Install Start/Stop button

[Fikus]

Hi. I want to put start stop button instead of the key, anyone did it ? Need advice about what brand to buy looked on google nothing about boats.Thx!

 

[GA_Boater]

Curious - What's wrong with using a key?

You will need a starter button, a stop/run switch and probably a choke or primer switch. What motor is on the back?

 

[Fikus]

Mercury inboard

 

[Fikus]

With the key , how tight im closing the nut its always turns after couple times

 

[GA_Boater]

Got a photo? There is probably a way to tighten the switch instead of dumping it.

Forget the choke/primer stuff I mentioned. Stop/run and starter button is what you need if the key switch can't be tightened.

 

[Fikus]

Dont have a pic with me,do they sell it here on iboats?
Thx!

 

[Fikus]

No Title

Can use from motorcycle

 

[Chigwalla]

On the back of your existing key switch will be a yellow/red wire that fires the start solenoid when you roll the key to Start.
Pull power from a switched circuit (purple) into whatever push button you want to use. Splice the switch's output into the yellow/red circuit on the back of your key switch. That will fire the solenoid exactly the same way the key switch does.
Be sure to wire it in parallel or you'll need to use both to start !

The Cole Hersee pushbuttons (M490, M626) work well for that and you can get them with a boot.
There's not much current going through it so you can use just about anything as long as it's robust enough to be on a boat.
Your start-in-gear protection and lanyard switch won't see any difference.

A lot of OEMs (esp Sea Ray) mount the key switch out of the weather and use a start/stop button on the dash (or the control) instead on their SmartCraft boats.

As to the nut on the switch... sikaflex the threads and the top of the switch body.
If you have a thin (brass, aluminum, uncored glass) dash panel, the inner nut might be threaded too far down the barrel, allowing the outer (trim) nut to bottom out before it tightens against the dash.

 

[Fikus]

Thx for the detailed answer!!!

 

[Fikus]

So as inderstood, i will need to turn the key to first position and after push button to start, right?

On the back of your existing key switch will be a yellow/red wire that fires the start solenoid when you roll the key to Start.
Pull power from a switched circuit (purple) into whatever push button you want to use. Splice the switch's output into the yellow/red circuit on the back of your key switch. That will fire the solenoid exactly the same way the key switch does.
Be sure to wire it in parallel or you'll need to use both to start !

The Cole Hersee pushbuttons (M490, M626) work well for that and you can get them with a boot.
There's not much current going through it so you can use just about anything as long as it's robust enough to be on a boat.
Your start-in-gear protection and lanyard switch won't see any difference.

A lot of OEMs (esp Sea Ray) mount the key switch out of the weather and use a start/stop button on the dash (or the control) instead on their SmartCraft boats.

As to the nut on the switch... sikaflex the threads and the top of the switch body.
If you have a thin (brass, aluminum, uncored glass) dash panel, the inner nut might be threaded too far down the barrel, allowing the outer (trim) nut to bottom out before it tightens against the dash.

 

[Chigwalla]

Yes, the key will just be a switch that turns on the main power relay and wakes up the ECM.
The button just runs the starter once everything else is ready to start.
Obviously you wouldn't want to put it somewhere it might accidentally get pressed while the engine's running.
Missile switches are great for that but you have to like the look of them

What engine have you got ?

 

[Scott Danforth]

here are the standard wire colors

Black	Ground	Negative / Neutral Main Return
Blue-Stripe	Tilt up and or trim out	Tilt and or trim circuits
Brown	Alternator Charge Light	Generator Terminal or Alternator Auxiliary Terminal to Regulator
Generator Armature	Generator Armature to Regulator
Pumps	Circuit Breaker or Switch to Pumps
Brown w/Yellow	Bilge Blowers	Circuit Breaker or Switch to Blower
Dark Blue	Cabin & Instrument	Circuit Breaker or Switch to Lights
Green or Green w/Yellow Stripe	Bonding System	Grounding Wires (if insulated)
Green Stripe	Tilt down and/or trim in	Tilt and or trim circuits
Grey	Navigation Lights	Circuit Breaker or Switch to Lights
Tachometer	Tachometer Sender to Gauge
Lt. Blue	Oil Pressure	Oil Pressure Sender to Gauge
Orange	Accessory Feed	Ammeter to Alternator or Generator
Common Feed	Distribution Panel to Accessory Switch
Feed	Accessory Circuit Breakers or Switches
Pink	Fuel Gauge	Fuel Gauge Sender to Gauge
Purple	Ignition	Ignition Switch to Coil & Electrical Instrument
Instrument Feed	Distribution Panel Electrical Instruments
Red	Instrument Feed	Distribution Panel to Electrical Instruments
Power Feeds	Positive Main Power (particularly un-fused)
Tan	Water temperature	Water temperature sender to gauge
Yellow	Generator Field	Generator to Regulator Field Terminal
Ground	Negative / Neutral Main Return
Yellow w/Red	Starting Circuit	Starting Switch to Solenoid

COLOR ITEM USE

 

[Fikus]

Mercury inboard

Yes, the key will just be a switch that turns on the main power relay and wakes up the ECM.
The button just runs the starter once everything else is ready to start.
Obviously you wouldn't want to put it somewhere it might accidentally get pressed while the engine's running.
Missile switches are great for that but you have to like the look of them

What engine have you got ?

 

[Bondo]

Mercury inboard

Ayuh,.... Mercury builds Outboards,...

Mercruiser builds inboards, 'n I/Os,.... literally 100s of 'em,....

For quality help, ya gotta be more specific,.... includin' the vintage,....

 

[Chigwalla]

Bondo, it doesn't really matter much. I'm just curious, otherwise I would have asked that question right off the top.
I've assumed he meant sterndrive, not inboard...though again, it doesn't really matter.
Merc has their start circuits pretty well standardized, especially at the dash.

Scott, that's a great resource: I keep a chart like that on the back of a clipboard along with with the ampacity charts from BlueSea.
One caveat though: ABYC compliance is voluntary for OEMs, so there will always be exceptions.

 

[Fikus]

No Title

Bought this one.

 

[Chigwalla]

If that's one of those eBay auto panels, I wouldn't expect the switches to last very long in a boat. Fortunately, the hole sizes should be standard.
Looks good though.

 

[Scott Danforth]

I wouldnt use anything other than Carling Tech or Otto switches with the appropriate IP68S rating for a boat.

 

[Fikus]

No Title

Final result

 

[garbageguy]

I like that for racing use only text on there - thanks for the pic of your finished product

I don't like key start either - keep us updated on how your conversion works out