280 Sundancer - Starboard Switch Panel - Failed Again

M

mark guthrie

Member
Aug 25, 2009
101
St. Pete, FL
Boat Info
2001 280 Sundancer
Engines
4.3L with Alphas
Hi all, there have been numerous posts on this including myself when I replaced the panel about a year ago. I am hoping someone has some new insight into how to troubleshoot.

Here is the situation:
1) About a year ago, the panel started going haywire. Press for nav lights and the windlass would come on. Through much reading and talking to Searay, the decision is was either the panel or the EIM, with no way to know for sure. So I took a chance on the panel, was right. Although a little hard to find the part, it was fixed.
2) Fastforward to now (Aug2020). It has been working great...and then on Saturday, it just died. No lights this time for any of the switches. Except when unplugged and plugged back in. Plugging back in, all of the lights flash, and then go dark.
3) There are four pins in the harness. I am getting 13.7v and have a ground. Which I guess is also confirmed by the lights flashing (2).
4) I have sprayed anti corrosion stuff into the plug for the panel.
5) Checked the breaker to the panel in the EIM, it is good.

My next steps
a) Get electronics cleaner, spray the panel plug and also the EIM plug
b) Slap myself in the face a few more times
c) Scream at Searay for making such a complicated sytem
d) And hopefully get some troubleshooting tips from you guys :)
e) Look at replacement options. I don't want to buy another one of these panels. So I see there is a least one option to replace with normal rocker switches.
https://www.fpmarine.com/Kidney-EIM-Replacement-System-p/sr-panel-eim-280-340-kidney.htm

Any ideas?
 
Mark,
Troubleshooting the switchpads / EIMs was almost impossible. If you can't find a good set switchpads to test with, then you're stuck with unplugging and cleaning every connection in the system and praying for a miracle. I bought 2 new updated switchpads at $800 just to find that the switchpads weren't the issue. Long-story-short. . . I bought and installed the FPmarine package of Carling switches and fuse/relay boxes. It took about 8 man-hours (some of that using my much-slimmer-than-me son to work in the bilge). I am very pleased with the outcome. Everything works and looks great and I know I can troubleshoot the entire system. $3700 was a bitter pill to swallow, but I was tired of rewiring and re-routing good circuits to keep things working.
Good luck
 
Belleview3 said:
Mark,
Troubleshooting the switchpads / EIMs was almost impossible. If you can't find a good set switchpads to test with, then you're stuck with unplugging and cleaning every connection in the system and praying for a miracle. I bought 2 new updated switchpads at $800 just to find that the switchpads weren't the issue. Long-story-short. . . I bought and installed the FPmarine package of Carling switches and fuse/relay boxes. It took about 8 man-hours (some of that using my much-slimmer-than-me son to work in the bilge). I am very pleased with the outcome. Everything works and looks great and I know I can troubleshoot the entire system. $3700 was a bitter pill to swallow, but I was tired of rewiring and re-routing good circuits to keep things working.
Good luck
Click to expand...
We have the same problem. Our parts should be here tomorrow. Hoping for a good outcome
 
Belleview3 said:
Gord, are you doing the FP Marine replacement system? If you're installing it, let me know. I have some tips for you that are not in the instructions and videos.
Click to expand...
I am considering this, please post your tips.
 
On a scale of 1-10, how difficult was the installation of the FP switches?
 
First of all, the instructions and videos are very helpful. Very straightforward. A few things to consider:
1. This really is a 2 person job. At least if you want it to go smoothly. Also, make sure one of you is smaller or thinner. I had a hell of a time getting my 200# fat ass squeezed into and out of the space in front of the port engine. Fortunately, my 30-something son joined in to help.
2. Pull the steering wheel and the forward hatch cover at the EIM. You will need the extra room to work efficiently.
3. Get a deep cylinder hole saw. The bulkhead under the dash was over 1" thick of fiberglass and plywood on my 280. I oversized that hole and I'm glad I did. I made mine 2 1/2" x 4 1/2". You're pulling a boatload of harnesses through there. If you want to hide some of the mass of wires and harnesses, you'll appreciate the extra size.
4. There is a sealed bulkhead you need to go through at the front end of the starboard cabinet behind the Captain's seat. If you have someone small enough to crawl into the cabinet, then make your hole saw cut as high as you can. You should see a bundle of wires coming through near the top of the bulkhead. Make your hole either above (like me) or below that bundle. You have about 5/8" to cut through. I got lucky, my drill just barely fit through the speaker hole behind the Captain's seat. The aft end of the cabinet has a large opening at the top for plumbing that you can use to get into the bilge.
5. When feeding the main harness from the cockpit to the bilge, start feeding from the middle. I fed from the cabinet down to the cockpit and then from the back of the cabinet down into the bilge.
I'm sure there are additional things. . . but I can't think of them right now. It may be a 4 hour job for an experienced tech and a helper, but it was 12 manhours for my 280DA. But then, I tend to build a better mousetrap. Slows me down.
If you go with the FP package, you will need the HIN and style number imprinted on the hull for Ken at FP. BTW, Ken (the guy in one of the videos) was very helpful. Call him. . . Good luck on whatever you do.
 
PeteL said:
On a scale of 1-10, how difficult was the installation of the FP switches?
Click to expand...
Depends on your DIY skills. I would say a 3 for a young, agile DIYer who knows his tools. It was more like a 7 on a 63 year old DIYer with bad knees and back. Alcohol helped. . . You need to be able to cut fiberglass and crawl into a few tight spots. The rest was pretty much remove the existing and install the new. It really was planned out well, AND for multiple models /sizes. About as much plug and play as it could get on this one.
 
Belleview3 said:
Depends on your DIY skills. I would say a 3 for a young, agile DIYer who knows his tools. It was more like a 7 on a 63 year old DIYer with bad knees and back. Alcohol helped. . . You need to be able to cut fiberglass and crawl into a few tight spots. The rest was pretty much remove the existing and install the new. It really was planned out well, AND for multiple models /sizes. About as much plug and play as it could get on this one.
Click to expand...

Thanks!
 
Belleview3 said:
Gord, are you doing the FP Marine replacement system? If you're installing it, let me know. I have some tips for you that are not in the instructions and videos.
Click to expand...
I have not checked for awhile. I have it all installed and it seems to work fine and it looked great
 
Belleview3 said:
Gord, are you doing the FP Marine replacement system? If you're installing it, let me know. I have some tips for you that are not in the instructions and videos.
Click to expand...

Like you, I have a 2004 Sundancer 280. My starboard switch panel has died and I am awaiting receipt of the FP Marine total switch replacement kit. I would welcome any tips you can give me to install the new kit. Many thanks.
 
Tim Wilkin said:
Like you, I have a 2004 Sundancer 280. My starboard switch panel has died and I am awaiting receipt of the FP Marine total switch replacement kit. I would welcome any tips you can give me to install the new kit. Many thanks.
Click to expand...
Tim, check out #7 & 8 on this post for some of my tips. One thing I didn't mention was the really shallow depth you have to work with in the forward EIM area. Play with the new box position to get the maximum depth. My 1st placement had the breaker box touching the back of the hatch door.
Good luck. Please post your results. . .
 
Will do and thanks for getting back to me so promptly.
 
Tim I think you are doing the right thing. I know it is expensive but you will know that it is done right. I did mine almost one year ago but I just took my time and it all worked out fine. I sold the boat last fall but I know the boat is on the water and being used. Good luck with your project.
 
Gord said:
Tim I think you are doing the right thing. I know it is expensive but you will know that it is done right. I did mine almost one year ago but I just took my time and it all worked out fine. I sold the boat last fall but I know the boat is on the water and being used. Good luck with your project.
Click to expand...
Thanks Gord. I just wish these things didn’t happen right in the middle of the boating season, which is already too short. Tim
 
Tim Wilkin said:
Thanks Gord. I just wish these things didn’t happen right in the middle of the boating season, which is already too short. Tim
Click to expand...
I am sitting here reading this because I hit something under water last Sunday on the first day of my vacation and bent one of my props. hope to get it pulled tomorrow so we can repair the props. When it is done I will need to go back to work. the money I saved in gas will pay for the repair
 
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