2013 SAN 230 // Strange Battery Selector/Isolator Switch & Starter Relay Problem

[iSki]

This weekend we were on the water. After an hour or so I turned the boat off during a rider change. When I pushed the start button the screen went dead and the all electric went down. After a few moments I decided to select the another battery to see if that was the problem. Upon reaching into the cabinet to switch battery positions, I noticed the selector switch was just spinning freely without "clicking" at/into each position. I finally held it really steady in the 6 o'clock position which bridges both batteries and got some current. After it booted up, I pushed the start button which immediately it killed the screen again. Everything went dead. This time I could hear a mechanical "short" sound from the engine compartment. So I repeated the exercise... I messed with the isolator switch... got to a spot that screen booted and came on... hit start... click and dead. So I opened the fuse box containing the starter relay and repeated the exercise. It obvious the sound was coming from the relay when pushing start and resulting system shut down. So I removed the relay and repeated the process... fidget with isolator... let it boot... hit start... this time, the system did not die when I pushed the start button. This time, with the relay removed, the system stayed booted and screen stayed on though obviously no start.

I've got the replacement relay. I need to get the new isolator switch. But I am concerned the cooked starter relay and/or the battery switch are symptoms not causes.
What the heck happened here? Did a bad battery isolator switch lead to a fried relay? Other way around? Seems like something significant had to happen to break the isolator switch to the point that all the positions were destroyed. Anyone care to weigh in?

[ScooterMcgavin]

Pretty common issue on those battery switches. The new one is resigned
https://www.planetnautique.com/vb5/f...ement-2014-210

[iSki]

Quote removed by Admin for not following the Guidelines for Quoting Previous Posts in a Thread.

Thanks for that link. I'd sourced the switch and am comfortable with the repair. It was the greater issue of the starter relay being fried and the system abruptly cutting off that I am more concerned about. But perhaps that all relates to the singular issue of a bad selector switch. I'll know soon enough.

[SatherG230]

I had a switch come apart on me last year leaving us on the FAR end of the lake, 15 miles from where we were staying. Similar deal - the switch felt looser the prior time or two and I had almost ordered a replacement that week. The bad news was that I did not have a spare. The good news is that we have friends that live on the lake and a quick call and a short wait and I had some tools to use.

I got us back up and running by stacking one battery cable on top of the OUTPUT cable (the left lug as you look at the back of the switch) which bypasses the switch. I would then disconnect the battery cable each night, but ran fine for the rest of the trip! When I did replace my switch, I also added a Blue Sea ACR (https://www.bluesea.com/products/761...12_24V_DC_120A) right beside it on the back side of the panel. Now I don't have to worry about moving the switch between batteries at all and always have charged batteries. I also wired the optional LED indicator output to a small LED in the back of the small cubby above the drivers left knee. Tucked in enough so that the driver doesn't get the direct glare but can see the reflection of the light when the batteries are combined.

The older switches simply had screws holding the front to the back. Mine broke just beyond the tip of the screws. The newer switches snap together and are through-bolted so they should not come apart.

[iSki]

The electrical issue fried the link screen. BUMMER.