Elite Marine

The past several times out I have been experiencing intermittent electrical and voltage drop while hitting trim, electric bolsters, tabs or anything. The engines die immediately (2003 525's). Batteries show full voltage 12.7V

Today I was starting to troubleshoot the problem, turned both switches to both, opened the hatch and just did a visual to see if it was anything obvious. I cleaned the terminals on both batteries and went to close the hatch - nothing. No power to the helm. The Voltage meter in the elctrical panel indicated 12.5 Volts and it had power.

I verified the grounds were tight to both engines, verified positive at the starters and tight connections. All ok.

I started with a test light under the helm and as soon as I touched it across the negative terminal strip and the positive terminal strip - I HAD POWER!! Turned the key the power shut off. Did it again, and this time I could crank the engines and had power. It is like I reset something. Is there any main breaker on the Cheetah?

WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON???? Anyone have an idea? Have a trip planned tomorrow.

boatnt

do you have a ground cable from engine to engine?
bad battery?
any corosion on the battery cable eye leads?

I had the same problem last year,when I would trim up at times my gages would jump all over the place and boat would stumble and die,turned out to be a bad battery

Elite Marine

Cleaned all the terminals twice with a wire brush and electrical cleaner.

Both batteries show 12.7 volts, but that doesnt mean one isnt bad.

Taking it to Keith this AM.

boatnt

need to do a load test on the batterys, volts and amps are 2 different things.
Good luck,let me know if I can help

woody2

I had a similar intermittent electrical problem a couple of years ago. At times I would crank the engine and would hear a "click" like a breaker shutting off. After a short time it would "reset" and I could crank the engine again. All gauges,etc would work, battery was full charge, connections were all tight.

It turned out to be a bad battery cable end at the battery. It looked just like new and no signs of arching.

I replaced it and haven't had any issues since!That was a weird one and not easy to catch.

Strip Poker 388

These are based my experience with my 500efi.

Some ya already did,but
loosen and tighten tighten terminals on the ignition switch. the ground wires on the back of motor,its a stud thru the bellhousing,were the battery connects to the block you might put some dielectric grease on these also.


I found my trim switch terminal wires loose once,I put some grease on them too,a lite film

I had a spell of kill switches on one motor killing it ,It would crank back up,I also loosened and re tightened all the connectors on the strip bars under the dash,made them get a better contact.

On the alternator hot wire stud connector is bad about corroding/rusting .grease it.
the circutbreaker ,red button ,is not a thermal breaker, it will pop off , then ya reset it,,usually its because of trim or starter makes it blow, the little square red fuse,about the size of dice,usually will just blow.


Kirt is it killing both motors?

are ya running it with the battery switch to both? manual says not to.

Kill switches wired together as one?

the ignition switch has some weird stuff on it,One that caused me a crazy problem It was the fuel sending unit, it was blowing the ignition circuit breaker under the dash, real sporadic, it would kill the #1 engine only.after I found out what all was on that circuit(back of the switch) It popped in my head to look at the sending unit, it had stainless nut crossed the hot and neg terminal on the sending unit, part was arced/welded to the hot and it would bounce off the ground which would throw the breaker, after that I remembered that I didn't have the engine hatch lift 7/16 nut when I was putting the motors back in whats the chance of that nut jumping on to of the unit and hitting it just right,that one ruined ourTickfaw200 2005 trip

Makes ya wonder why they put it on the ignition switch???

Elite Marine

I cant get it to do it now. I know I'll get to the ramp and it will be dead. I have cleaned all the large cable connections at the terminal strips at the helm. It seems to be working fine now.

I'll post after my trip about how it wouldnt start or died halfway!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Strip you about cover everything dont you!!!

Strip Poker 388

I try to help,hey was both motors going dead?

Elite Marine

Both at the same time. The DC electrical panel always seems to have power, so I assume the power flow is the following:

Batteries

Switches

DC panel

Helm

Somewhere between the DC panel and the helm I have an issue. It did it 5 times on my trip, but if I wait a minute or use a test light across the negative terminal strip and the positive terminal strip under the helm, it works fine!!

Driving me crazy.

Strip Poker 388

When it dies does the gages still have power,'working'does the fuel gage still read and the volt meter?