Trojan Boat Forum

I have run into a snag,Port engine lower station engine start is an off-run-momentary start toggle as many of you know------it works fine but upon installing new carbs and looking for 12v for the choke, found voltage at the ballast resistor in side 3 volts or more lower than battery----now on this side I have always noticed the dash volt meter reading low but figured it was just bad, but it is not.

There is battery voltage at the back of the switch,centre post but when switch goes to run the voltage drops at the run term down 3 volts so lets say from 13 to 10---the same reading at the ballast.I took the switch out and it seems to check out with no volt drop.
This is long but i don't know how to explain this as i am 12 volt challenged-------any ideas as to where my 3 plus volts is going...any help would be great as I have run out of ideas ,the only thing I will do in the morning is pull the engine plug apart and have a look... ...Mike

Mike , look for corrosion at the main engine harness plug . Are you checking at input of the resistor ? Voltage would be lower on output side You have Chryslers right ? electronic ?

prowlersfish wrote:Mike , look for corrosion at the main engine harness plug . Are you checking at input of the resistor ? Voltage would be lower on output side You have Chryslers right ? electronic ?

Yes Paul... 360's,electronic is gone mallory dizzys but still points...not sure how many volts the coils are,never checked....checked on the feed and output side of the ballast and also at the distribution panel in the stbd cabinet by the lower helm--------oddly enough when the engine runs the voltage at the dash returns to normal.

Am going to boat soon to go over this again and check the harness plug , so we will see.....Mike

Well a little update....upon thinking about the ignition switch I tried to get a replacement (impossible) Carling off /on/on momentary.....so just installed a keyed switch ....now the volt drop is just about normal so I think maybe the old switch was going bad, there is still room for improvement though.

I will pull the harness plug apart when I install a battery monitor this weekend .... only want to move furniture and floor hatches one more time, two birds with one stone.......Mike