Hi all,
can anybody help with my problem?
I recently bought a used Mercury 6HP 2 stroke motor, 6ML #OP107187 2001. I have fitted an OEM battery charging kit and have paralleled a remote stop to the boat control panel as the motor is used as an auxiliary engine on a sailing boat and the main stop/run switch is hidden behind the remote control cables.
On fitting the engine to the boat it started first pull and ran like a dream, but at this point I had not finished the wiring on the boat so the electrics were not connected. I used the motor in this way for an hour or so while I completed the boat electrics. The electrics consisted of a 3 pin waterproof plug at the motor end, positive and negative leads to the battery and the remote stop to a switch and then to the battery negative putting an earth (ground) to the motor in the off position.
Once connected the engine was started and the remote stop tested with no problems. The battery was showing a low voltage but with the engine running it was showing 13.5 volts so I concluded that the charging system was running OK. I ran the engine, with several stops and starts for about half an hour. The battery was still showing a low voltage so I removed it from the boat and took it home to charge, once charged I left it for a day and checked again and found 10.5 volts and assumed a dead cell. I had a spare battery which I fully charged and took back to the boat. On fitting this battery I noticed a small arc as I connected the negative lead, the boats main isolator switch was off at this point, so I assumed that there must be a short on the engine. I put the key in the remote stop switch and turned it to run and found that there was now no arc as I connected the negative lead.
The motor would not start. I disconnected the electrics at the plug and it still didn't start. I took the rectifier out and taped the leads, and still no start. An ohms test of the rectifier shows that it is blown. The motor is at the repair shop and I am told the electronics box is dead and the replacement will cost over ?200 plus the cost of a new rectifier.
My problem is how do I stop the same thing happening again. The original battery might have caused the rectifier to burn out but as far as I can see the charging system is separate from the ignition system so why did that burn out as well? I will recheck the boat wires but an initial check shows everything to be correct.
Stan
can anybody help with my problem?
I recently bought a used Mercury 6HP 2 stroke motor, 6ML #OP107187 2001. I have fitted an OEM battery charging kit and have paralleled a remote stop to the boat control panel as the motor is used as an auxiliary engine on a sailing boat and the main stop/run switch is hidden behind the remote control cables.
On fitting the engine to the boat it started first pull and ran like a dream, but at this point I had not finished the wiring on the boat so the electrics were not connected. I used the motor in this way for an hour or so while I completed the boat electrics. The electrics consisted of a 3 pin waterproof plug at the motor end, positive and negative leads to the battery and the remote stop to a switch and then to the battery negative putting an earth (ground) to the motor in the off position.
Once connected the engine was started and the remote stop tested with no problems. The battery was showing a low voltage but with the engine running it was showing 13.5 volts so I concluded that the charging system was running OK. I ran the engine, with several stops and starts for about half an hour. The battery was still showing a low voltage so I removed it from the boat and took it home to charge, once charged I left it for a day and checked again and found 10.5 volts and assumed a dead cell. I had a spare battery which I fully charged and took back to the boat. On fitting this battery I noticed a small arc as I connected the negative lead, the boats main isolator switch was off at this point, so I assumed that there must be a short on the engine. I put the key in the remote stop switch and turned it to run and found that there was now no arc as I connected the negative lead.
The motor would not start. I disconnected the electrics at the plug and it still didn't start. I took the rectifier out and taped the leads, and still no start. An ohms test of the rectifier shows that it is blown. The motor is at the repair shop and I am told the electronics box is dead and the replacement will cost over ?200 plus the cost of a new rectifier.
My problem is how do I stop the same thing happening again. The original battery might have caused the rectifier to burn out but as far as I can see the charging system is separate from the ignition system so why did that burn out as well? I will recheck the boat wires but an initial check shows everything to be correct.
Stan