Johnson overheat alarm test

[will941s]

Installed a 1976 Johnson 55 on my boat, everything is in intact, and I installed a newer Binnicle control on my console for it. I took the Overhear alarm out of my control box, and wired it under the dash. Before I installed it, I tested it by connecting the Purple wire to the POS on a battery, and the Brown wire to the NEG....it sounded nice and loud.

I wired it as Purple coming from the Key Switch, and the Brown off the main harness (over heat sender). Is this correct?

Is it normal not to hear it beap at start up? or should it give me a chirp? How can I test it to make sure its working?

Thanks for the help in advance!!

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: Johnson overheat alarm test

If you have the small black plastic warning horn that had the black ground wire built in to it.... and you have that black wire grounded, the horn should beep once when you turn the key on. If you have this type horn, the TAN wire must be connected to the slide on terminal closest to that black ground wire, otherwise weird things will happen.

If you have the older metal horn that only has two slide on terminals (No Ground Wire), it doesn't make any difference which terminal the TAN or PURPLE wire is attached to. This horn will not beep when you turn the key on. To test, do the following.

Engine NOT running but have the key turned to the ON position. Locate the TAN wire protruding from the cylinder head and ground it to the powerhead. That completes the circuit and the horn should sound off loudly.

You can rig a test button easily by having a wire running from the TAN wire terminal to one of the button terminals, then from the other terminal of the button to a ground. Pressing the button completes the circuit, causing the horn to sound.