the switches themselves are lit up. If they are lit, they all would have a black ground just for that purpose and not for any other devices. Why is the wire I referred to unplugged?

 

[mattb91193]

That wire isnt unplugged. I went and looked at it again it just looks like it is. Its connected to the same connector as the one closest to it. on that same pole.

 

[sawmill]

mattb91193 » Today, 02:53[/url]"]That wire isnt unplugged. I went and looked at it again it just looks like it is. Its connected to the same connector as the one closest to it. on that same pole.

Are those switches a single panel of switches or can you take them apart one by one. Get you tester out and find a ground and check that black wire to see if it has 12 volt in it because to me it looks like that may be your feed to the switches. Are your switches lighted? If you have to run a temp wire from your battery ground to use. I agree that a black wire is not usually a hot wire but who know what may have be done in the past. Get your tester out as it is your best friend

 

[mattb91193]

Yeah my switches are lighted. Should I run a jumper wire from a negative to that black wire and see if it works? And then if it doesn't take a jumper wire from a positive to the black wire and see if the switches work. Will that hurt anything?

 

[sawmill]

Do you have a red wire hooked up to the switches like the black one is?Do you know how to use your meter? What type of meter do you have? Is it a digital type or one with a sweep hand on it? Take and wiggle each of the connectors on the switch to see if one is loose or gum up from sitting. If none of the switches work it should be the main feed line to the switches or between the switches and battery. Find a ground somewhere and hook black lead to it and use the red lead to find the hot wire

 

[mattb91193]

It's funny because my knowledge and application or electrical circuits is really good. I am a computer engineering major in school and I am a junior. Currently have an internship where I interpret diagrams and build cables and solder circuits boards for practical testing and prototyping purposes.

With that being said I could solve this issue in 5 seconds with a schematic from tracker on how these switches work and the wiring diagram for the wires going into them. But I don't have that. And yes. I know how to use a multimeter.

Now that you know my background can anybody help me out with some serious I'm not in kindergarten black is negative red is positive answers.

Thanks.

 

[mattb91193]

To the guy above my post. I will try that. Thank you very much that was a good response.

 

[TheMaestro]

mattb91193 » 12 minutes ago[/url]"]Now that you know my background can anybody help me out with some serious I'm not in kindergarten black is negative red is positive answers.

Thanks.

Sorry if you took it that way. Its difficult to know how to answer some technical questions without knowing the questioners' background and knowledge. Plus one has to be careful when giving advice on electrical/gas motor etc questions because we dont want an inexperienced person to attempt repairs that may be dangerous, again not knowing their background.
That said, it sounds like you now have a game plan with the meter. Let us know how it turns out.

 

[sawmill]

If it was me that pissed you off I am sorry. As was already stated we don't know your background or anything about you. I have seen posts on here where the person did not even know what a meter was and this is not his fault because he may have new had to trace wires down before. If I was close by I could probably have fixed your problem in 5 minutes because I have done it before. NOW as far as computers go I don't have a clue about them except for the on and off switch, so I guess we are in the same boat :twisted: