on my engine control panel there is what seems a female pin connector that even seaward doesn't understand. it's not there for no reason; any ideas?
control panel mystery
- Thread starter mortyd
- Start date
- Status
no picture, but if you've got one you won't need a picture. it's a ten hole female connector about the same diameter as the key fixture. since i have no warning light i wonder if it a receptacle for one. again, noobdy at seaward seems to know. ?????
actually, thanks to kent at catalina, i reached leo miller - 760-727-2667 - the guy who did the later panels when seaward took over and he advises, if your boat has an ammeter on the panel, it be replaced by a voltmeter which he can supply; one of the reasons is that the ammeters were wired poorly.
Not really. Unless you mean the basic concept. Seaward made (makes) fine panels.
The issue with an ammeter in your cockpit panel is that it takes all the alternator charging and runs it up to the cockpit panel and then back to the batteries in small wires.
An ammeter in the cockpit is a bad idea for battery charging unless you have an external shunt (rare on production boats). Coupled with the poor trailer pin connectors, it was a really bad idea, but one that was popular in the early days of electricity on boats. Seward and Catalina published their upgrade in the early 90s, like, twenty years ago.
http://www.c34.org/wiki/index.php?title=Engine_Harness_Upgrade
stu, he says that his time in seaward the panels had voltmeters. what you said is of course correct, but he informed more importantly the ammeters were wired poorly - before seaward made the panels snd that wiring will eventually fail.
Yes. Why? Because of the trailer pin connections. That's why. Had nothing to do with wiring at the panel but WAS because of the connectors. This night be something new to some here, but not to most of us.
Maine Sail and many of us have written this up so many times that only new folks haven't seen it.
http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,5078.msg35943.html#msg35943
Maine Sail's is linked in this one:
http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,5078.msg44056.html#msg44056
And, lest we not forget, this is not only a Catalina issue. IIRC, boats with Yamaha engines have also reported this kind of issue, both for the ammeters as well as poor connections.
I am simply attempting to clarify the "poor connections" thing. Check the links within these references to see how they disintegrate from the inside out! You can't see it from the surface. It's a fire hazard.
word for word what miller said. i used the term 'wiring' perhaps a little loosely, but the result is the same. change the ammeter for a newer votmeter.
Glad to help us clarify. But: there are two things - the ammeter and the connection. We have skippers who have the voltmeter, but their wiring connections weren't corrected. Very important. That's why I provided the links so those who are interested can learn more.
morty, thanks for bringing this up, hope more can learn from it.
morty, thanks for bringing this up, hope more can learn from it.
stu, this all came about because it's been nine years i've spent - fitfully - trying to get my hi temp/low oil pressure alarm to work. it now seems besides a wiring problem i also have a dead buzzer. nothing like chasing two seperate problems at the same time. hopefufly someday i can motor without my eye on the temp gauge.
- Status