add a battery ,ignition problem

wrench 3

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The feed problem needs to be corrected but I don't believe that it's causing the problem that you are complaining about. It sounds more like you have wires connected wrong on both the ignition switch an the battery switch.
 

newtoboat101

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tried a second fuse panel with only motor engine connected to it ,and tied both negative battery terminals together ,but still get same result, i try i couple different things but no luck, so stood there and just stare at it for like 30 minutes ,and i think its ignition connection if we refer back to my ugly drawing ,i have a correction to make look at wire labeled 10 gauge wire this wire has a 40 amp 285 series circuit breaker 12 inches from add a battery switch ,ok now i have thunderbolt iv ignition,so the engine harness goes from dash to engine ,and at engine is connected with a plug and has 50 amp breaker ,i feel that the 10 gauge red (see drawing for wire labeled 10 gauge wire) wire should be eliminated,or need to get red engine harness wire to add a battery switch in same spot as 10 gauge or connect both to same location, also i checked wiring hookup to add a bat hooked up properly all thoughts welcome
 

bruceb58

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Did you add any new wire from the output of your ignition switch to any of the new Blue Sea equipment?
 

newtoboat101

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no ,ignition switch is same wiring ,was not touched. On my add a battery switch i have positive 4ga cable from starter battery to switch ,i have positive 4 ga cable from house battery ,then i have 4 gau cable from add a batt to my starter and fourth wire is 10 gauge red wire running from my add a batt to my fuse panel ,ifeel i have to get some sort of ignition wire to add a batt, the position where 10 ga red wire to fuse panel is on add a batt with the thunderbolt ignition it goes to a plug setup on engine somehow i feel there lies the problem why my ignition has no control of on and off it will turn starter and run but thats it
 

bruceb58

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You should not have touched or added any wiring going to your engine harness connector. Did you?

ifeel i have to get some sort of ignition wire to add a batt,
No...you don't.

That red wire that AllDodge flagged earlier that goes to your engine harness needs to go. What does it connect to on your engine harness?
 

alldodge

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Try making a list and disregard fuses and breakers as far as a connection

Bat A to add a Bat
Bat A to Bat Switch

Bat Switch to starter

Bat B to add a Bat
Bat B to Bat Switch
Bat B to Fuse panel
 

bruceb58

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You also need to figure out which battery is the one feeding the ignition. Take the negative lead off the house battery and see if its the one that causes the ignition circuit to be powered.
 

alldodge

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no, purple wire goes from engine to ignition switch

This comment needs some more clarification. If this is a Mercruiser then it should have a purple wire on the ignition switch and on every part on the motor which needs to be energized to start. Only reason a Merc would not have a purple wire is it is very old, or it has been changed

What brand of motor and controls do you have, include year?
 

wrench 3

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This comment needs some more clarification. If this is a Mercruiser then it should have a purple wire on the ignition switch and on every part on the motor which needs to be energized to start. Only reason a Merc would not have a purple wire is it is very old, or it has been changed

What brand of motor and controls do you have, include year?

Since he has 1988 Thompson in his signature line and Merc 5.0Lt on his first picture, I've been working off of 1988 Mercruiser wiring diagrams.
Maybe he's partially colour blind like me and we should be asking about a blue wire?
 

newtoboat101

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1988 5.0 lx /thunderbolt iv ignition/alpha 1 gen 1, prob with pic downloads will try later
 

newtoboat101

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bruceb58

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Why are there so many wires going to the positive feed of the fuse box? Typically, you have one. Where are all 3 coming from?
 

km1125

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Why are there so many wires going to the positive feed of the fuse box? Typically, you have one. Where are all 3 coming from?

Yea. And why is that one on the left blackened? Was someone just a little too aggressive with the flame when shrinking, or did it get that black from being used? If it was the former, then it's fine... if it was the latter, I'd check the total current draw on that wire and resize the wire if necessary.
 

newtoboat101

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just an aggressive lighter km1125 no problem there ,trying to send other pics to show you can see each switch and ignition switch have there own fuse,, red wire going to fuse panel, first one from thunderbolt ignition (which was originally attached to original fuses under all switches and ignition ) which now goes to new fuse panel and third red wire is from seperate not connected to thunderbolt ignition house battery (lights,bilge 1 and 2,wipers nav lights, radio ,etc) even with red wire from thunderbolt ignition not connected to new fuse panel only to fuses to switches and ignition
 

bruceb58

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I did not understand anything you just wrote. Can you list where each wire on the positive posts goes to or comes from?
 

km1125

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, first one from thunderbolt ignition (which was originally attached to original fuses under all switches and ignition )
I'm guessing, but I think that this one should not be on there but should be somehow connected to the "IGN" connector on the ignition switch.

I'm assuming you still have the problem where, when you turn the battery switch on, all your guages start working, even when the ignition switch is "OFF". Did you try to start the motor? I'm guessing (again) that if you did that you wouldn't be able to turn it off

What is connected to the "BATT" and "IGN" positions on the ignition switch?
 

newtoboat101

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keeps telling me pics are corrupted ,looking at fuse panel pic, red wire comes from thunderbolt ignition from engine to fuse panel then wire from original fuses from switches and ignition connect to fuse panel and last wire is run from blue sea add a batt switch to fuse panel /40 amp circuit breaker near add a batt does this help bruceb58 will have to take new pics tonight
 
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