My son and I are installing this Merc on his Checkmate, replacing an old Rude. There's a single black wire that's not part of the harness, which comes from the engine cowling, but is completely separate from the harness. It's about 15' long, as long as the harness is, about 14 or 16 gauge, just one lead, and the previous owner had spliced a wire with a ring crimp connector on it. I'm almost positive it's a ground wire. But I have no idea where it should connect. And since the engine is currently on it's side, waiting for mounting, I can't see into the engine enough to trace the wire to the ground bolt.
The boat's switch panel and everything else is already grounded, with the Checkmate's harness from the battery. The only thing I can guess is that it's a ground wire, and that's what the previous owner used to ground his panel? I guess I could just connect it to the panel, thus providing additional ground from engine to panel, but I'd really like to know what it's for.
When we bought the engine my son was disconnecting wires from the boat the Merc was previously mounted on, and apparently forgot to note where it was connected. Thus, this problem! Any help greatly appreciated.
The boat's switch panel and everything else is already grounded, with the Checkmate's harness from the battery. The only thing I can guess is that it's a ground wire, and that's what the previous owner used to ground his panel? I guess I could just connect it to the panel, thus providing additional ground from engine to panel, but I'd really like to know what it's for.
When we bought the engine my son was disconnecting wires from the boat the Merc was previously mounted on, and apparently forgot to note where it was connected. Thus, this problem! Any help greatly appreciated.