Accessory Switch and EIM Lockout?

[Eddie B]

Hey folks. On my new to me 2003 240DA I found what I thought was an issue this weekend. Non of my accessory switches on the “peanut pad” were working (blower
, lights, horn etc.). I kinda freaked out and starting looking for replacements stuff (I really like the flounder pounder kit). But figured it would do some Trouble shooting before spending a grand and a half a day. Went to the boat tonight. Turned the battery switch on and everything worked!!! Opened the helm hit the fuse check everything fine (all green) noticed a loose power wire. Turned off batts and Tightened it up. turned bat back on and pad dead!!! Batts off, checked some other connections and took some pictures. Batt back on all worked again. Switched batts off and then quickly back on… dead. But with the pad dead the fuse check on the EIM still lights green when I hit the check fuse button. So clearly it’s getting power. So, I broke out my stop watch. Bat off wait 3 mins bat back on, nothing (pad dead). Batt off wait 5 mins, batt on pad works. When working I can rotate through batt 1, both and bat 2 and it continues to work. I have use the boat a few days this season and had not had any issues.

so, my question is, is this normal? Is there some kind of lockout where the EIM will not power back up immediately after turning battery switch off and back on in less than 5 mins? It seems odd but it’s consistent behavior.

 

[Fill Ess]

The peanut pads (love that term) should work right after you turn on the battery switches. Are your batteries full charged and your charger working?

When you say pad dead .... does nothing on the stbd pad work at all? You said no horn/blower etc but does that mean nothing lights up or the functions don't work at all? On mine the blower and horn are on different sides so are you having trouble with one or both of them?

Also if you found an FP kit for 1K let us know as most of us would buy it immediately

 

[ColoSR]

There shouldn’t be any boot up time with the EIM, it has little microprocessor boards but no real software.

I put the FP kit on my Sundeck, and am really happy with it. My horn and fuse test circuit went bad so I replaced it so that it didn’t fail and mess up a weekend.

 

[Eddie B]

Thanks guys. Yeah it is a starboard pad. Port I only have ignition. There is no startup delay and everything works fine the FIRST time I turn the battery switch on. If I were to then turn the Battery switch off and back on quickly the pad is completely dead no lights no relay click when I push a button, nothing. If I then turn the battery switch off for 5min then back on it all works again.

battery’s are fully charged but I don’t have shore power so they are not constantly charging. Testing them with volt meter shows 12.4-12.8v.

really odd.

took the boat out last night. Turned the battery’s on and it was fine the whole time. After I got back to the dock I tried this again. Turned the battery’s off and back on and dead again.

this is the correct kit for my boat. Hopefully they don’t sell out ;-)


https://www.searay-parts.com/EIM-Replacement-System-p/sr-panel-eim-rectangle.htm

 

[ColoSR]

I was serial number 1 on the square pad model you are looking at, and it only took Ken a couple weeks to put it together.

Let me know if you get in a pinch, I can send you my old EIM to get back on the water

 

[Eddie B]

That’s really nice of you ColoSR! I think I am good for now though. Since things are working fine as long as I don’t turn the battery’s off while out I am going to live with it for now. Hoping its a feature and not a issue. But I plan to get the kit in the off-season because -upgrade- ;-)

 

[Eddie B]

Hey guys. Been a while and a related issue has one up. Now the pad is not working again but all the lights come on when I turn the batter on. Picture attached. But non of the buttons work (no relay click). So non of my accessory’s work.

not occurred to me that the fist time this happened I had left the canvas off for the night and we got a little rain. This second time I took it off because we were expecting a hurricane (I don’t have a cockpit cover, just Bimini and isinglass) and it obviously rained allot. So I am starting to think water is getting in the pad and shorting it out. Fuses and box seem fine and dry. Going to give it a few days to dry out I guess and see if it resolves itself.
Sucks. Had the boat out many times since the first occurrence with no issues. I am thinking if this can’t hold up to getting water on it I should replace or I might end up in trouble from a big splash or rain shower or simply a spilled drink.