Blowers are not working 405

[Serendipity]

So my blowers have stopped working. I left the blowers on after running the boat for a little while. I will not run the engines without the blowers being on.

Now I get nothing and this is what I have tried so far. Boat is a 98 Carver 405 and new Rule bilges and blowers were installed 2 years ago and 100 hours ago.

So I initially checked the blower switch on the helm, only 1 helm by the way. It has continuity, but to double check my multimeter. I swapped it out with the forward bilge switch and I could hear the bilge come on. So the switch is testing good.

I had to leave tonight but I am going back in the morning to test the continuity of the blowers at the blowers. At least I will know if they are getting power.

I read someone that a fire protection system could turn them off on some boats?

I only have a cannister and no gauges on the fire cannister bottle. Just wondering if there is a work around here if this applies to Carvers.

I have turned all the breakers off and back on in the dining room panel. I did not see a breaker specifically for the blowers, but bilges yes.

Could it be a bad breaker? How do you test a breaker in the panel? Do I have to remove the panel to test from the back side? I would surmise yes.

I researched the 200 comments posted but did not find any answers.

Any thoughts on what to test or try next guys?

[g36]

On my 405 helm switch when on theres a indicator light on the switch is this on? Yes there's a breaker in the panel for blowers. If you have to open the elect. Panel remove all screws on sides and top it will tilt out. But I bet there's something else going on. How about battery selector switch under bottom step turned on? I believe there's 2 blowers. Could be if you run them all the time that 1 may have stopped working awhile back and now the other stopped . I would go into engine room with helm switch on and other things I mentioned and measure voltages at the blowers themselves for power. You'll know then if it's blower or power coming to them.

[Serendipity]

I have not checked under the stairs for the breakers there.

That is an awesome idea and thanks. Sometimes I forget about those breakers not using the boat very often.

The green light isn't on, so it very possibly could be a thrown breaker my friend and the switch did work on the swap out.

Thanks again for that reminder

Michael

[Viper]

Do you guys have the small breaker panel under the bench in front of the helm? If so, check to see if there is a breaker for that circuit. You may also want to access the wiring under the helm (through back of the bench?), and ensure harness plugs are secure, pins are clean, and that all the connectors are on the blower switch. If all checks out there, turn on all DC breakers on the boat, and while under the helm, check for power at the switch, and the corresponding pins on both sides of the harness plug, just follow the wire from the switch. If all checks out there, test for power at the blowers as g suggested. Cut the positive lead close to the blower if there is no plug, stick the meter's positive lead to the wire coming to the blower and the negative lead to any ground like a battery close by or bare bolt on the engine, etc. If you don't get 12 volts, or are getting low voltage, you will have to dig deeper.

[g36]

Hi Viper there's no breakers like that on the upper helm on the 405/406. Yes there is battery Junction behind the back of the front bench. Sounds like Serendipity you've been there by checking switch continuity. I only mean under the stairs that the 12v battery switch is not off.. I couldnt remember what breaker location in the main panel so I just looked on my pdf manual the blower breaker is on the 12v 2nd column about 8 down from the top. In the electrical panel by the dinette.

[g36]

Also make sure the Main 12v breaker is on at the top of the column. I'm sure youve verified this just thought I would mention it.. This column also has the water pump and other exhaust fans for heads just make sure one of those things work to quickly verify power on that busbar

[Viper]

Source of the post Hi Viper there's no breakers like that on the upper helm on the 405/406....

Thanks for the follow up g.

[tomschauer]

I would start at the blower(s) and check for 12v with the switches on. This is assuming you have battery power at 12v. Blowers draw a lot of juice, if you left them on without your charger on, they will drain a battery pretty quickly. Checking continuity won't tell you much. If you have a bad blower motor, you can read through the windings to ground, showing you have continuity.

[Serendipity]

Okay here is the update
So I did check the switch with a new multimeter and it tested good. Then to double check the switch, I swapped the switch with a known good bilge switch. So the blower switch is working.
I installed a new battery last fall and my other batteries are 2 years old. Both engines fire and start immediately, but I haven't checked the batteries for output. So that is a thought

I cut the wires leading to the blower behind my port engine to see if the blower would power up with a dual jumper wire connection to a battery. I test the connection on both engine batteries and the blower did not spin up.

So my wife and I took her 90 year old parents to church today in Mobile Alabama for Easter. While we were there, I picked up 2 new 4 inch blowers made by West Marine.

My goal is to install one of the new blowers on the jumper wire setup I have and see what happens.

I also need to get my multimeter in the engine compartment to see if power is getting to the blowers.
Regardless, I am replacing the blowers as it sounds like they could have burned themselves out. I will be heat shrinking the connections as well.

All breakers under the stairs are showing good with no issues. Breaker panel in the galley shows good as well, but it may be time to replace those breakers since they are 20 years old.
So where would your source be for those breaker replacements?

And I will update ya if the blowers correct this issue.

Next up, replace the vacuflush units are they are leaking down.

Then the Norcold fridge was 3 months old when I purchased the boat in the summer of 2018. It works when it wants too. So it will be coming out to trouble shoot it.

A labor of love at this point

[g36]

My 405 is 1997. Are you suspicious of one bad breaker? If so like me you most likely have some that aren't connected to anything so you can just move the breaker or change the wiring for that circuit. But I wouldn't be looking at replacing all in the panel just cause of the age.
Also vacuflush unit leaking down will most likely be an easy fix. If its building vaccumm and leaking it's probably the duck valves ir if not holding water in the bowl its most likely the seal there. Both are easy enough on our model to get to and swap.
My oem norcold got replaced with a vitrifrigo unit. It's way better than the norcold ever was. The swap requires a slight bit of trimming the cabinet and a 1" spacer around the frame. It's a great fridge.