84 Mercury 200HP - Voltage on Kill Wire

[wcsd106]

I received my new switch boxes today and was getting ready to install them. Before installing the boxes, I checked for voltage on the kill wire as per the CDI instructions.

With the key turned to the run position, I am seeing 0.35v on the kill wire. This drops to 0.00 when the key is turned off.

I have not connected the new packs yet as I do not want to risk damaging them.

I have not seen the voltage higher than 0.35 but I am under the impression it should stay at 0.00 at all times.

Any responses are appreciated. Thanks

 

[j_martin]

Re: 84 Mercury 200HP - Voltage on Kill Wire

I received my new switch boxes today and was getting ready to install them. Before installing the boxes, I checked for voltage on the kill wire as per the CDI instructions.

With the key turned to the run position, I am seeing 0.35v on the kill wire. This drops to 0.00 when the key is turned off.

I have not connected the new packs yet as I do not want to risk damaging them.

I have not seen the voltage higher than 0.35 but I am under the impression it should stay at 0.00 at all times.

Any responses are appreciated. Thanks

With no load, a little dirt on the back of the ignition switch will do that.

Test it again, holding the connection to the wire between two fingers, then as you read it touch another finger on the same hand to engine ground. I'll bet it goes down to almost 0, and is insignificant, only indicating you have a very sensitive meter.

 

[wcsd106]

Re: 84 Mercury 200HP - Voltage on Kill Wire

Thanks for the reply.

Getting ready to try that. With such an insignificant voltage I think it could be charges being induced by an ungrounded wire being in such close proximity to a charged wire (i.e. 12v purple wire)

Edit
Doing as you suggested brought the voltage down to 0.00 This is not a very expensive meter and I think it is prone to picking up 'noise' and interpreting it as voltage.

I guess with all the difficulties I've been having I'm just a little trigger shy at the moment.

 

[j_martin]

Re: 84 Mercury 200HP - Voltage on Kill Wire

Thanks for the reply.

Getting ready to try that. With such an insignificant voltage I think it could be charges being induced by an ungrounded wire being in such close proximity to a charged wire (i.e. 12v purple wire)

That's the theory behind the test. if you have a 20K ohm/v sensitivity on the 20 volt scale, the resistance of it would be 400K. A 12M ohm leak would drive it to .35v.

Shunting the meter with your body's 100-400k resistance would lower the reading to .07 - .17v.

All of it is insignificant on this system. it/s about .000001 amp.