Kill switch ?

bang4dabuck

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
May 24, 2009
Messages
296
I had a Merc and it didn't have a kill switch. I am replacing it with an 1987 EV 90HP. This came with a control box but I'm switching to a Morse MT-3 control that will be independent of ignition switch. I am redoing an older Whaler. Anyways this motor seems kind of jury rigged. If you check the schematic of the control box mine differs with the kill switch and the horn being directly connected to harness and then to ignition switch. This is not a lanyard type kill switch but a button. The problem I have been having is kill switch is always on. Funny because last week I was having the opposite problem, couldn't shut down engine i.e. no kill switch. I just put in a new OMC ignition switch today but still no go. Could it be the kill switch ? I tested and would lose continuity if I held kill switch button down. Should I bypass the kill switch, in other words just rely on the key switch to turn off ? Should I bypass, see if that was the problem then replace it ? If so with what ?
 

Silvertip

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 22, 2003
Messages
28,771
Re: Kill switch ?

You have an incorrect and in my view, a useless kill switch. If you lose continuity when pushing the button, the button is working backwards from what it should. An outboard magneto ignition system uses a "closed" contact to kill the engine -- not an "open" circuit. For normal operation the kill switch must the OPEN. In your situation that button would have to be held in for the engine to run. A kill switch is not a kill switch if there is no lanyard. It is simply a stop button. Install the proper kill switch with lanyard.
 

bang4dabuck

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
May 24, 2009
Messages
296
Re: Kill switch ?

Can you provide a link for the correct switch ? All I see is lanyards but no switch. Remember I am NOT going with a Control box ( Morse MT-3). For the time being, to work on my engine what would happen if I bypass the switch (basically just the key switch is connected to the harness) ?
 
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