Catalina Fuse Box

[AdamLesper]

I recently got a line wrapped around my prop (2002 Catalina 32) and the engine cut out right away. I assume a fuse blew when the line got stuck on the prop. Does anyone know where the fuse box is on this make/model? Does anyone know if a jammed prop would typically end up in blown fuse?

Thanks
Adam

 

[kappykaplan]

Does anyone know if a jammed prop would typically end up in blown fuse?

I don't think so. Welcome to the forum.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Welcome to the forum.

Answer: no, it is not a fuse. The engine itself shut itself down because the prop didn't turn when it should in gear. Remember: once a diesel gets started (using electricity to run the starter), it only needs air and fuel to run - no electricity required.

Think of it as a safety feature of your engine.

What engine do you have? Yanmar or Universal?

And it is not a Catalina 32, it's a 320.

 

[AdamLesper]

Thanks Stu. Do you have any guesses on why the battery immediatly went out when this happened? The boat has two batteries and the one that is linked to the started went out while the other stayed on. Feels like a fuse.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Adam, no I don't. Without a wiring diagram of your boat, no one could even begin to guess. Coincidence, perhaps, but then most detectives (including those of us who do electrical/mechanical "detective work") don't really think of coincidences as what they are defined.

Help us help you more:
what does

the battery immediatly went out when this happened

mean?

 

[Davidasailor26]

Wrapping a line on the prop could overload the engine and stop it, but that really doesn’t connect in any significant way to the electrical system. There’s probably also no fuse at all between the engine and the batteries.

What makes you think the engine battery is not working anymore? Could the problem still be just that the engine is somehow fouled from the line and not starting because of that?

 

[Richard19068]

As others have said, a jammed prop and resultant engine stall should not result in a blown fuse.

However, and this is just a guess, if you tried to restart the engine after the stall and you did not put the transmission in neutral and the prop was still jammed I suppose that could have blown a fuse somewhere while the starter was trying to crank the engine but could not because of the jam.
I know my Universal M-18 has a fuse in the starter wire.

Separately, Davidasailor said "There’s probably also no fuse at all between the engine and the batteries". That's probably true but that doesn't mean there shouldn't be. See mainesail's articles at marinehowto.com about battery bank fusing:

Battery Bank Fusing by Compass Marine How To

pbase.com

Battery Banks & Over Current Protection - Marine How To

Battery Banks & Over-Current Protection A 300A (MRBF)Battery Terminal Mounted Fuse by Blue Sea Systems In this article we will discuss fuse selection, fuse types, wire ampacity, Amperage Interrupt Capacity (AIC) and even potentially unsafe ABYC “exceptions to the rules”. In short,

marinehowto.com

Make a contribution if you can. If you are unfamiliar with the articles there it is probably some of the best free advice you can find.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Separately, Davidasailor said "There’s probably also no fuse at all between the engine and the batteries". That's probably true but that doesn't mean there shouldn't be.

...between the engine and the batteries... makes no sense to me. The only things on the engine that are connected to batteries are the starter and the alternator. Some fuse the starter, some do not. Everyone should (or should have) fused the alternator output. Neither is "the engine", they are electrical components attached to the engine.
Specificity and clarity do help.

 

[captcoho]

If he tried to start the engine with the prop still wrapped up the inrush current to the starter could have taken out the fuse on the starting battery if the fuse wasn't sized properly

 

[Richard19068]

...between the engine and the batteries... makes no sense to me. The only things on the engine that are connected to batteries are the starter and the alternator. Some fuse the starter, some do not. Everyone should (or should have) fused the alternator output. Neither is "the engine", they are electrical components attached to the engine.
Specificity and clarity do help.

Stu, I'm not clear from your comment what you mean but to clarify mine I was referring to mainesail's articles espousing that the battery wire should be fused within 7 inches of the battery. So to me that means before it gets to where ever it is first going, be it the battery switch or anything else. In my mind the battery is connected to the engine through the starter and thus the battery is connected to the engine, albeit indirectly. You can look at it however you wish.
Thanks

 

[Scott T-Bird]

Hello @AdamLesper,

There is no "fuse box" on a Catalina 320. You will have an electrical panel with breakers at the nav station and it may have your 1+2+B switch (that's where mine is located). You may have a fuse or fuses on or very close to your battery terminals (one for the house bank and one for the auxiliary battery) but I doubt it. They are not standard issue. Boat production did not fuse the battery cable, but the previous owner may have. I think we are all very skeptical that your starting issue is related to a fuse. It's not likely at all. You'll have to describe your system and the difficulty you are having in much greater detail.