Kill switch Mercontrol

[DutchMerc]

I have a Mercury 402 with a Mercontrol controlbox. According to the laws on small boats I need to connect a Kill-switch on my motor. Do I need to pull new wires to the motor, or can i make a connection in the Mercontrol?

 

[Yepblaze]

Re: Kill switch Mercontrol

Unless you have a generous amount of mechanical prowess (ability) I'd suggest you leave the controller box together.

I think if you found the wiring diagram you could carefully slit the wire harness insulation covering before it enters the box, and tap into the appropriate the wires for your added switch.

 

[j_martin]

Re: Kill switch Mercontrol

Slitting into the harness and splicing into it, unless you do a very professional (solder, adhesive heat shrink, more heat shrink, rubber tape, vinyl tape ) job will almost always cause trouble in the future. Old bass boats are famous for quirky wiring caused by the scotchlock quickies.

You're much better off running 2 wires back to the control box, putting one on the kill circuit, and one on a ground screw. Use the heat to solder on terminals, and you'll never have trouble with it. Another permanent connection is to solder on an uninsulated terminal, and insulate it with a short piece of adhesive lined heat shrink.

I believe in kill switches. I've seen guys ejected from bass boats, swim back, climb back in, and go on fishing. They were sore in the morning, but they didn't get run over or stranded in the middle of the lake.

hope it helps
John

 

[DutchMerc]

Re: Kill switch Mercontrol

I think I am gonna open the controlbox and solder the wires in there. I don't like opening the harnas.
Is there enough open space in the box to mount the switch inside, and drill a mounting hole in the top-side of the box? I think on top of the box would be a nice place to put it, and there will be no external wires visible.
Anyone know wich wire-collors i am looking for? I think one is "salmon", but where does the other go?

 

[j_martin]

Re: Kill switch Mercontrol

I think I am gonna open the controlbox and solder the wires in there. I don't like opening the harnas.
Is there enough open space in the box to mount the switch inside, and drill a mounting hole in the top-side of the box? I think on top of the box would be a nice place to put it, and there will be no external wires visible.
Anyone know wich wire-collors i am looking for? I think one is "salmon", but where does the other go?

Merc control boxes are packed like Dolly Parton packs her shirt. It usually takes 3 hands and a couple of tries for a novice to get it all back in place.

Get a maintenance manual for the motor. It will have the wiring diagram with color codes in it.

hope it helps
John

 

[Yepblaze]

Re: Kill switch Mercontrol

If it's like so many other Mercontrollers of that era I have opened, you may find the wire, and it's insulation crumbling, greasy, and corroded, and may understand why I recommended what I did.


Oh, and then there's those few parts inside hooked to the cable ends that just won't stay in place while you try to work in there and or re-assemble the unit.

 

[DutchMerc]

Re: Kill switch Mercontrol

I opened the switchbox and connected the switch to the salmon and the black wire, and it worked. The switchbox looked terible, so i took the levers out and degreased them, and cleaned the corrosion of the cables. Put them back together with new grease. The neutral-switch does not look verry rigid to me. Can i expect any problems with it? The aluminium cams and the other disks don't look bad or worn, so i think it wil be oke. I have the new wires come out next to the original harnas, but i noticed the mecanical cables are moving a little when shifting. Should i adjust them so there is no play on it?

 

[j_martin]

Re: Kill switch Mercontrol

I opened the switchbox and connected the switch to the salmon and the black wire, and it worked. The switchbox looked terible, so i took the levers out and degreased them, and cleaned the corrosion of the cables. Put them back together with new grease. The neutral-switch does not look verry rigid to me. Can i expect any problems with it? The aluminium cams and the other disks don't look bad or worn, so i think it wil be oke. I have the new wires come out next to the original harnas, but i noticed the mecanical cables are moving a little when shifting. Should i adjust them so there is no play on it?

They have to wobble a little to operate, just to line up with the lever that's operating them.

 

[kingsnakejr]

Re: Kill switch Mercontrol

Dutchmerc,
I have the same scenerio except with a 18 hp merc 1985. I have bought a universal kill switch and would like to install it on the mercontrol. Did you run wires all the way from the engine or did you wire it in with mercontrol wires?

 

[DutchMerc]

Re: Kill switch Mercontrol

I made the connection in the Mercontrol. I did not go back to the motor, but used the wire in the key-switch.

 

[kingsnakejr]

Re: Kill switch Mercontrol

Thanks. Did you drill a hole in the top of the mercontrol and mount it there like you had planned?

 

[DutchMerc]

Re: Kill switch Mercontrol

No, i did not drill the hole in my box, the switch i have was to big to fit. I just extended the wires and leaded them out between the other cables. I made a new hole next to the steeringwheel where i mounted the switch. Works for me, i put the cables behind the panel and you can't see them.

 

[kingsnakejr]

Re: Kill switch Mercontrol

Thanks again. Sounds like a good installation.That'll save me a lot of trouble.