Boat wiring issues-Starcraft with Merc OB

[Starman8]

Can anyone comment on this:

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=450693

 

[Starman8]

Re: Boat wiring issues-Starcraft with Merc OB

Any Merc power tower guys out there to assist?

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Boat wiring issues-Starcraft with Merc OB

So what part of all that have you NOT resolved. No sense going over things you already know/have resolved. As for power to the gauges and other stuff at the helm, that power feed is not a separate run from the battery. Those things are powered from the "A" (accessory) terminal on the ignition switch via the engine harness. Only "boat related" stuff like bilge pumps, switches for things like horn, lights, spot lights, interior lights, accessory outlets get powered through the separate boat harness.

Here is a diagram for the fuel gauge wiring. The diagram does not show the green bonding wire that connects the metal shell of the fuel tank to the fuel filler nozzle which handles anti-static duties. Eliminate the funky connector. Besides the green bonding wire, there needs to be only TWO wires from the sender. The pink as you know goes from the sender terminal to the "S" terminal on the gauge. The metal flange/shell of the sender must be grounded so the black wire must get to battery negative somewhere -- and it doesn't matter how. Ground is ground wherever you find it.

 

[Starman8]

Re: Boat wiring issues-Starcraft with Merc OB

thanks Silvertip, and I am unsure if any of this works. Mostly concerned with the Merc OB and the 2 wires directly routed on positive post.

That funky connector harbors the pink and black to the helm, so at least the pink run has been made. If I disconnect it, I need to be sure the black wire is/was my original panel ground.

By the way, where specifically do I tap into the purple IGN power for the fuel gauge?

 

[HONKER1]

Re: Boat wiring issues-Starcraft with Merc OB

This is the wire diagram for my Starcraft with a 115hp Mercury motor. Maybe you can save the picture to your computer and blow it up to read the colors of the wires. If not, send me a PM and I will send you the picture and then you will be able to zoom in on the wire colors.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Boat wiring issues-Starcraft with Merc OB

Power for the fuel gauge can be obtained from the "I" terminal on any other gauge.

 

[Starman8]

Re: Boat wiring issues-Starcraft with Merc OB

Thanks for the assist. This is an old boat, the only gauges are speedo and fuel so getting I power maybe not that easy. As far as the control box schematic, thanks again. The confusion I have is the direct wiring(previous owner) of the purple, and the white with green stripe wires to the positive battery post.

Wouldn't these wires get 12v from the engine harness and the connection of the engines red and black to the battery?

 

[Starman8]

Re: Boat wiring issues-Starcraft with Merc OB

Thanks for the assist. This is an old boat, the only gauges are speedo and fuel so getting I power maybe not that easy. As far as the control box schematic, thanks again. The confusion I have is the direct wiring(previous owner) of the purple, and the white with green stripe wires to the positive battery post.

Wouldn't these wires get 12v from the engine harness and the connection of the engines red and black to the battery?

It is a 1979 115 inline 6cyl................

Let me start again trying to be more basic:

I have the red/black from battery to outboard. Let's leave everything else out of the equation for now. So this power and ground enter the engine, assume the black goes to hull grounding and red to solenoid. From the engine, a harness exits. If this is correct, this harness feeds the boat. What does it feed, give power and ground to?

My 1979 has a Power trim and it has its own red/black direct connection to the battery. From the pump is a 3 wire harness in blue/green/purple, and this harness traces to the control box. It appears these 3 wires handle up/down/trailer.

Are these 3 switches for these 3 functions getting power from the engine red/black or the PTT red and black?

On to the panel:

At the helm is a harness with a reddish orange wire that appears to have been the feed for the panel. There is also one black wire that appeared to be the main ground. These 2 wires were jumped several times on the old dash. There is also a brown bilge wire, blue/green NAV, pink sender, and one red wire that appears clean and unused?

At the battery, there is a corresponding reddish orange wire with a battery ring connector. This wire at the battery enters a 15v breaker on a clip. On that breaker, a new reddish wire exits and I assume heads forward and is the one in the panel harness.

Q: Is this common? A separate hot feed to the panel versus it coming from the control box?

At the battery, also incorporated in a sheath with the reddish orange wire is a purple wire and a white wire with green stripes. These 2 additional wires have battery connectors on them and appear to have been attached to the positive post of the main battery. I cannot find where these 2 wires lead as they are concealed in the sheath and DO NOT appear at the helm.

Q: Some have suggested the purple is the IGN wire run from the battery to the key switch on the control box. Is this common?

Q: The white wire with green stripe only again appears on a harness connected to the fuel tank. Could this be some half-baked way to get juice
to the fuel gauge from the "key-on" position?

I have a copy of the correct way to run a sender and fuel gauge. It doesn't explain where the gauge physically gets IGN on power only. This gauge never worked. When I try and fix this, I don't want the fuel gauge ALWAYS ON because I lit it up with a continuous feed?

I found this older thread?

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=190690



Thanks