89 150 Mercury XR4 Charging

[venture]

put water strap on engine started it, the vote meter on the boat was not working, check with volt meter on the stator and was getting the A/C voltage but none on the rectifier from the red wire to ground on D/C. here's the good part turned the engine off and started back up and the volt meter on the boat was working and check the voltage coming off the recifier and was getting 13 plus volts idling the small purple red and gray wire that comes from the rectifier goes into the wiring harness upto key switch area does any of these wire have to feed back through to make the rectifier work. could the key switch be going bad . Thanks David

 

[Laddies]

Re: 89 150 Mercury XR4 Charging

The grey wire is the tach sender wire, my manual shows a purple wire to the box and it powers the instruments, there are 3 or 4 differant alt setups on the XR 4 engines and in thr manual by serial number not year so it would help to have your serial number

 

[venture]

Re: 89 150 Mercury XR4 Charging

the ser# oc156850... I have been in the water and have shut the engine on and off maybe 5 or 6 times and sometimes the volt meter would work and sometimes not, I have even moved the key a little when it was not showing voltage and it would start showing on the gauge also.

 

[JUSTINTIME]

Re: 89 150 Mercury XR4 Charging

check the connections
definitely a corroded plug or connection

 

[Laddies]

Re: 89 150 Mercury XR4 Charging

venture, tryed all morning to get back but the new and improved site is at it again. Yes the purple wire is a sender/energiser wire, it will have the plug at the regulator, the main harness plug, then depending on the type of shift box and where the key switch is located from 2 to 5 plugins as it runs to the switch, I would check the switch when it's not working by wiggling the key to see if it starts to charge (us care not to engage the starter) I would think it's probably the problem. If not your going to test voltage along the way to find the trouble

 

[venture]

Re: 89 150 Mercury XR4 Charging

venture, tryed all morning to get back but the new and improved site is at it again. Yes the purple wire is a sender/energiser wire, it will have the plug at the regulator, the main harness plug, then depending on the type of shift box and where the key switch is located from 2 to 5 plugins as it runs to the switch, I would check the switch when it's not working by wiggling the key to see if it starts to charge (us care not to engage the starter) I would think it's probably the problem. If not your going to test voltage along the way to find the trouble

 

[venture]

Re: 89 150 Mercury XR4 Charging

Thanks, It does have a mercury shift box with the key switch in the box I check the plug just off the switch the other day and found the plug with the purple wire with a little corrision on it and I cleaned it maybe some other part in that line may be the problem and I have jiggled the key in the switch and it has started charging before may have to change switch I have had the boat for 6 years with no problems it has been garage keep and I have had to put a dehumidifier in their to keep corrision down with tools I have. Thanks for the GOOD information.

 

[gss036]

Re: 89 150 Mercury XR4 Charging

Venture, check the wiring harness plug in. It is on the lower starboard side of the engine. Just remove it from the detent and pull it apart and clean it and spray w/anticorrision. I had to bypass mine as it had shorted out inside the plug and shorted out from corrision.