Bruce, You have the classic symptoms of a bad connection. Either loose bolt, loose/corroded crimp, broken wire, etc. Can be on either the B+ side or the B1 side. Check bolt where the B- line attaches to the engine block. Check all connections. This can also be a bad rotary switch, especially if the switch has been in service for some years. If you find a connection that looks suspicious, put a voltmeter across that questionable connection and you'll measure close to 12Vdc (or 24Vdc, as the case may be). If the connection is good, you'll see 0.0 - 0.1Vdc across it. Anything above that is bad and needs to be corrected. What happens is, when you just turn the instruments "on," the connection is "good enough" to power them. But as soon as you go for the start solenoid, the connection fails (it looks like on open circuit) and so nothing works. If you really did have a bad battery, this is a coincidence. If you don't believe in coincidences, then console yourself in the knowledge that you have a nice, new start battery. Jim Peg and Jim Healy, living aboard Sanctuary http://gilwellbear.wordpress.com <http://gilwellbear.wordpress.com/> Monk 36 Hull #132 MMSI #367042570 AGLCA #3767 MTOA #3436