Mystery fitting

[Igetit]

Can anyone identify the fitting in the center of this picture, just starboard of my motor mount? The boat is an 84 Oday 222. There is a small stern light on the port side, so I dont' think this is necessarily a light fitting. One pair of wires coming out of the transom through this fitting, but nothing on the end. OEM, or something a PO has installed?
Thanks,
Paul

 

[DeniseO30]

It looks like a setup for an outboard that with electric start and wires to the battery for starting and charging. Most electric start outboards are around 10 hp or larger. not needed on a 22 I'm sure.

 

[Igetit]

Thanks Denise, I'll bet you're right. I can at least pull the wires back through the fitting and discard them now.

Anyone have ideas for re-purposing that fitting? BBQ grill mount? Mast cradle support when trailering? Water ski tow rope connection point?!?

 

[Mich222]

Paul:
That is exactly where I placed my thru-hull for my electric start wires on my 222. Of concern however is the thru-hull fuel hose in your picture- See discussion where the experts at this site helped me to understand the implications of a fuel hose that transects the fuel locker to lazarette and then through the transom. Is that fuel hose properly isolated and rated for that application?? You don't want fuel vapor in your lazarette (under the cockpit in the enclosed space). http://forums.oday.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=127109

 

[Joe11688]

Can anyone identify the fitting in the center of this picture, just starboard of my motor mount? The boat is an 84 Oday 222. There is a small stern light on the port side, so I dont' think this is necessarily a light fitting. One pair of wires coming out of the transom through this fitting, but nothing on the end. OEM, or something a PO has installed?
Thanks,
Paul

That outlet is definitely for the outboard charging system on a Johnson 8 HP or similar type outboard. The PO could have found a better place for it but it can still be used for the charging wire.
I had one similar to that one on the inside of the transom and what I did was remove the plastic guts for the electric contacts and left the metal part mounted. I replaced my charging wire on my outboard with a number 10 marine duplex, black and red copper stranded conductor cable. I have my wire rigged so that it runs through the old metal outlet hole to an electric terminal strip mounted just under the Port lazarett cover on the rear inside bulkhead. I used a piece of rubber from an old PC mouse pad to cover the term board with. Where the wire goes into the the old eclectic receptacle, I wrapped some taped around it on both sides and added some 3-M caulking to seal the water out. Of course, it's a whole lot easier to get at this cable by having an 8'' Beckson deck plate in the center of the inside transom.
I found out a long time ago that the connection on these marine electric outlets aren't really all that great and the termination strip is the way to go. I have another #10 copper duplex cable that comes from the house battery to the other end of the terminal strip. By going to a larger conductor, I have increased the electrical carrying capacity from the charging system to the battery. My outboard charging system can now keep up the battery. Prior to this, I needed to bring my charger down to the dock and replenish the battery every few weeks.