Hooked up my battery with the wrong polarity

[Hpracer]

Long story why I was so stupid, but I hooked up the wires to my battery on the wrong poles and when I switched it on I now have nothing working. Checked that I have power in and out of the cutoff switch but that is as far as I got. Does anyone know if boats have a fusible link or a single circuit breaker that shuts everything off? Boat is a 2001 Sea Pro 180 CC with a 115 Merc 4 stroke. What am I in for? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[alldodge]

Most likely blew the ECM
Just keep tracing wires and hope it's just a fuse you haven't found yet

 

[JimS123]

There is a fuse on your engine. Get a wiring diagram and find out where it is. You can replace the fuse and all will be well. Or take it to a Mercury dealer and pay a hundred bucks for them to do it for you.

Your owner's manual should show all the details. If you don't have one, buying one online will be cheaper than the dealer approach. The fuse costs literally pennies.

 

[roscoe]

Since power was traveling on the wrong highway, it likely got to the voltage regulator. Check it out.

 

[Texasmark]

If you killed anything it would be the rectifier diodes inside the rectifier/regulator module with cathodes tied to ground since there is no resistance in the circuit with power applied in reverse. The fuse is normally (my experience) in a black rubber container with cap in one of the red leads coming off the starting solenoid input terminal...where the battery red (+) wire is attached. Probably a 20 amp fuse.

 

[Hpracer]

If you killed anything it would be the rectifier diodes inside the rectifier/regulator module with cathodes tied to ground since there is no resistance in the circuit with power applied in reverse. The fuse is normally (my experience) in a black rubber container with cap in one of the red leads coming off the starting solenoid input terminal...where the battery red (+) wire is attached. Probably a 20 amp fuse.

Found the blown 30 amp fuse in the motor and replaced it. I now have power to turn the motor over and power the gauges and accessories, but it won't start, or at least hasn't started yet. Would a blown rectifier/regulator keep it from starting?

 

[JimS123]

Explain. Does the motor turn over but not fire, or does it not turn over at all?

 

[froggy1150]

1. Check for spark
2. Check for working injectors. They sell a little indicator light that plugs into injector wire called a noid. If these don't work I would guess ecu. Also a quick check of your crank/cam triggers also.

 

[BWR1953]

Noid?

 

[froggy1150]

You laugh at that picture but I did parttime sidework for dominos and the guy that did those commercials actually worked at my store for awhile...

 

[BWR1953]

You laugh at that picture but I did parttime sidework for dominos and the guy that did those commercials actually worked at my store for awhile...

Cool!

 

[uboat69]

The rectifier is only converting power, it wouldn't prevent starting. It could cause a dead battery though.

 

[Hpracer]

The rectifier is only converting power, it wouldn't prevent starting. It could cause a dead battery though.

OK, I'm an idiot. If I didn't have a history of owning and working on every aspect of a race car for 50 years I would conclude that I have no business working on a boat.

The blown fuse was the whole problem. Replacing it fixed it. But, I forgot that for the first time since I owned the boat I ran the motor until it was out of fuel before putting it away for the winter. And with a new fuel filter I didn't fill it with gas so there was no prime. Once I realized that it started right up.

Interesting to me though, I did buy a new rectifier and with that installed it would start and idle fine. As soon as I tried to run it up in neutral it would start to surge uncontrollably and wouldn't stop until I shut it off. Put the old rectifier back in and it was fine. This was a cheap $25 dollar version as opposed to the $200 ones offered as OEM parts. I don't know whether that had anything to do with it not working. Returned it for a refund. BTW thanks for the responses.

 

[jimmbo]

Don't "Run it up in Neutral", not good for it.

 

[Horigan]

Don't "Run it up in Neutral", not good for it.

Why not? Other than not running high rpms on muffs due to limited water flow, are there other concerns with running up a motor in neutral?

 

[JimS123]

Why not? Other than not running high rpms on muffs due to limited water flow, are there other concerns with running up a motor in neutral?

I personally can't itemize concerns, but since the Owner's Manual says not to I usually comply. Also, I thought it was common knowledge.

 

[flyingscott]

Why not? Other than not running high rpms on muffs due to limited water flow, are there other concerns with running up a motor in neutral?

Yup having inside motor parts become outside motor parts are the main issue.

 

[Texasmark]

OK, I'm an idiot. If I didn't have a history of owning and working on every aspect of a race car for 50 years I would conclude that I have no business working on a boat.

The blown fuse was the whole problem. Replacing it fixed it. But, I forgot that for the first time since I owned the boat I ran the motor until it was out of fuel before putting it away for the winter. And with a new fuel filter I didn't fill it with gas so there was no prime. Once I realized that it started right up.

Interesting to me though, I did buy a new rectifier and with that installed it would start and idle fine. As soon as I tried to run it up in neutral it would start to surge uncontrollably and wouldn't stop until I shut it off. Put the old rectifier back in and it was fine. This was a cheap $25 dollar version as opposed to the $200 ones offered as OEM parts. I don't know whether that had anything to do with it not working. Returned it for a refund. BTW thanks for the responses.

The older you get you will notice an increase in "brain farts". Ask me, I'll tell you all about them.