2012 BR 215 MANY Electrical issues-gctid822612

[drewdrop$]

Good afternoon, I'm having some weird issues with a used boat I purchased recently. (leads me to believe the ahole got it up to working order just to sell it)

Anyway, so the main issue appears to be the battery switch, which apparently is not a factory installed item... See link below.

(Is this a factory installed item or aftermarket?)

http://www.iboats.com/Battery-Master...iew_id.1183776

This is located in the battery compartment. After a few runs with the boat the engine just quit on me. after finally getting it home I realized that "tapping this switch" made the connection to start the boat. (that's problem #1 and will be fixed soon as I ordered a replacement switch.

Now onto the issues I think may be related to this primary switch...

I have blown fuses for the bilge pump and the vent fan before, replaced them and they work, but they do still keep blowing. This could be related to the master switch losing connection. I was out on the boat in the backyard this afternoon and checked all the fuses and they are all good but the Bilge pump, Vent fan, Fuel gauge & Tilt & Trim gauges don't work... (See below for more detail)

The most recent and more concerning issues are that my Trim & Tilt gauge as well as my Fuel gauge are not working.

Tilt shows in the DOWN position when it's clearly in the up position. Fuel shows full, but I know I have half a tank, if not less!

I checked all the fuses under the steering column and none are blown. BTW, HORRIBLE HORRIBLE design in fuse panel placement...

Anyway, could the gauges themselves have failed due to a surge of electricity by this faulty main switch? If so, shouldn't the fuse panel have blown a fuse before ruining a gauge?

Once I replace the main switch I'll check the gauges again. Any advice or comments on these issues would be greatly appreciated.

Another issue I have is that when fueling up from empty it literally takes 45 minutes to an hour to fill the entire tank! This is ridiculous! I checked the vent hose filter and it's not clogged, I also tried filling up with the vent cap completely removed and there is no change, it still takes about 2 minutes per gallon. What else can I check because I know I shouldn't have to "slowly drip" fuel in just to fill my tank up!

Last issue... When I purchased the boat the RPM and Speedometer gauges don't work correctly. RPM is all outa whack and I know at full throttle I'm going a lot faster then 25 mph...But that's as high as it will go.

Yes, I know, lot's of issues. Any help on any of them would be appreciated!

Thank you...

*First time boat owner who's quickly regretting buying one....*

[captharv]

What I would do. Locate a schematic of the boat. One should be in the owners manual, or maybe obtainable from Bayliner.

Disconnect all the wires not shown on the schematic.

Start with the umbilical cord which plugs into the engine. Trace out the wires on both ends and see that they are connected to their proper points.

Now for the accessories. Remove l the wiring from the fuse/breaker panels, one at a time. Trace it out and connect it properly. DO the same with the grounds. One word here: the modern boats have the ground (battery negative) as yellow. Older boats black. same difference in the function.

Fuses. Mostly all of the accessories are made elsewhere. Example: pumps by Rule, blowers etc. Go on their websites and find the operating current. example: bilge blower at 5 amps. Fu.se it at 1 1/2 to 2 times the current, around 7 1/2 amps to 10 amps. If you fuse it as such, and the fuses blow, either the item is bad or the wiring includes something else.

Another word of advice: Buy a digital volt-ohm-ammeter. A decent one can be had for $20-30. With it we can tell you to measure something and attempt to analyze the readings.

I am an electronics professional. When I used to buy used boats, I would park a trash container behind the boat for the lamp cords and doorbell wiring I removed and thru out. A few times almost filled a 30 gallon container.

For connecting accessories, buy 12 or 10 gauge twin (red and black) cable. Go from the accessory to either the fuse panel or switch for it. Have a junction block for the grounds.

If you do the above, you'll enjoy the boat better.

[Guest]

Sounds like you already find the likely problem - the selector switch. Like captharv said, electrical is something that everyone feels they can do but it is a lot harder than it appears. When you make electrical modifications, its one thing to make them work and quite another to make them work reliably, safely and last for 30 years without a problem.

I would do everything captharv said but I would like to add a few steps before that. Before any diagnosis whether its electrical or mechanical, always start with the obvious and easy stuff. Here is how I would start:

1. Make sure your batteries are charged and in good health, that is they can hold a charge

2. Disconnect the batteries and inspect / clean the connections

3. Visual inspection ... look for signs of tampering, improper repairs, people who do not know what they are doing, like the selector switch you mentioned

4. Wherever you see signs of tampering or electrical repairs, scrutinize the whole area

5. Look for obvious faults, power and grounds connected properly? Are you double sure? Grounds at the back of the engine?

I'm gonna take a stab at the problem - bad battery, improperly wired selector switch, grounds disconnected somewhere. I remember in the 90's when I was a new apprentice at a GM dealer, I put an engine into a Buick LeSabre and forgot to hook up the ground cables that attached to the transmission bellhousing. The engine started but everything went nuts. Gauges went crazy, one turn signal was bright, the other was dim, the engine ran but I got a ton of trouble codes. When a ground is not connected properly, or battery cable connections are poor, or bad battery ... electronic components "find" or use other paths to ground which often give unexpected resistance causing all kinds of weird faults. So when I see a lot of weird electrical issues, I always go right back to the basics as I described above.

[drewdrop$]

The drama continues...

I replaced the main batt cutofff, cleaned off all the connections and it works fine.

Went to check the fuse block and as soon as my fingers grazed a wire (radio) the radio cutout. I wasn't taking any chances so I bought a new fuse block and replaced that.

I cleaned up all the connectors as well then put it back together. The fuse block seems to only control the switches, and they all work fine (with the exception of the blower (I think it's shot) Not a big deal, I can simply open the engine hatch to air it out.

At this point, my oil pressure, temp and batt gauges were still working. I was looking under the console and HO-LY-CRAP... Looks like someone went to town under there. All the wire connections for the switch lights were not connected, they seemed to have been COMPLETELY removed. Looking at the schematic they are all jumped together from switch to switch, so I made new connections and all my switch lights work now.

Again, at this point all my gauges are acting as they currently were. So I decided to check the wiring harness on the back of the engine (not easy to get to), but luckily, the steering cable had to be replaced before I bought it so there was a deck hole drilled where all the wires come in. (about a foot wide hole). I wasn't unplugging anything, I was simply looking for connectors and possible fuses. I looked up and now ALL of my gauges are not working... WTF!!!!

So in a nutshell, gauges all malfunctioning, all switches (minus blower motor) are working, engine cranks smoothly...

I think the issue is with the main wiring harness, so I located that on the back of the engine and made sure it was firmly in place... it is, so now I have no clue.

I REALLY don't wanna drop a ton of money on this issue but this has got me scratchin my head....

I've attached the wiring schematic, this is for a 2006 Bayliner 215 BR... (as I said they don't have one for my 2012).

From what I'm looking at, the issue seems to be from the main wiring harness.


Attached files

[Guest]

Sounds like a ground wire problem you might try running a tempory wire from your battery to the ground wire cluster under dash if other owner has been playing you might find a nasty splice into the ground wire from engine bay to dash ie) the negative connection for blower / bilge pump

[drewdrop$]

"other owner has been playing"...

Yeah, you got that sh*t right, dude effed up everything electrical on this boat. I already ripped out 10 ft of cable and replaced...

Boat is a 2012, I found out from the dealer it wasn't sold till March 2014, owner told me the last year he had it it hasn't been used. Only been "in use" for two years...

How could some one F*CK up a boat SO BAD in two freakin years....?

I thought it was a ground wire problem myself, so I took the - cable from the fuel gauge, cut it, crimped on a 14Ga wire DIRECT tp the fuse block I just replaced (and know is working) and no change. I didn't wanna cut and test anymore gauges, so I'm going to assume at this point, it's not a ground connection...

Ok, so, now the engine won't crank... Trust me, I haven't done crap to it other then move some wires.

I did unplug the main wiring harness AFTER the engine wouldn't crank just to have a look at it, (no click, no nothing...) as I did, a + wire from the harness came EASILY unconnected... mind you, this wire is NOT going through the main wiring harness, they cut it off before the harness and went AROUND the harness and plugged it directly into what appears to be a starter drive... I've attached pictures. I re-crimped it, but it still won't start...

Jezuz, I can hear the cash register going Cha-Ching every time I freaking touch something...

Mind you, I rebuilt TWO jet skis full electronics and trim's by myself... I'm not stupid, but this thing is sure making me feel that way...

One pic is the + cable re-routed OVER the harness, the other is the starter drive... Cable in the top of the starter drive pic is the one going to the "cut" harness.

I really don't want to take this thing to a marine repair shop, but I think I'm getting close to the end of what I can test and fix.

Honestly, I'm kinda glad all this sh*t happened NOW instead of being out in the Atlantic ocean.... My buddies and I are prepping for a trip to bimini next year and this needs to get fixed!!!

God, I almost wanna go beat the crap outa that dude, cannot believe someone could royally eff up a boat this bad in 2 years...


Attached files

[Guest]

Ok so you positive you have good ground so next is + to your key you will have 2 wires mine were purple other was yellow/red the purple feeds your gauges the yellow is kill switch. If the previous owner was looking for a power feed he might have tapped into the yellow or purple maybe the kill switch wire is fishy. Sounds like you have a idea on how to make it work if you use the diagram and tick them off you will find it and it will be the most unlikely thing that you find it's call Murphy's law normally I try to think of the thing that I would think of last and try that first but to date that ain't worked.

[drewdrop$]

Yeah, the guy wired up a aftermarket radio (very poorly I might add). But I know the power for that goes to the fuse block so I don't think the power to keyed start was messed with.

I'll have to trace down the cables from the keyed ignition and see.

Stupid question, is there any way to take apart the throttle to check the connections behind there (where the kill switch is) or does that thing come as an enclosed unit from the factory? If so, any help would be appreciated.

I could swear the issue is aft... anytime I play with the wires back there something happens to the gauges.

Also, another question... as I was correcting the tip indicator lights on my switches I realized that the combination anchor/nav lights is a DPDT switch.

Am I correct in assuming that if plugged up correctly, the lights for my gauges and switches should ONLY illuminate when I have the nav switch in the ON position?

I was looking through threads for my electrical issue and came across this...

http://baylinerownersclub.org/index....wiring-diagram

Right now I have 1 cable with several splices to all my indicator connectors going to a 10a fuse... they stay on all the time. I'm wondering if they should ONLY come on when I have the nav light active...

Sorry for all the questions but I'm really trying to get this thing back to "original wiring" as much as possible.

**EDIT**

Just checked the last picture I took of the fuse block... The wires from the keyed ignition don't even go to the fuse block... Lovely, guess I'll be tracking THAT down now as well...

[Guest]

Not sure how your throttle is mounted but the trim/kill switch wires on mine needed to be reconnected had plain crimps.

I run a separate switch for dash lights due to I run at night a lot and have them off then check the gauges every now an then one day I'll swap out the bulbs to a red.

If there isn't a switch for your lights I'd guess they work on nav lights.

[drewdrop$]

Well, tracing the keyed ignition cable is a bust. Unhooked it from the ignition switch, plugged up a tester and you can hear the tone from every cable... I may be testing it wrong.

As far as the nav lights are concerned... Shouldn't all the console lights be off when the nav switch is not in the "on" position?

Not quite sure how to wire this DPDT switch so it works as it should have

[drewdrop$]

So I realize this is one old freakin post but I figured I'd update everyone on the hilarity of what was found.

After months of trying to track down the issue, contacting the seller for questions regarding changes to the boat I finally decided to say screw it and take it in to the Marina to have them look for and fix the problem.
They literally called me the next morning and said "Yeah... we're pretty sure this boats been sunk previously". I asked them to plug up to the engine and get all the specs off it because I was curious how many hours were on it. Low-and-behold the engine was a 2016.

This guy literally got the engine replaced on insurance and sold it for dirt cheap.
Honestly, the only thing that pisses me off is that he didn't tell me the engine only has a few hours on it... I would have broken it in CORRECTLY if that was the case.

Since finding this out a year ago I've replaced all the gauges, added a Simrad and added some accessories (indirect LED deck lighting).
Haven't had one single problem since then! However, the marina mentioned I'll likely need to change the wiring harness in the next 5 years or so due to the corrosion.

Now THAT is gonna be pricey, Anyone know where I could buy the entire wiring harness for my boat? I'd like to have it, if not to simply be prepared for it to fail.

[Nauti_Mike]

So I realize this is one old freakin post but I figured I'd update everyone on the hilarity of what was found.

After months of trying to track down the issue, contacting the seller for questions regarding changes to the boat I finally decided to say screw it and take it in to the Marina to have them look for and fix the problem.
They literally called me the next morning and said "Yeah... we're pretty sure this boats been sunk previously". I asked them to plug up to the engine and get all the specs off it because I was curious how many hours were on it. Low-and-behold the engine was a 2016.

This guy literally got the engine replaced on insurance and sold it for dirt cheap.
Honestly, the only thing that pisses me off is that he didn't tell me the engine only has a few hours on it... I would have broken it in CORRECTLY if that was the case.

Since finding this out a year ago I've replaced all the gauges, added a Simrad and added some accessories (indirect LED deck lighting).
Haven't had one single problem since then! However, the marina mentioned I'll likely need to change the wiring harness in the next 5 years or so due to the corrosion.

Now THAT is gonna be pricey, Anyone know where I could buy the entire wiring harness for my boat? I'd like to have it, if not to simply be prepared for it to fail.

The engine hanesss and helm are from Mercruiser so you will need to get that from them if it needs replacement. The Bayliner harness for lights, radio, blower,... was made for this model and not something typically stocked as a replacement item and will require replacing one wire at a time. I believe boatoutfitters make harnesses but that’s probably an expensive route.