I was getting the boat ready for our maiden voyage of the year and noticed a purple/yellow wire with a small rubber boot not connected to the alternator. Any idea what it goes to? I have 2003 Glaston sx 195 with the carb 4.3 Mercruiser.
Re: 4.3 Alternator Wire Identification Help Needed!
Don't know of any purple/yellow wires going to the alternator. Now, if you meant starter, they do have a purple/yellow wire for operating the electric fuel pump while cranking.
Re: 4.3 Alternator Wire Identification Help Needed!
A "3 wire" alternator which you most likely have will have in all reality 4 wires attached to it:
- Black ground wire which attaches to the body of the alternator
- Orange wire which attaches to the charging post
- Smaller red wire which connects via bullet connector to opposing red/purple wire
- Smaller purple or black wire which connects via bullet connector to opposing purple wire
Typically, the boat side connections will have the female bullet end with a plastic/rubber insulator over it, with the male side being on the alternator with no insulation over it.
If you can look at your alternator and see all of those wires already hooked up, then that wire doesn't go to the alternator. Also.. Don is right.. it would be a solid purple wire (which in Mercruiser color coding signifies switched ignition 12V+) going to the alternator, not purple/yellow.
Re: 4.3 Alternator Wire Identification Help Needed!
So the saga continues. The starter that is installed has no "R" terminal. I am assuming that is where the puple/yellow wire connect to? I am assuming that is why it was not hooked up.
Re: 4.3 Alternator Wire Identification Help Needed!
To my knowledge, the purple/yellow delivers +12 volts to the pump whilst cranking. I believe it is to be hooked up with the same wire that energizes the solenoid. Yellow red i believe. Don S or Achris will confirm if i am right or misguided! Strike all this! That is for a Three wire oil pressure switch. With a two wire and one terminal on the starter, the starter would operate when key was in run position. If purple/yellow was connected to yellow/red. (A relay is required to do it properly)
So the saga continues. The starter that is installed has no "R" terminal. I am assuming that is where the puple/yellow wire connect to? I am assuming that is why it was not hooked up.
Automotive starters don't have that terminal, marine starters do. Perhaps a previous owner tried to cheap out and use an automotive starter. If so, it's a real safety (explosion) hazard and should be replaced with a marine starter.
Re: 4.3 Alternator Wire Identification Help Needed!
Well, I hooked it up to the one terminal (with yellow/red) and started the boat. Got a electrical motor running sound while the boat was running(sounds like the starter motor) then the motor sound died and then the boat would stop running. Did this several times. I disconneted the purple/yellow wire and the sound went away and the boat kept running. I shut it off and now the starter is dead. I could smell the electrical short. Was the puple/yellow wire making the starter motor keep running. Very odd!
Sure it will run the starter. It's not odd at all if you understood what the wire does. Why do you think there was two different terminals. If it only took one terminal, there would be no use for two. :facepalm:
So the purple/yellow wire is getting power from somewhere else?