www.iFourWinns.com

Hi all (again)...

I'm trying to find out what two switches are that we have in our 1997 Horizon 200 that we bought a few weekends ago. Nothing is mentioned in the owners or engine manual about them. I looked through the wiring diagram but don't see them at all. Hopefully I can describe them well enough for someone to identify them.

First Switch:

On the "dashboard", there is a "gang" of rocker switches on the lower left. I have the obvious switches (that are well marked), like blower, bilge, navigation lights, etc.

However there is one rocker switch that has 3 positions. The "top" position is for the cockpit lights (which works), the middle position is "Off", however, it also has a "bottom" position which is not marked at all. Unfortunately, when I place the rocker switch in the bottom position, it blows the 5amp fuse each and everytime.

Second Switch:

Just to the right of the drivers seat is the "emergency kill switch", the one with the lanyard attached to it. That one I know. However, just to the left of it is a one position switch (it's a rocker switch but only has a momentary "On" position) that's labeled "Trailer".

It doesn't appear to do anything, however, I suspect that it's the switch that will place the outdrive in the full "up" (Tilt) position, by "overriding" the upper trim limit using the normal "up" rocker on the throttle control itself.

Again, it doesn't appear in owners/engine manual or electrical schematic at all.


Any help would be appreciated... I've only got these two switches, the bilge pump, and a new horn left on my "to do" list before we put her in the water. Oh yeah, almost forgot, have to figure out why the TRIM indicator gauge is always registering in the UP position too...

Sounds like you've got the 2nd switch figured out. Do you have a transom tilt/trim switch also? If so your 2nd switch might also have some kind of interaction with that.

As to the 1st switch, that sounds more odd. Does it appear to have been factory installed? I also have a 3-position switch, but it's 1) helm & navigation, 2) cockpit, and 3) navigation only (or pretty close to that, it's been several months since I've used it now ). It almost sounds like someone added a switch but did the wiring wrong on your 3-pos.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Hi Mike,

There is no transom tilt/trim switch whatsoever, so it must have something to do along the lines I thought it might be, though I swear the outdrive is in the full up position just using the trim up switch on the controller. So it's possible that the "Trailer" switch has "failed" in the open position.

As for the other rocker switch on the dash, they all look factory installed. I do have a rocker switch that has Nav Lights in the top position, off in the middle and Anc. Lights in the lower position. The switch with the Cockpit Lights is the 3 position switch I'm referring to (top position is the cockpit lights, middle position is off, and lower position is ???).

This rocker switch is just to the left of the "blank" that would have a rocker switch for the wipers (but since I don't have a wiper, it doesn't have any switch, just a blank).

Very strange. Electrical problems can be so frustrating to figure out, if it doesn't become obvious soon I think I'd let a pro deal with it. An all-too-easy answer, I know.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Thanks Mike, and while I somewhat agree with you about taking it in, I was hoping that another 200 Horizon owner would be able to shed some light on this. For now, I've ensured that the bottom positiion of that one rocker switch is disconnected, and I'll trace the wires at some point.

And I'll do some diagnosing of the trailer switch to see what's going on with that.

Thankfully I have the test equipment I need to check these out, was just hoping that someone had seen these functions before and give me a jump start on where to start testing..

I'm pretty sure the 'trailer' switch you refer to is the tilt up override switch, which works in conjunction with the trim switch on the throttle handle to raise the outdrive beyond the normal trim up limit for trailering or beaching. While holding the trim switch in the up position, simultaneously use the tilt up override switch to allow the drive to raise above the upper trim limit into tilt mode. To return to normal trim, just use the down trim button alone. This is in the OMC stern drives operation and maintenance manual.

To help with your first switch, I'll have to have a look at mine in the next few days when I have the boat uncovered.

Stay tuned. Hope this helps.

John

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1996 200 Horizon SunSport
5.8 FSI, V-P Duoprop
2005 Expedition

Ok, finally got my camera fixed so I could take a pix of the switch panel of our 97 200 Horizon. If anybody knows what the bottom position of the 4th switch from the left is supposed to operate, I'd appreciate the information. The top position of that switch operates the cockpit lights, the middle position is the OFF position.

Hope this works, have never posted a pix here before...

Speaking of switches/controls.

What does that cute little black toggle switch located next to the ignition switch (where the key goes) do ?

Thanks!!

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Jeff

2006 Four Winns Yellow Horizon 30th Anniversary 200 SS
2005 Nissan Titan Crew Cab
2004 Ford F-150 Lariat

http://www.seabrook-services.com

The black one just above the ignition switch is actually a push button...which sounds the horn. The white one just to the right of the ignition switch is the main circuit breaker reset.

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Greg

1997 Horizon 200
1998 F150 4x4

Thanks Greg!

I Have one on my 2006 Horizon 200 SS which I have NO idea what it is for.

There is a seperate horn switch on the panel.

I guess that it will sound horn if held while starting the engine

Any ideas from others

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Jeff

2006 Four Winns Yellow Horizon 30th Anniversary 200 SS
2005 Nissan Titan Crew Cab
2004 Ford F-150 Lariat

http://www.seabrook-services.com

Greg does that switch that you are talking about turn on both the cockpit courtesy lights AND the helm instrument cluster lights when in the "up" position? Is it possible that the "down" position is meant to turn on just the helm lights without the cockpit courtesy lights? Tough to tell what other switches you have for those lights without a picture. I believe you said above that you have a separate switch for nav/anchor lights, but you didn't mention how the helm instrument cluster lights are activated.

I guess what I'm wondering is, if that switch DOES control both courtesy AND helm lights when in the "up" position, could there be some accessory wired into just the helm lights which is overloading that circuit for the "down" position? Just a thought.

Also, I'm sure you already considered it, but did you check the manual and/or fuse panel to make sure that the correct capacity fuse is in that slot? Dumb as I am, I've mistakenly put a 10 in a 15 slot before and angrily wondered what the problem was until I ran out of fuses and then figured out how much of an idiot I was for putting in an improper fuse that couldn't handle the load.

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Paul
2007 Four Winns Horizon 220
Mercruiser 350 Mag MPI w/ Bravo III Drive
2004 Ford Explorer Limited (V8-AWD)
Pomme de Terre Lake (Southwest Missouri)

Hi Pet,

Yep, I looked through the manuals and no mention of the bottom position of that switch. Also, it appears that the "dash lights" are always on when the key is in the ON position. And yep, I've checked the fuse to make sure it was the right amperage. Interesting thought about it controlling the dash lights though, I'll see if I can't somehow trace through the wiring bundle... Thanks

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Greg

1997 Horizon 200
1998 F150 4x4

That shouldn't be. I think you're all onto something with the switch controlling the dash lights. They should be controlled by a separate switch position.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Mike, is that how yours is set up? I had an old I/O from the 1970's that was set up that way that Greg is talking about, but I was just wondering how they set up the new dash light systems nowadays since I'm still waiting to put my hands on my new FW. I remember always wishing there was a way to control it on that boat without turning off the key.

BTW, Greg I found your pictures on the forum after my previous post, so I did get to see your setup and that did help. Not sure my theory is valid-I'm no electrical genius. Wondering how the helm instrument lights could be coming on when the key is on and not blow the fuse, but at the same time the fuse blows when you flip that switch (if they actually ARE controlled by that switch you're asking about). I would think if you had some type of short in those lights themselves, then whatever fuse protects those lights would blow every time you turned the key. THAT is what leads me to believe that something is tapped into the circuit which is controlled by that switch-and it is overloading the circuit.

I don't think you said it earlier- do you know which circuit belongs to the fuse that keeps blowing? Is there a label in the panel telling you that? Maybe that would help you out? For example, I once had a car that the power windows would just stop working on everyone once in awhile because a fuse would blow-but it didn't have a label for "power windows." Instead, I had to figure out what else wasn't working when the windows quit working and I eventually found out that the power windows were part of the "power seat" circuit as it was labelled on my panel. Finally figured out after a year that my power lumbar switch was bad, and the fuse would blow only when "inflating" the lumbar support but would not if I was "deflating" it. I never fixed it, I just made sure the windows were up if my back got tired, so that the windows would be up when the fuse blew and I wouldn't have to be in a rush to replace it!

Finally, I guess there is always the possibility that there is something being controlled by the switch, but the switch itself has a short in it that is blowing the fuse only when switching it in that direction. Mike is right, though, in his previous statement that electrical problems are very frustrating.

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Paul
2007 Four Winns Horizon 220
Mercruiser 350 Mag MPI w/ Bravo III Drive
2004 Ford Explorer Limited (V8-AWD)
Pomme de Terre Lake (Southwest Missouri)

This is just an idea but the way it is setup on mine is the bottom position is for the anchor light only. Just an idea?

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2007 200 Horizon- 4.3GXi/SX 225hp
2007 Tahoe LT