Carver Owners Forum

Hi All,

I am new here, so I'll do my best to adhere to protocol.

I am in the very long process of restoring a 1974 Carver Santa Cruz. It seems to have an electrical issue which led me to looking for the production wiring diagram. So far with no luck. Can someone tell me if the wiring diagram is available and if so how to get it?

Thanks all PT

Did you already try their website? I know they go back into the 80's with the online documentation but not sure about the 70s. You could email Carver as well. They might have something they could send you.

What type of an issue are you having? I'd bet most of that wiring is typical of the boats of that vintage, not just unique to Carver.

Also for a 70's boat there is more than a good chance that previous owners have "improved" the wiring, so a lot of it wont match up with the diagrams if you can find them.

Thanks km, I had to bypass the key switch on the flying bridge. It did nothing when turned. I worked with a mobile marine mechanic to wire a momentary switch between the battery and starter just to get the engine started. Also, when I was connected to the original wiring the battery drained quickly, which probably indicates a short somewhere. I'd like to try and sort the wiring out without spending too much money.

Welcome aboard PT

What engine package do you have? A lot of times, any circuitry information/diagrams related to the engine and instrumentation can be available from the engine manufacturer. Mercury/Mercruiser for example is easy to get.

There are a few diagnostic procedures that we could guide you through if you provide some more detail and are willing to do a little work yourself. Could your mobile guy not figure out where the fault was? The momentary switch isn't the answer, problem still exists.
- What was checked, and what possible faults were eliminated in the process?
- Ignition switch is okay?
- Wiring harness plugs and connections are okay?
- Is there a slave solenoid was it checked?
- Neutral safety switch is working properly?
- Where was this temporary switch installed, and was it done safely or can you start the engine in gear?

The power draw can be a number of things but a simple test meter and isolating each circuit would lead you to the circuit that's at fault. If you have an electrical panel with breakers or fuses, this might make it easier. If you have any loads by-passing the distribution panel and going directly to the batteries, first, this is a no no but you can disconnect those first to see if that parasitic draw disappears. You may also want to test your batteries properly to ensure it's not a battery issue before you assume it's a ship's wiring issue.

The above is just a primer but a place to start. The guys are a good bunch here so I'm sure you'll get some good feedback along the way.