Help! Battey Cable Issue

[OLDAFVET]

Suddenly I have lost power from one of my batteries. Battery number 1 works fine, battery number 2 supplies no power to anything when switch is in number 2 position. Checked battery -fully charged. Checked inputs to battery selector switch, #1 supplies 12.7VDC to back of switch, #2 supplies 0VDC to back of switch. Disconnected cable #2 from battery post and switch input. Checked cable with multimeter and cable shows open circuit. Exposed portions of cable looks like new, it is well protected in center console. Cable seems securely anchored behind bulkhead. Is there some sort of junction or anchor point behind bulkhead or is it just taped to other battery cable. How do I change the battery cable? Is there a way to access it without removing the center console? Thanks in advance.

 

[Offshoreman]

That is something I have to say I think about from time to time.... If I ever had a battery cable problem, how would I get them out? I have to say I am not sure. Sudden loss of power and no continuity in the cable is troubling. Has there been signs and symptoms of low voltage or intermittent power loss before the total loss of power?

It's tight quarters in the center console, but I would think you could disconnect all leads, attach a fish line and pull them through. The access hatches on the aft bulkhead (down low) will give you a little more access.

I just went out and took a look at mine. If they cannot be fished out, and new ones pulled back in, it appears one must lift the center console to replace them. It's not something I've had to do. I hope they fish out and you can pull in new ones. The alternative looks like a big job.

 

[OLDAFVET]

Thanks for giving my problem some thought. This problem came out of the blue. No deteriorating performance before total failure that I detected during operation. I was doing my pre trip checks the day before a fishing trip and what was fine last week was totally dead. I opened the left hand aft access port in the center console and found the two input cables to the battery switch and the output cable of the battery switch were fastened together with electrical tape. If I could be sure all that was impeding pulling out the cable was tape I would just put a line on one end of the cable and pull harder. I am concerned that there is junction or buss that has failed that I don't know about and I hate to cause additional damage. I am keeping raising the center console to get access for my final act of desperation. I am hoping someone who has "been there/done that" will see this and reply. Thanks again for your input and if you have any further thoughts even if they seem insignificant to you please shoot them at me. I would hate to miss something obvious that a different set f eyes would see.

 

[Offshoreman]

I do not believe there would be anything but solid, one piece wire from the battery to the switch. Simply no place for a junction or buss there.

It seems very suspicious and unusual for a sudden and total loss of continuity on a large battery cable that is protected like these are. I would think a terminal end has corroded off or the battery switch had gone bad.

I know you said the cable is an open circuit when tested. Odd for sure.

 

[OLDAFVET]

I agree with your thought that logic dictates a solid one piece wire. I placed a jumper from the battery to the switch with an exposed cable and repeatedly cycled the switch and no malfunctions occurred. I agree that the chance of sudden catastrophic failure of #2 stranded battery cable seems to fall somewhere between highly unlikely and impossible. I m going to put a line on the end in the battery compartment and pull as hard as I feel I dare on the end coming out the access port and see what happens.

 

[Offshoreman]

A little Dawn dish soap and water solution on the portion of cable about to go through the hole will help. And if pulling them aft does not work well, consider pulling the batteries out and then pulling the wires forward. Sorry you're having this problem.

 

[OLDAFVET]

I will try pulling them forward with the soap for lubricant. I got them moved aft enough to see they are taped in to a bundle wit electrical tape again. They are taped together about every 6 inches. The tape will stretch but not break. I pulled as hard as I could, using a piece of pipe for leverage, got about 6 inches, the elasticity of the tape pulled 4inches back in

 

[Offshoreman]

Drat. Well, they are the only two things that are in there. So give heck. Pull TWO fish lines in as you pull the cables out, the run two new ones in one at a time. Man, this sounds like a pain.

 

[OLDAFVET]

Never say it can't get worse. Pulled the batteries so I could lay down in the CC and ty to see as much as possible through the left access port. I cut all the tape I could reach. Can't pull any harder without a come-along , something going on I don't want to break anything.

 

[Maxg94]

I have had a simlar issue. Battery #1 comes and goes. Not dead just stops working. I checked and all connections are good. I also feel that cables are not an issue. Can the selector switch go bad? I am not sure if this is something you can pull out from outside to check. I plan on doing this at some point but have been lazy.

 

[OLDAFVET]

Switch is accessible (sort of) from inside Center Console behind wire bundle or breaker panel can be pulled to get at switch but wires are all very short making it a difficult task. I find an open circuit when testing the cable and suspect it is not a straight run of cable. I cant believe #2 copper cable breaking without there being some major external trauma. I think #1 would be the same.

 

[Dave LeGear]

Older thread you may want to review for this issue also:

Sudden Power Lost

I recently bought a used boat and my tachometer/speedometer was not working (stuck at 6000rpm). I understand that Tach damage can be caused by electrical transients disconnecting the battery with the engine running. I bring this up because it has happened once while the boat was running. I...

www.performanceoutdoors.net

And drop me a personal note when this one is solved so I can place it in the correct spot for I am thinking this one "might" not be just related to a Triumph.

Hope this helps?
Dave

 

[Maxg94]

My issue is solved. I disconnected all cables(positive and negative) at the switch, batteries and block. Then sanded until all corrosion was gone(shinny again). I also did the nuts and washers. I did add some new tape on the switch cables just in case a small short in the wire touching something. Put back and all is good now. I know the 195 is easy to acess, but I still just took the whole switch out the front and cleaned here was easier than leaning upside down inside the hatch. If I had to guess maybe my issue was the negative from the block to the battery. This has a smaller ring on the battery that also has the negative between the two batteries. The non working battery ring sat on top of this smaller ring and thus took less corrosion to affect contact than other connections.