Pontoon Wiring

[SkiSprinkle686]

I am trying to figure out the wiring on my 2002 Sylvan Pontoon. Nothing works at all as far as the electronics go (fish finder, switches, gauges). It looks like the guy I bought the boat from made a mess of the wiring in the console.

My question is do pontoon's have a fuse block somewhere that I can check for? I want to get my stuff working so I can use them. It appears a lot of wires have been cut and spliced into other wires (not sure why). So where should I even start with this mess?

 

[Scott Danforth]

most pontoons use the engine wiring harness and tap off it somehow. each manufacturer does their own thing and many do it different shift to shift.

good thing, wiring is now standardized [h=2]American Boat and Yacht Council Standards[/h]

Black	Ground	Negative / Neutral Main Return
Blue-Stripe	Tilt up and or trim out	Tilt and or trim circuits
Brown	Alternator Charge Light	Generator Terminal or Alternator Auxiliary Terminal to Regulator
Generator Armature	Generator Armature to Regulator
Pumps	Circuit Breaker or Switch to Pumps
Brown w/Yellow	Bilge Blowers	Circuit Breaker or Switch to Blower
Dark Blue	Cabin & Instrument	Circuit Breaker or Switch to Lights
Green or Green w/Yellow Stripe	Bonding System	Grounding Wires (if insulated)
Green Stripe	Tilt down and/or trim in	Tilt and or trim circuits
Grey	Navigation Lights	Circuit Breaker or Switch to Lights
Tachometer	Tachometer Sender to Gauge
Lt. Blue	Oil Pressure	Oil Pressure Sender to Gauge
Orange	Accessory Feed	Ammeter to Alternator or Generator
Common Feed	Distribution Panel to Accessory Switch
Feed	Accessory Circuit Breakers or Switches
Pink	Fuel Gauge	Fuel Gauge Sender to Gauge
Purple	Ignition	Ignition Switch to Coil & Electrical Instrument
Instrument Feed	Distribution Panel Electrical Instruments
Red	Instrument Feed	Distribution Panel to Electrical Instruments
Power Feeds	Positive Main Power (particularly un-fused)
Tan	Water temperature	Water temperature sender to gauge
Yellow	Generator Field	Generator to Regulator Field Terminal
Ground	Negative / Neutral Main Return
Yellow w/Red	Starting Circuit	Starting Switch to Solenoid

COLOR ITEM USE

 

[Silvertip]

There are two primary circuits on your 'toon. The battery provides starting power for the engine, but the harness running from the engine to the controls also feeds the instruments if there are any. If you check at the battery, there should be another pair of wires (#8 or #10 gauge) that run up to the console. There should be a fuse or circuit breaker (20A about) somewhere near the battery in the positive lead in that pair. That circuit feeds the fuses or circuit breakers and switches at the helm. Since the boat is a 2002, there likely is a fuse panel under the helm. If there are little buttons next to each switch, those are circuit breakers and you will not find a fuse panel since one isn't needed. Your switches and associated devices don't work because they are not getting power from the battery to the helm. Start at the battery and work forward.

 

[SkiSprinkle686]

I am not seeing a fuse panel anywhere under the helm. I have no clue what the previous owner did. I might just rewire everything and add in my own fuse panel so I know its done correct.

 

[legalfee]

What motor do you have? Like Silvertip said there are two fuses. A 50 amp fuse for the starter circuit, a 25 amp fuse on the wire from the solenoid to the ignition switch. And there may be an inline fuse from the battery positive to the helm.

 

[SkiSprinkle686]

I have an 03 Johnson 50HP 2 Stroke. The only fuse from the battery positive to the helm is a 10 amp fuse.

The question I have now is there are already two wires from the battery positive and two from the negative. Would it hurt to add another wire to each and install a new fuse block?

 

[Silvertip]

No -- but why not eliminate the other two and start fresh. Black and Red #10 from the battery to wherever you put the fuse panel. 16 gauge from the fuse panel to the various things you need power for. The pair you add must have a fuse in the red lead within a foot of the battery.

 

[legalfee]

This is the only diagram I found. It doesn't show a fuse from the solenoid to the connector.

 

[Silvertip]

Should be a fuse in a small rubber fuse holder on the left side of the engine (left facing the front of the engine). Looks like an electrical connector but it is really a fuse holder. If that fuse blows the starter does not spin nor will the power trim/tilt work,