Charges jumping purple wire. Downfall to leave purple hooked to +?

[71Windsor]

1988 j150 9amp system everythings new and when I jump the purple the boat charges perfectly everything's great I remove the jumper and it continues to charge until I turn it off then I'll have to repeat the procedure. I checked the harness followed all wires from the ignition and I can't find any breaks using continuity. The ignition switch was replaced with a Sierra which is a little different and wasn't exactly fun rewiring. But all works fine. Is there any downfall to either leaving the jumper hooked to the battery or I can run a lead to my console and have it power up when I turn my switch on for accessory or i can use an ignition wire so it only goes hot with the key. I ordered a replacement harness but it's also used so Im going to take the winter to rewire it using my old harness to reference. I have all new pins for the connectors and all new color correct wiring so next year hopefully this will be resolved. For the rest of this summer can I make do? I'd hate to have spent this much money and time replacing everything and it go bad from not being used or something of the nature burning it up on me.

 

[Chris1956]

The purple wire should be connected to the red (+12VDC) wire when the ign switch is in the on or start position. Since you replaced the ign switch, I would guess you did not connect the new one properly. Also, there are at least two different kinds of ign switches. Did you use the correct (magneto-type) one?

 

[WernerF]

Normally the purple wire is connected to +B through the key switch when in run or start position.
The puprple wire must be disconnected when the engine is not running to prevent discharging the battery.

 

[71Windsor]

Chris1956 I am not sure. I ordered it from iBoats and when I rewired the new switch it was a bit different. There are equal terminals on both new and old however the layout was different. But if it's correct as a magneto type or not I do not know. I have never heard my warning horn so something might be wrong. I do not get a beep when I turn the key on or anything like that. I have never paid much attention as the v r o was removed but not by me so I have assumed over the yeas that the alarms do not work and haven't worried about it.
I know there is a test for checking the over temp alarm I've never looked into testing so I don't know how to check.

I never thought to check the ign switch for a culprit of why the purple wire isn't working I figured it does everything else fine start stop run that it must be good to go.

also on the remote box under the key is a plug. Pin a is the purple wire. It looks like it dead ends at this point if I check continuity from pin a on the remote back to the dist block and get no open shorts would that be safe to rule a bad wire out?

Lastly if I run a new lead from 'A' at the ignition back to the dist block leaving the oem intact would this solve the problem? Supplying power from the battery to the purple at the dist block gets it charging so would running a new lead straight to the dist block from my switch panel do the same. i can wire it with my gps/depth finder as this is always on while i am out or I can run a dedicated switch for it.

 

[Chris1956]

OK, On the ign switch there should be the following wires connected to the identified terminals. M - black (ground), M- Black/yellow (ign killer), B - red (+12VDC), S - yellow/red (starter solenoid), C - yellow/black (choke), I - Purple (ign accessory power) (note: terminal could be called "A" as well).

It sounds like you need to verify that the purple wire gets voltage, when the ign key is in the run or start position. I would also check it for an open (continuity) from the keyswitch to the distribution block.

The plug on your control could be for the tachometer. The wire colors would be purple, black and grey (tach signal).

Ground the tan wire on each head to test the overheat alarm.

 

[71Windsor]

The plug on the control box is indeed for tach. I found a break in the purple wire right where it exits the remote control so I made that repair.

I tried grounding the wire to check the over temp alarm and get nothing. I checked for a continuity as a ground and voltage at the horn/buzzer which ever you want to call it and also get nothing while grounding them out so something's still weird there. But I've had the boat for about 14 years now and it's never worked im not so much worried about that. Just happy it's finally charging again I can finally start night fishing with confidence. Tired of freaking out when either I can head cabin lights or driving lights but not both on the way in from draining so much on the way out.

 

[Chris1956]

It is likely the purple wire feeds one side of the buzzer, and the other side of the buzzer is wired to the overheat sensor. When the sensor grounds, that completes the circuit powering the buzzer.