Nav Lights Throw Gauges Off

[SkiNautique2001]

On my 89 2001 each time I switch on the navigational lights, all of my gauges swing high (about 25%). Any idea what could be causing this? Possibly a bad ground, but where?

[mrese]

RE: Nav Lights Throw Gauges Off

Try running an additional ground wire off the last gauge in the daisy wire ground to the neg buss bar under the helm. I think it is the voltmeter on your boat. Provided all the connections are clean. (Sometimes corrosion builds in the crimps and you can see it though.) You can also put individual grounds from each guage to the ground buss, but that can end up being a hugh mess of wires in an already tight space in the helm.

[CHassmann]

RE: Nav Lights Throw Gauges Off

That's not it at all. There are little knobs under the helm that you need to turn until it corrects the stiuation. I had a '91 with the same problem. The only problem is that I don't remember what the knobs are called. Call your dealer and they can give you "exact" names and directions. James at Mid Ohio Watersports helped me with mine when I still had it.

[M3Fan]

RE: Nav Lights Throw Gauges Off

Mrese is exactly right. Add an additional ground wire from the end of the daisy chain to the ground bus, or even to the battery negative terminal. The older SN dashes are notorious for this problem- mine does it too. I don't know what Chassman is talking about- majority rules here.

[EchoLodge]

My Fix

I tried adding an additional ground to my boat's guages. It helped but did not fix the problem. I ended up running an additional 10 guage hot (+) wire from the 50 amp breaker (near engine) to the ignition breaker. This solved all my electrical issues.

[M3Fan]

Re: My Fix

I tried adding an additional ground to my boat's guages. It helped but did not fix the problem. I ended up running an additional 10 guage hot (+) wire from the 50 amp breaker (near engine) to the ignition breaker. This solved all my electrical issues.

Great idea. I did the extra ground wire and then took every wiring harness in the whole boat- dash, under dash, engine, etc, and cleaned all the contacts. Still, I get a little blip so i may try the positive wire also- great input.

[Laptom]

RE: Re: My Fix

On our '88 Nautique I also had to change a lot on the electrical side:
Run a new ground and hot wire from engine to dashboard. Gnd on the block installed under the dash. The hot wire connected to a new relay (heavy duty one) controlled by the ignition switch on the dash. All switches and gauges got new grounds (not in a daisy chain!!) to the block and new power wires. After this (4 years ago) never had a single problem with the electrical part of the boat. It took a whole day playing with electrics though.

[SkiNautique2001]

RE: Re: My Fix

Okay, I'm usually pretty good with these things, but I'm scratching my head trying to find the breakers. I have been through everything behind the dash, and I can see the ground block, but I cannot find any breakers.
As far as the problem is concerned, I ran an extra ground, and it trimmed the 25% jump in my gauges to about a 10% jump. Thanks so much for all of the input! Now can you just help me locate the breakers?

[882001]

RE: Re: My Fix

the buttons on the dash are your breakers.

[EchoLodge]

RE: Re: My Fix

The breaker (dash button) marked "ignition" is where you connect the new 10 guage hot wire. I left the old one and just added the new one to it.

[SkiNautique2001]

RE: Re: My Fix

Gotcha... I'm down in Atlanta for the week, but I'll try that this weekend when I get home. Thanks for the advice!