Will having the key on burn anything electronic up?

[brokemerc]

Quick and easy question. When drifting with the engine OFF,, does it harm anything to have the key in the ON position (only way to listen to the radio and use fish finders)... I also have a switch labeled ACC (I think that's what it's got on it) what's this for?? Boat is a 1995 Bayliner Capri, 3.0 Alpha 1 Gen2

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Will having the key on burn anything electronic up?

It should be wired to the acc. connection for the radio and FF
Thats powering everything except ignition.

 

[tommays]

Re: Will having the key on burn anything electronic up?

You used the older points ING system which will NUKE the points if the key is left in the run position with the motor off


The radio and other stuff should NOT be wired through the key switch



Tommays

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Will having the key on burn anything electronic up?

agreed the motor is the only thing that should be on the ignition switch.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Will having the key on burn anything electronic up?

Normally on boats, the gauges and instruments are wired thru the ignition switch on the acc or ign terminal. These are low current devices which will not harm the ignition switch. Accessories and high current devices are wired threw a heavy duty (accessory) switch on the daskboard, with a H/D fuse.

 

[brokemerc]

Re: Will having the key on burn anything electronic up?

Thanks to everyone.. I plan on spending a portion of this weekend with a test light and a meter....

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Will having the key on burn anything electronic up?

Agree on what tom said. The old point system was not built to sustain 6 or 12V on it for an extended period of time. It was made to operate at a lower "duty cycle" which occurred with the engine running and had a significantly lower "average" current. If you didn't toast the points you would cause the coil to overheat and fail which is what would happen.

In modern solid state systems the only current running is in the signal conditioning circuits which is very low and shouldn't hurt anything. To get some serious current running in these systems you have to trigger the circuit and that doesn't happen unless the flywheel is rotating.

The Accessory position on an ignition switch is just that. It turns on your accessories without supplying any power to operate your engine. In the ON/Run position you get accessories and engine circuits receiving voltage.

Mark

 

[brokemerc]

Re: Will having the key on burn anything electronic up?

Thanks,, I have power to the radio reguardless of key position which seems ok to me.. As far as the fish finder for whatever reason I'm not getting any power there, even tried the ACC switch (will trouble shoot this weekend). I have decided to keep the trolling motor,, my 1995 bayliner capri, 3.0 F/S came with it,, do you think I'll need to turn this ACC switch on to use it?? I have not hooked a battery to the trolling motor as of yet and the owners manual doesn't even mention it. Thanks..

 

[wildmaninal]

Re: Will having the key on burn anything electronic up?

Thanks,, I have power to the radio reguardless of key position which seems ok to me.. As far as the fish finder for whatever reason I'm not getting any power there, even tried the ACC switch (will trouble shoot this weekend). I have decided to keep the trolling motor,, my 1995 bayliner capri, 3.0 F/S came with it,, do you think I'll need to turn this ACC switch on to use it?? I have not hooked a battery to the trolling motor as of yet and the owners manual doesn't even mention it. Thanks..

The trolling motor can be wired directly to the battery with an inline fuse. I would not wire the trolling motor up without the inline fuse by any means. Some of the newer boats do have the trolling motor plug wired so the ACC switch has to be on to use it, this is how they were manufactured.

 

[brokemerc]

Re: Will having the key on burn anything electronic up?

Ok, thanks. Yea I haven't quite figured out what exactly is hooked to this acc switch.. THere is a separate on off switch for the trolling motor but the boat has an outlet specifically for the trolling motor so possibly that acc switch supplies power to that outlet... Thanks..

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Will having the key on burn anything electronic up?

Ok, thanks. Yea I haven't quite figured out what exactly is hooked to this acc switch.. THere is a separate on off switch for the trolling motor but the boat has an outlet specifically for the trolling motor so possibly that acc switch supplies power to that outlet... Thanks..

If your boat has a plug where you plug the TM into, it will not be controlled by the ign switch. One's I've seen have not been anyway.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Will having the key on burn anything electronic up?

Agree with other comments. TM is on a 6awg or better circuit directly wired to the battery via a 40 amp fuse regardless of whether you have a pair of ckts for 24v or just one for one battery.

No ign nor acc switch commonly used will tolerate that kind of current requirement.

If you have a sophistocated electronic controlled TM you MIGHT have a separate circuit to an acc switch to run the electronics only which would only be a few amperes current draw.

Otherwise the wiring may be to the bow light which shouldn't be tied to the ign switch either, due to wanting to run lights with the engine off.

Mark

 

[brokemerc]

Re: Will having the key on burn anything electronic up?

Too cold this weekend to crawl around with a meter,, your probably right that the acc switch controls the lights.. If there's a fuse in the trolling motor wiring I don't see it,, it runs from the plug built into the bow straight back to the battery.. But I still need to dig into it... Thanks for the info...