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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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Connecting elec. start engine

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mwalkup
1st Mate

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USA
79 Posts

Initially Posted - 02/17/2005 : 12:15:54

Fortunate to have just purchased a new Tohatsu 9.8 elec. start for my
83 fin keel-tall rig. Idle Hour. Based this decision on the many good post I read here. Thank you.
This is a beautiful motor and I just finished reinforcing the transom inside and out with star-board like material.Adding a new Gauhauser dbl.spring motor mount as well. Again procceded with confidence, because of you here who have gone before me.
Now I need yall's help again please.
The wiring for the battery connection is about 4 feet long not quite long enough to reach my battery under starboard settee.I thought I could either add some cable and run it to original battery. Or I could buy another seperate battery and place it somewhat closer to the motor so that I would not have to drill as many holes on the way to battery compartment. Say maybe store the new battery under the port lazerette you know on the shelf there. I do think a seperate battery just for the elec. start is a good idea regardless where it goes. However the additional cost and the fact I mainly day sail with only an occasional over night I'm not sure if I really need it.

In either case it seems I will have drill a hole in the outside back of the transom to bring the cable inside, leaving enough slack to allow for motor turning.I also wonder about some kind of rubber boot that might slip over this cable to prevent water from entering.I'd hate to just use silicon or a similar product that would fail in short order.
Any and all ideas on this "what the heck to do" list of questions, would again help me tremendously. I thank this excellent Catalina Association.
Mike

Edited by - on

John Mason
Admiral

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USA
687 Posts

Response Posted - 02/17/2005 : 13:19:12

Is the wire hard-wired to the motor or does it have a plug end?

My Honda has a plug. I just took the short wires off the plug and replaced with long enough to reach the batteries under the starboard settee. I suppose if it's hard wired, the same could be done, but I'd be concerned about possible voiding of the warranty.

I just drilled the hole in the transom and used white LifeSeal (much better than silicone). Smoothed it to make it not look like a gunked up mess, but a rubber boot would have looked better. Have had no leaks in four years. I figured a plug at the transom was just another source of possible corrosion. Of course, if it's hard-wired, there has to be a way to disconnect.

Edited by - on

sweetcraft
Admiral

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USA
816 Posts

Response Posted - 02/17/2005 : 15:02:33

I just finished installing a Honda on a CD bracket and wired the engine through a boot.Raising and lowering the outboard the wiring needs to change length. The wiring is connected to the boat 2 btry sysem using an electric motor plug-in and socket. I have had this with the first engine for 20 years after having to remove the outboard for maintenance and chose to cut the wire rather than pulling out all the wire. I used electrical conduit to lay the wires in and a brief cut out where the plug is located inside the compartment. The power goes through a switch with off, #1, #2 or both giving a choice of btrys. I have a "79" which the outboard is on the starboard and both btrys are on the port so the total wire length is long. I found breakers which are located on each btry which protects the wiring to the main switch and still put the btry wires in conduit so that when healed up storage items can't test the breakers. The wiring is as high up as possible so items won't interfer or get caught. A fire at sea can ruin your whole day.

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frankr
Captain

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256 Posts

Response Posted - 02/17/2005 : 15:23:24

I have a Tohatsu 9.9 Electric start + remove throttle/shift. It connects by means of a plug with the socket on the rear starboard area under the stern seat area. My battery is located at the transom area.

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frog0911
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1349 Posts

Response Posted - 02/17/2005 : 18:03:31

Here is a thread that shows how I installed my Tohatsu hookup. In the thread is a picture and the WM part number. Since you will have your motor on a lift bracket I would leave all the engine cable installed and just add the male end of the plug. The female I would mount in the cockpit near the stern and then run 8 guage form there to the battery. Good luck and welcome to the form. There is also a picture in this month's Mainsheet which you get as a member of the Association. It is the best $20.00 you will ever spend so join in and enjoy.

http://www.catalina25-250.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=6810

Edited by - frog0911 on 02/17/2005 18:04:32

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 02/17/2005 : 18:59:52

I have wires running from the back of my battery switch to terminal posts that stick through into the side of my fuel tank area. I run my motor wiresthrough the port scupper and the cutout at the bottom aft end of the fuel locker cover and to the posts. You can just see the wire and post location in this photo.
[url="http://homepage.mac.com/fhopper/.Pictures/Photo%20Album%20Pictures/2004-07-18%2010.56.51%20-0700/Image-1B5A7BF4D8E311D8.jpg"]motor connector[/url]

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aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 02/17/2005 : 19:18:38

I also have my Evinrude 9.9 electric start wired to an electric motor plug just under the starboard lazerette. I believe the electrician used 8 or 10 gauge wire from the receptical to a four-position battery switch and from there to the starting battery. It is the same setup as Frog0911

I used to have a regular starting battery but have switched to a deep-cycle house battery for starting. I needed the house amps more than my moter needed them for starting.

Al
GALLIVANT #5801

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mwalkup
1st Mate

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USA
79 Posts

Response Posted - 02/18/2005 : 00:05:46

The constant here seems to be that everyone has a slightly different way of doing things and yet arrive at a common outcome.

Al I'm afraid I'm not clear on what a "four post battery switch" is exactly. Are you talking about the back of the electrical panel mounted on the bulkhead between the galley and port side storage area ? Or a new piece of equipment altogether?

The 4ft. battery leads coming off the motor are permanently attached to it, with the fittings on the other end made to slip over the battery terminal.How do I splice/attach more wire to this.

By the way since I last wrote I looked at the wire connection to motor and there's a nice little rubber boot that looks like it would work on the proposed hole through the transom. Might pay to call Tohatsu for part.

It sound like most think a separate battery for the motor itself is not neccessary, thats good, save B.U.s

While I'm not crazy about drilling a hole through the transom, I think it's a cleaner look with less clutter in the cockpit.

M. Frog thank you sir for the pic but I was'nt quite sure of what I was looking at.Would you explain further.
Your recommendation on membership is well taken. While I'm not much of a scribe, I have been on board in the past, but time slipped up and membership expired. Thinking re-up may now be appropriate.

My sailing cap is sincerly tipped to all you here who continually encourage, instruct and motivate the rest of us.
Mike

Edited by - on

frog0911
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1349 Posts

Response Posted - 02/18/2005 : 10:10:14

Mike, first let me say that drilling holes in my boat are a last resort thing to do. So I always look for ways to use the holes provided my the manufacture. Such as the cockpit drains. Here are some pictures that show a little better the engine and plug set up. These pictures are from my 250 so there is no motor mount and no need to run through the cockpit drains. On your C25 with the mount and the engine below the top of the transom, when running, you have the option of running the cable with male plug over it to the female plug or through the cockpit drain hole to the female plug.

Engine with electric plug connnected for start and charging.

Male side of plug attache to the engine cable.

Female side of plug mounted in the starboard cockpit seat.

Close up of plug when hooked up.

As before I would put the male plug on the engine cable and run it through the cockpit drain hole. Then install the female plug side in the cockpit with the new 8 guage cable running from there directly to the one battery in your starboard settee. The four position switch is not necessary unless you have other batteries you want the engine to charge. As you can tell I'm not much of a scribe either, but we do the best we can with what the Lord gave us. Just keep asking questions and someone will explain it.

Edited by - frog0911 on 02/18/2005 10:13:43

mwalkup
1st Mate

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USA
79 Posts

Response Posted - 02/18/2005 : 10:27:54

Frog0911,
Thank you so much for the additional pictures.
Really big help..

Edited by - on

aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 02/18/2005 : 11:22:04

Mike,

The 4 position switch is a standard "batt one", "batt two", "both", "off", battery switch. It is not standard equipment but is added to isolate a second battery from the primary house battery so that one does not drain power from the other. It is wired from the female plug shown in Frog's photo to the switch and from there to the electrical panel and batteries. I had a marine savvy electrician do the installation as I didn't want any mistakes with this aspect of the boat.

Al
GALLIVANT #5801

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.