I am looking for information on electrical connections between the charging circuit on the OMC SailDrive and the batteries. I just discovered that the previous owner had connected the wire through which the batteries should be charged to a wrong terminal on the motor. This wire goes to the center terminal on the battery separator, but on the motor it was connected to the starter solenoid terminal, and essentially just bypassed the battery selector switch. Now my question is: What terminal on the motor I should connect it to? Any suggestions will be appreciated (pictures or sketches would help too). TIA Tomek PS: Am I correct that on the Saildrive there is a small charging coil providing small (3.5A or so) charging current?
Charging the battery from OMC Saildrive
- Thread starter Tomek23582
- Start date
- Status
You are correct
there is a small flywheel mag that charges the starting battery. It's probably not large enough to charge a house battery bank. I believe that the wire was connected correctly to charge only the starting battery. The OMC Zephyr engines also came with a belt driven 35 amp alternator. That is the setup you should use to charge house batteries. However, they are tough ti find. It took me two years to find mine, just to find out the alternator is obsolete adn there are no parts. You can buy a service manual for your engine at Ken Cook Co. Marine Literature. The last page in the service manual is a wiring schematic in color. It's great. There is also a Yahoo Group dedicated to Saildrive engines and there is a lot of experience over there. Your invited. Regards, Dan http://www.outboardbooks.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=boats.main&manufactor=omc http://groups.yahoo.com/group/saildriveowners/
there is a small flywheel mag that charges the starting battery. It's probably not large enough to charge a house battery bank. I believe that the wire was connected correctly to charge only the starting battery. The OMC Zephyr engines also came with a belt driven 35 amp alternator. That is the setup you should use to charge house batteries. However, they are tough ti find. It took me two years to find mine, just to find out the alternator is obsolete adn there are no parts. You can buy a service manual for your engine at Ken Cook Co. Marine Literature. The last page in the service manual is a wiring schematic in color. It's great. There is also a Yahoo Group dedicated to Saildrive engines and there is a lot of experience over there. Your invited. Regards, Dan http://www.outboardbooks.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=boats.main&manufactor=omc http://groups.yahoo.com/group/saildriveowners/
Thank you
Thank you, Dan. I am still puzzled by the connection. I do have the Saildrive manual (no colour schematics just B&W, but the wire colours are labelled. The wiring shown is only for one battery though, and the one prevoius owners added a second battery, battery switch and isolator. That is where the wiring becomes a puzzle for me. With the wire in question connected I could start the motor even with the battery switch in the Off position. I suspect that the separator no longer works, as the current has to flow against the diodes in separator for this to happen. When I simply removed that wire, I have to turn the battery switch to 1, 2 or Both position to crank the starter. In short, the wire might have been connected correctly, and the problem is a fault elsewhere (separator?). Thanks again, Tomek
Thank you, Dan. I am still puzzled by the connection. I do have the Saildrive manual (no colour schematics just B&W, but the wire colours are labelled. The wiring shown is only for one battery though, and the one prevoius owners added a second battery, battery switch and isolator. That is where the wiring becomes a puzzle for me. With the wire in question connected I could start the motor even with the battery switch in the Off position. I suspect that the separator no longer works, as the current has to flow against the diodes in separator for this to happen. When I simply removed that wire, I have to turn the battery switch to 1, 2 or Both position to crank the starter. In short, the wire might have been connected correctly, and the problem is a fault elsewhere (separator?). Thanks again, Tomek
- Status