I have a 1999 Maxum with a 4.3L Mercruiser. Haven't run it in about 3
weeks couple of weeks and tried to fire it up today. When I turn the
ignition switch to the "on" position, alarm sounds briefly, then my
gauges activate briefly, then everything shuts down...turns out I keep
blowing the 15A ignition fuse on the fuse block (went thru 2 of
them). Trim/tilt, blower, and everything else electrical is working
fine. Battery is good. I traced the wire from the ignition switch to
the fuse block and beyond, and can't find any visible cuts, frays,
etc.

The book shows 15A is the correct fuse. I'm wondering if:

A) 15A is a little light
B) The ignition switch is the culprit

Any suggestions?

Mike

You need to find a good boat electrical guy if you want this thing fixed
quickly. It's not an easy problem to troubleshoot over the internet. Lots of
things could be blowing the fuse. A short under the dash. A shorted
instrument. some accessory that was attached to the ignition switch. Bad
coil. bad electric choke. bad ignition module.
Jim
wrote in message
oups.com...
I have a 1999 Maxum with a 4.3L Mercruiser. Haven't run it in about 3
weeks couple of weeks and tried to fire it up today. When I turn the
ignition switch to the "on" position, alarm sounds briefly, then my
gauges activate briefly, then everything shuts down...turns out I keep
blowing the 15A ignition fuse on the fuse block (went thru 2 of
them). Trim/tilt, blower, and everything else electrical is working
fine. Battery is good. I traced the wire from the ignition switch to
the fuse block and beyond, and can't find any visible cuts, frays,
etc.

The book shows 15A is the correct fuse. I'm wondering if:

A) 15A is a little light
B) The ignition switch is the culprit

Any suggestions?

Mike

It could be any wire or device DOWNSTREAM of the 15A ignition fuse. Lots
of possibilities. From your post,you are unlikely to be successful
diagnosing it. However, there is a device you can buy; a 'Short Finder',
which is a thermal reset circuit breaker device, kind of like a 1-shot
turn signal flasher. You hook it in the circuit in place of the fuse,
and as long as the short is present, the device will continually click
on and off. Unplug the offending item or wire, the clicking stops-
BINGO! Harder than it sounds....
BTW, the short is undoubtedly in some aftermarket install of a radio,
fishfinder, etc.
JR

wrote:

I have a 1999 Maxum with a 4.3L Mercruiser. Haven't run it in about 3
weeks couple of weeks and tried to fire it up today. When I turn the
ignition switch to the "on" position, alarm sounds briefly, then my
gauges activate briefly, then everything shuts down...turns out I keep
blowing the 15A ignition fuse on the fuse block (went thru 2 of
them). Trim/tilt, blower, and everything else electrical is working
fine. Battery is good. I traced the wire from the ignition switch to
the fuse block and beyond, and can't find any visible cuts, frays,
etc.

The book shows 15A is the correct fuse. I'm wondering if:

A) 15A is a little light
B) The ignition switch is the culprit

Any suggestions?

Mike




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