rigging alternator temporarily

[luvitt]

I think i need to replace my wiring harness. actually, i havent even tested it. i have it disconnected from the alternator though. it looks in bad shape. maybe i could crimp on all new connections and it would be ok. honestly, i havent even tried to start the engine with the key. I have a starter button i alligator clamped onto the starter. But, the harness should probably be replaced. The engine runs great though. I just cant afford the harness right now. I have spent $8k this week (that i had to beg, borrow, steal, and sell my soul for) getting ready to launch and it looks like im still gonna have to scrape up more somehow. So, I launch on the 11th. any suggestions to get me through the next couple weeks? I have a new starting battery. I have a truecharge 40 connected to agm's but not to the starting battery. I do have a regular table top charger too. but can i temporarily run wires from the alternator to the battery and make my own harness? also, am i in danger from not having everything hooked up? like i guess there are sensors & things that arent going to be operating, oil pressure, tach, etc? should i worry? i have to motor about 10 miles to my marina. I have so much left to do, im working til 10pm everynite! i know i could put off another month, but im not. and i dont wanna get billed another month from the boatyard. 18 months has been long enough. its now or never. im at the end either way.

thanks.

 

[Maine Sail]

I think i need to replace my wiring harness. actually, i havent even tested it. i have it disconnected from the alternator though. it looks in bad shape. maybe i could crimp on all new connections and it would be ok. honestly, i havent even tried to start the engine with the key. I have a starter button i alligator clamped onto the starter. But, the harness should probably be replaced. The engine runs great though. I just cant afford the harness right now. I have spent $8k this week (that i had to beg, borrow, steal, and sell my soul for) getting ready to launch and it looks like im still gonna have to scrape up more somehow. So, I launch on the 11th. any suggestions to get me through the next couple weeks? I have a new starting battery. I have a truecharge 40 connected to agm's but not to the starting battery. I do have a regular table top charger too. but can i temporarily run wires from the alternator to the battery and make my own harness? also, am i in danger from not having everything hooked up? like i guess there are sensors & things that arent going to be operating, oil pressure, tach, etc? should i worry? i have to motor about 10 miles to my marina. I have so much left to do, im working til 10pm everynite! i know i could put off another month, but im not. and i dont wanna get billed another month from the boatyard. 18 months has been long enough. its now or never. im at the end either way.

thanks.

Why buy a replacement when you can easily make one. Most engine wire harnesses are not tinned any way so just write down the exact colors you need and buy the wire from NAPA or an electrical supply house but do buy multi-stranded wire. You can use terminal blocks, crimp connectors and make your own with a little time and effort. I would think you can build an entire harness for $70-$100 dollars. If the wire is not too oxidized beyond the ends simply strip back and replace the crimp connectors..

 

[luvitt]

thanks, I will try "repairing" the old harness first. That is affordable. I have cut off some of the ends, and it looks ok, not new but ok.

good idea about building my own harness. the thought crossed my mind, but I figured there was something i would not take into consideration--like multistranded wire.

Thanks Maine Sail.

 

[sailaway78]

Alternator

You can do the alternator very simply. Just run an adequate size wire from the alternator bat. terminal to the hot from the battery where it attaches to the starter. Another, assuming you have an excited alternator, from the ignition hot, ( when on ) to the field or ign. terminal on the alternator, and make sure it's grounded. Like Maine said, this ain't rocket science. The harness on sail boats is pretty simple and straightforward.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Alternator output

We need to know the type of alternator you have. If it's internally regulated, it means when the key is on it's gonna be telling the alternator to output power. Without a connection to a battery, the alternator could fry its diodes. So, just connect a wire from the AO to the house battery. The wire should be adequately sized to carry about at least 50% of the AO current. A #4 would be adequate for most OEM alternators. Don't worry about charging the reserve bank, yet, get to your marina and use your charger later.

The 1-2-B switch should output to the starter from the C post.

You'll also need a wire from the ignition switch to your starter solenoid. The rest of the wires are usually for alarms. If you check the wiring harness diagram (here: http://www.c34.org/projects/images/harness/harness1.gif) you'll see what all the rest of the wires do. Connect the minimum wiring to get going, keep an eye on your engine exhaust for assurance that there's water coming out.

Motor slower than "normal" to your marina and then worry about the rest of the wiring.

MS is right about the harness, but the Catalina Universal harness was only $55 a few years ago.

 

[luvitt]

WOW! everything works!

I just snipped off the old connetors and crimped on new ones. then i pulled apart the few plugs in the harness and pulled each pin out of each hole very gently. Then i spray them with cleaner and stuck a little file & wire brush inside each one until they were clean. I put them back together, went to the helm, turned the key, and DARNIT!!!! the engine started!! i didnt think it was gonna fire off that easy. its been two or three months since i even tried to start it. I just barely bumped the key. luckily i just installed a new stop cable and i jumped for it and it stopped immediately. hope i didnt hurt anything. just ordered a new impeller & all maintenance items & spares this morning (my wife is gonna kill me, good thing im making her live aboard for the summer!).

FUN!!!!

 

[luvitt]

oh, one more thing. what purpose is the relay in the circuit? I replaced it this morning, and while i was fiddling trying to get the key to work, i just did away with it altogether and took the white wire from the key and connected it straight to the solenoid. should i put it back the way it was? the relay had white from the key, ground from the block and then another white out to the solenoid. a relay is a switch right? why do i need two switches? the key is a switch?

 

[Ron20324]

oh, one more thing. what purpose is the relay in the circuit? I replaced it this morning, and while i was fiddling trying to get the key to work, i just did away with it altogether and took the white wire from the key and connected it straight to the solenoid. should i put it back the way it was? the relay had white from the key, ground from the block and then another white out to the solenoid. a relay is a switch right? why do i need two switches? the key is a switch?

My Beneteau Owner's Manual shows what may be the same relay as the one turning on the blower motors when you start up.