What did I just screw up?

[GatorMike]

There is no excuse for stupidity but here is what happened. I just put new battery cables on my boat. I have a 98 115 Evinrude. I got home late and was working in the dark by flashlight (big mistake). I hooked the battery cables up backwards. Sparks flew. The good thing is I had not hooked up the accessarys yet so the only thing that took the hit was my motor and maybe some gauges. The bad news is now when I try to hook them up right I get sparks. What did I fry.

The other good news is I have a complete set of spare electronics for this motor since I just replaced my J115tslecm with the same model E115tslecm I just need to know where to start.

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: What did I just screw up?

In all probability, you shorted out the water cooled voltage regulator/rectifier assy on the engine. That unit will not tolerate reverse polarity.

 

[Bosunsmate]

Re: What did I just screw up?

Yes rectifier as above.
Also look at the wiring, often after hooking the battery up backward they will burn through the insulation and thus the sparks you see can be the wires now arcing in to the engine

 

[boobie]

Re: What did I just screw up?

Do you just get the sparks at the battery terminals ??

 

[jimmbo]

Re: What did I just screw up?

Lucky the were no fuel vapours or hydrogen gases from the battery in the boat when the sparks occurred.

 

[GatorMike]

Re: What did I just screw up?

Do you just get the sparks at the battery terminals ??

Yes, just at the terminals.

 

[GatorMike]

Re: What did I just screw up?

Lucky the were no fuel vapours or hydrogen gases from the battery in the boat when the sparks occurred.

Yes I was, I had the battery out of the battery compartment and sitting in the back of the boat. I had just put on new battery cables and was rushing to get her hooked up so I could see if I had a good connection before it got completely dark on me. I learned my lesson, it's not good to hurry and not good to work in low light.

 

[Bosunsmate]

Re: What did I just screw up?

Yes I was, I had the battery out of the battery compartment and sitting in the back of the boat. I had just put on new battery cables and was rushing to get her hooked up so I could see if I had a good connection before it got completely dark on me. I learned my lesson, it's not good to hurry and not good to work in low light.

Ive done it before, ive put red tape all over the positive cable so even if i pick up the neg and put it on the +ve i should realise when i pick up the +ve cable next and see the red everywhere.
So far thats worked

 

[GatorMike]

Re: What did I just screw up?

So to remove the rectifier I assume I remove the flywheel and the bolts in the rectifier and lift it out? That is about the only part of a Johnson/Evinrude crossflow v4 I have never taken off.

 

[GatorMike]

Re: What did I just screw up?

Ive done it before, ive put red tape all over the positive cable so even if i pick up the neg and put it on the +ve i should realise when i pick up the +ve cable next and see the red everywhere.
So far thats worked

This was just a brain malfunction. I knew which cable was which, I just shined the flashlight at the battery and what I thought I saw was wrong. I can't explain it, it was dark, I was rushing, and I was tired, chit happens.

 

[jimmbo]

Re: What did I just screw up?

You were lucky, you will be out a few bucks for the Rectifier, but you didn't lose your eyes or face

 

[GatorMike]

Re: What did I just screw up?

You were lucky, you will be out a few bucks for the Rectifier, but you didn't lose your eyes or face

No I will pull the rectifier off my old Johnson. I just replaced my Johnson J115tslecm with an Evinrude J115tslecm. The motors are identical so I have all the spare parts I need. I already replaced the tilt/trim switch and the primer with my old ones. Seems I am building a Johnsonrude.

 

[Bosunsmate]

Re: What did I just screw up?

So to remove the rectifier I assume I remove the flywheel and the bolts in the rectifier and lift it out? That is about the only part of a Johnson/Evinrude crossflow v4 I have never taken off.

Are you sure thats the rectifier you a talking about?
They are normally on the engines side

 

[GatorMike]

Re: What did I just screw up?

Are you sure thats the rectifier you a talking about?
They are normally on the engines side

Well that is what I thought but Joe said it was water cooled. I thought the rectifer was on the side, a round shaped part? That would be a much quicker fix.

 

[daselbee]

Re: What did I just screw up?

Round, three wires, red and two yellows, on the side of the engine.
To test and see if that is truly the shorted part, simply disconnect the red wire at the starter solenoid. Try attaching the batt cables then.
You can even start it and run it with the red wire disconnected.

 

[daselbee]

Re: What did I just screw up?

Just looked up your model number, and I see that there are versions...one model of the 1998 115 has a water cooled reg/rect. The other model has the round rectifier. Either way, same result tho, when you reverse the batt cables.

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: What did I just screw up?

I just assumed that the 1998 model would have the water cooled reg/rec assembly. Easy to spot... rectangular component, 6 bolts, bunch of wires, on top of engine just to the rear of the flywheel.

 

[GatorMike]

Re: What did I just screw up?

I just assumed that the 1998 model would have the water cooled reg/rec assembly. Easy to spot... rectangular component, 6 bolts, bunch of wires, on top of engine just to the rear of the flywheel.

Yea Joe I understand, as a matter of fact the parts diagram even shows that reg/rec but neither the J115TSLECM or the E115TSLECM had that part on them. I think the SPL model was a cheapo model, OMC probably saved a few bucks by using just a rectifier. Anyway I am sort of glad, it makes an hour or so fix into a 15 minute fix and like I said earlier I already have the part. I'm learning how nice it is to have a spare parts motor in the garage.

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: What did I just screw up?

Gator Mike..... Yep, you just got lucky and also can't beat the price.

Next time = bright daylight or heavy duty work lights!