No power to Helm

[robsfordf150]

I have 1986 Albin 36 Trawler i have no battery power to the helm or anywhere else on board. We recently changed the 2 batteries and replaced them with 2 new ones fully charged and still no power at helm. When I switch over to DC refrigde runs, outlets work, when I switch to AC nothing. Any ideas on what the issue could be or am I missing something!!! any help would be appreciated.

 

[Iggy]

You do have me confused.

On no power at the helm. Have you gone over your work, checked fuses/breakers and battery switches. I would take a meter and start at the batteries and work your way forward to see where your loosing power.

As in my boat, battery to main switch than to the Main D.C. panel and then to the overhead drop down electrical bay in the wheel house.

Switching to A.C. Is that shore power, inverter or a genset you are talking about?

Some inverters want the main battery switch to be on before it's transfer switch will pass shore power.

 

[menzies]

Did you do the replacement yourselves? Do you have a 24v system perhaps and they were in series giving 24v and you left them single or parallel?

Or vice versa?

 

[robsfordf150]

On the inside helm I have a battery selector with: off, both, battery 1, battery 2
When I turn off the shore power and select either battery 1 or battery 2 or both, I get now power. I have looked for a fuse or breaker box, bit can not locate one. I the forward cabin in the closet there is a fake wall with all the wiring behind it, I do not see breakers or a fuse box in there.

Just an FYI I am still learning about this boat.

 

[Iggy]

On the inside helm I have a battery selector with: off, both, battery 1, battery 2
When I turn off the shore power and select either battery 1 or battery 2 or both, I get now power. I have looked for a fuse or breaker box, bit can not locate one. I the forward cabin in the closet there is a fake wall with all the wiring behind it, I do not see breakers or a fuse box in there.

Just an FYI I am still learning about this boat.

Learning!! I am going though that now with a boat I just bought 3 months ago. Every time I start or work on a project, I spend 50% of the time working and the other exploring and learning her.

 

[menzies]

On the inside helm I have a battery selector with: off, both, battery 1, battery 2
When I turn off the shore power and select either battery 1 or battery 2 or both, I get now power. I have looked for a fuse or breaker box, bit can not locate one. I the forward cabin in the closet there is a fake wall with all the wiring behind it, I do not see breakers or a fuse box in there.

Just an FYI I am still learning about this boat.

Where are the actual batteries?

You may have another battery switch near the batteries.

Also, perchance do you have the battery switch on OFF when you are on shore power?

 

[robsfordf150]

The batteries are located in the engine compartment near the rear cabin. I do not remember seeing a a battery switch in there. I do have the batteries off when I have shore power on. The batteries have battery chargers plugged into an outlet when off at the helm.

 

[menzies]

The batteries are located in the engine compartment near the rear cabin. I do not remember seeing a a battery switch in there. I do have the batteries off when I have shore power on. The batteries have battery chargers plugged into an outlet when off at the helm.

Do the chargers run directly to the batteries or through the switch? Have you put a meter on the batteries lately?

 

[robsfordf150]

I have the batteries hooked directly to battery charger. Batteries are showing charged.

 

[AusCan]

The batteries are located in the engine compartment near the rear cabin. I do not remember seeing a a battery switch in there. I do have the batteries off when I have shore power on. The batteries have battery chargers plugged into an outlet when off at the helm.

If you have the battery switch off when shore power is on, then you won't get 12V DC power to the helm or anywhere else (other than possibly your bilge pumps).

 

[menzies]

If you have the battery switch off when shore power is on, then you won't get 12V DC power to the helm or anywhere else (other than possibly your bilge pumps).

He says he doesn't get the DC power after he turns the switch at the helm on.

Which has me suspecting that there is another switch at the batteries and the one at the helm is just for the electronics. And the one by the batteries was turned off when they installed the new batteries and wasn't turned back on.

 

[Iggy]

He says he doesn't get the DC power after he turns the switch at the helm on.

Which has me suspecting that there is another switch at the batteries and the one at the helm is just for the electronics. And the one by the batteries was turned off when they installed the new batteries and wasn't turned back on.

Yes, thats way I was saying to go from point tp point to see where your loosing it. Trace the cables out.

 

[Madhatter53]

Might be a learning curve. You say your fridge works on dc but not ac. When your plugged into dockside power your getting ac to power things 110v. Your batteries provide dc power to things 12 or24v which are normally electronics etc and maybe to a inverter which turns your dc into ac. What I’m thinking is your shore/gen/off switch might be off or there’s another breaker in your ac or dc panel that’s off or tripped.

 

[rgano]

Betcha that you left a major cable off the positive post when you replaced the batteries. Look around down around the batts with a strong flashlight.

 

[Comodave]

Agree since you lost power after you changed the batteries, you must have left a connection off or made a wrong connection. Always take photos before you start doing things so you can put it back the way it worked. Go back and start all ober and check everything.. i think you just made an error on one of the connections. Good luck!

 

[BruceK]

I have 1986 Albin 36 Trawler i have no battery power to the helm or anywhere else on board. We recently changed the 2 batteries and replaced them with 2 new ones fully charged and still no power at helm. When I switch over to DC refrigde runs, outlets work, when I switch to AC nothing. Any ideas on what the issue could be or am I missing something!!! any help would be appreciated.

I underlined some words above. Was there power at the helm before you changed batts, or was it already absent?

 

[Solly]

There might be a fuse between the batteries and the switch too.
Best to get a multimeter, learn how to use it, and trace the wires looking for power.