broken wire above my power trim pump (what is it?)

[mallardtone-man]

hey guys I just noticed a broken wire on the back of my Mercury outboard it is just above and to the right of the power trim pump it is black and connected to a round plastic covered component I can't see where it went to add am Not sure what it is everything appears to be working fine right now I would assume it is a ground for something just hoping somebody can tell me what it is ai where I should reconnect it sorry for the poor quality picture it is circled in the upper right thanks in advance for any help

 

[gm280]

Hard to tell with that picture, but if you have a meter, you could see if it measures to ground on either end. And if it does, it probably was a ground between two sections that have mechanical movement to ensure both parts are indeed grounded. So test before assuming... and if it is a ground wire, look where it originally attached and reconnect it...

 

[mallardtone-man]

Hard to tell with that picture, but if you have a meter, you could see if it measures to ground on either end. And if it does, it probably was a ground between two sections that have mechanical movement to ensure both parts are indeed grounded. So test before assuming... and if it is a ground wire, look where it originally attached and reconnect it...

Can you explain this more? I do have a multimeter but dont use it often and am not sure how to test if it measures ground. It is the kind with probes, not a clamp meter, not sure if this matters.

 

[gm280]

Can you explain this more? I do have a multimeter but dont use it often and am not sure how to test if it measures ground. It is the kind with probes, not a clamp meter, not sure if this matters.

Okay let me see if I can explain this a little clearer. Set your meter to the Ohms scale. It will either say OHMS or display what looks like an upside down horse shoe (for lack of displaying such here). Set the meter to ohms X 1 or X10 or even X100 if those are on your meter. Then your two leaded probes will be ready to read the wire ends. Touch one lead to the case of the engine (actual metal and not a painted surface) and touch the other lead probe to the wire end. Again the metal in the wire and see what the meter does. If the meter deflects toward zero on the scale, that is showing ground. If the meter doesn't move, it is not ground or making a connection with the engine case. That is called measuring the resistance. And if the resistance is low, it is showing a grounded connection between the wire end and the engine case... So reattach the wire to ground and it will be back to where it was suppose to be. But only connect the wire to the ground if the meter show it to be measuring towards zero on the meter scale... Hope that helps and you have learned something...

 

[mallardtone-man]

No Title

okay so I looked at it again and it is actually a brown and white wire I am thinking that means it is positive the other wire coming off this component is black so I think it must be the ground wire it is attached to the screw on the right side of this component I took the screw on the left side out and there is no ring terminal under it and I cannot see anywhere else that this brown and white wire would even reach to I took another picture that I am attaching I am thinking this must be some kind of sensor for the trim unit. is it is attached to the top of the rod that goes into the power trim pump everything appears to be working fine on the motor so I am stumped as to what it does please help Guys, I am supposed to be running this boat on Saturday and need to figure this out

 

[mallardtone-man]

ok figured it out, thanks guys

 

[Jacobsele]

Proximity sensor right?
I is likely the wires are spliced together on the motor side of the trim.

 

[Faztbullet]

It the potentiometer for the trim gauge, hooking 12v positive to it will ruin it.