Hi, new to the forum, need help identifying this, and other electrical issues

[RamAirZ]

Hey guys, "new" boat owner here and decided to join up here to help expand my boating knowledge (which honestly right now isn't too vast lol). I just purchased a 1990 SeaRay 160 and I am trying to get a few little things fixed on it so I can take her out soon. I was cranking her up yesterday and noticed the starter started lugging (like a dead battery) and noticed that my positive terminal was BRIGHT red and if I bumped the ignition switch on, sometimes sparks would come off. I immediately started tracing wires and looking for a short or something grounding out. I have one main battery positive wire running from the battery to the engine, there was also another wire hooked up by previous owner on there so I decided to trace it, it lead to this thing:

And it looks like the other wire coming off that goes to the fuel fill cap. I'm guessing this wire at the cap is the ground for the cap so basically this guy had the ground wire on the positive terminal. My question is, what is that thing in the pic? Is it just a junction point or is it something else? I have other wiring issues on the boat, none of the gauges/lights/radio/bilge etc have power up at the dash but ignition and the tilt/trim on the controls work. Could this ground possibly have been causing those issues as well (I'm doubting it but new to the marine electrical world)? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[RamAirZ]

Re: Hi, new to the forum, need help identifying this, and other electrical issues

Also that thing was covered in duct tape, not that it matters but figured I'd throw out all the details lol

 

[Ryanlewis2010]

Re: Hi, new to the forum, need help identifying this, and other electrical issues

where is that junction located in the boat? i would bet the PO mucked up this wiring to wire in some things he wanted the best thing to do is eliminate the wire and start from scratch if gauges arent working im betting the ground is either mixed up or just not there so get up under the dash and get a test light to see what you got. if it were me i would just run the new ground and live wires up to the helm with a new ground strip and replace all the wires on the dash if you have the time it couldnt hurt anything? lol then figure out what the wire was supposed to do.

 

[RamAirZ]

Re: Hi, new to the forum, need help identifying this, and other electrical issues

It's at the stern, under the floor where the battery sits, near the fuel tank. I figured the same thing with the duct tape that was over it. It's not easy to get to, you have to pull the floor to get to it so not sure if the PO actually put it there. I was thinking the same as you on the wiring. It doesn't have a fuse panel or block so I was thinking I might rewire the whole thing and add one in. Just need to trace the bundle of wires coming from the engine. Pretty much I have a positive/negative running to the engine and all the other wiring in the boat comes from a harness coming out of the engine. I actually found that odd, but again, boat wiring is new to me. I've rewired 6/12/24v systems in various vehicles, not a boat yet.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Hi, new to the forum, need help identifying this, and other electrical issues

May be this will help you get started boats have 2 electrical systems. One is just for the motor, controler and gages. The other is for ever thing elese. And yes the system for ever thing elese needs to be ran from a fuse pannel.

 

[RamAirZ]

Re: Hi, new to the forum, need help identifying this, and other electrical issues

Well that's pretty much like everything else then. My boat has the fuses in the screw out caps on the dash for a couple things and a few inline fuses on the main wiring harness but it doesn't have an actual panel so I think I will change that, but currently I have no gauges but controller and motor work . What I find weird was that I don't have a main junction point where the other accessories in the boat get power. At least not that I have found yet. The battery power wire runs to the engine, then a harness filled with all the wires that run to the dash comes out of the engine in a loom straight to the front. I would have expected say a single power wire and single ground feeding a block (I don't see the need for them to run to the engine at all unless your using the starter or something as your junction but that doesn't seem necessary to me, just have the signal wires needed for the gauges coming out of there) and the rest of the harness ties into that and splits off to each accessory. I'll do some more tracing tonight and see if I missed something.

 

[Ryanlewis2010]

Re: Hi, new to the forum, need help identifying this, and other electrical issues

ya the boat is what got me cause its not all one big ground:facepalm: lol so once i figured that out it was relatively easy haha and and all i can suggest check for live wires up around the helm if not it probably got cut

 

[NYBo]

Re: Hi, new to the forum, need help identifying this, and other electrical issues

The red hot terminal likely indicates a loose or otherwise bad connection right there at the terminal.

 

[Sixmark]

Re: Hi, new to the forum, need help identifying this, and other electrical issues

May be this will help you get started boats have 2 electrical systems. One is just for the motor, controler and gages. The other is for ever thing elese. And yes the system for ever thing elese needs to be ran from a fuse pannel.

I guess you haven't been in any boats built before 1990 then because not a whole lot of them have fuse panels or 2 separate electrical systems.

 

[burp]

Re: Hi, new to the forum, need help identifying this, and other electrical issues

The red hot terminal likely indicates a loose or otherwise bad connection right there at the terminal.

^
+1

If problem was with one of the wires shown in the picture, the insulation on the wire would be well toasted.

 

[RamAirZ]

Re: Hi, new to the forum, need help identifying this, and other electrical issues

Well I got around to messing with it today. Swapped the wire over and put proper terminal ends on the wiring (was bare wire wrapped in a loop before) and tightened everything down. Now all my gauges work again (except fuel but that will be easier to diagnose now), radio works etc etc. Motor still doesn't want to fire. Checked the inline fuse near the motor and it appears good. Motor fired up the day I bought it but now isn't wanting too. I checked connections at the block, tightened everything, and now the starter won't engage after checking all the connections lol. Solenoid just makes a weird clicking sound now, and it blew the inline fuses on my radio. This thing is annoying me

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Hi, new to the forum, need help identifying this, and other electrical issues

The clicking nose IS sort of a good sign and right off hand I would ive the battery a good charge and if it still dosnt kick it then the problem is more than likely a lose connection.

 

[RamAirZ]

Re: Hi, new to the forum, need help identifying this, and other electrical issues

Solenoid was sticking, it just suddenly popped and engaged and continued to work after that.