It's biblical what leaving a boat sit will wrought!

[Boomyal]

I just removed the trim/tilt pump solenoid from my 1976 BeachCraft Merc 888. I ran further tests on the bench to confirm that it would not pass current to the terminal that would send it on to the pump.

I then drilled the rivets out and removed the bottom plate from the solenoid. I'd never seen the inside of one of these before. They are pretty simple. The fact is that all the contact surfaces had minor gunk on them. None of the parts were burned or distorted. It was all age and inactivity related damage.

Now if only I had some good Dremel brushes, I could clean all those contacts and bolt the bottom plate back on. I'll have to go looking for a good set of brushes to do that with. In the mean time, I ordered a new solenoid. They were cheaper shipped than from the local NAPA and it was going to take the same amount of time to get it.

The moral of the story is take it apart and examine it before you buy a new one.

 

[achris]

Re: It's biblical what leaving a boat sit will wrought!

You may not be aware, but the contacts have a very thin coating of silver. Any attempt to clean them removes the silver and they will burn up VERY quickly.... Getting a new one is the only option...

 

[ihaveabrownboat]

Re: It's biblical what leaving a boat sit will wrought!

Would it work to spray them electrical contact cleaner and blow dry?

 

[Don S]

Re: It's biblical what leaving a boat sit will wrought!

Would it work to spray them electrical contact cleaner and blow dry?

No, you can't put them back together again, and there is more to them than just the contacts. If they hang, you replace them, they aren't that expensive.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: It's biblical what leaving a boat sit will wrought!

I do have a new one coming so I will retract my 'moral of the story'. I just tore this one apart out of curiosity. After all you guys acquainted me with the nature of the beast and it's part in the whole picture AND in view of my assessment that this setup had relatively few hours on it, I wanted to see what made it tick.

 

[captk]

Re: It's biblical what leaving a boat sit will wrought!

Lets not forget that when that coil energizes and slams those contacts together there is a very large spark! This is what causes them to burn the contacts and eventually fail, and what can blow you up when u mess them or use automotive solenoids,"a cuz they are the same thing thats on my chevy". Be safe Capt K

 

[achris]

Re: It's biblical what leaving a boat sit will wrought!

Lets not forget that when that coil energizes and slams those contacts together there is a very large spark! This is what causes them to burn the contacts and eventually fail, and what can blow you up when u mess them or use automotive solenoids,"a cuz they are the same thing thats on my chevy". Be safe Capt K

Actually it's not the closing of the contacts that burns them, it's de-energising (opening). As there is current passing through the contacts as they open it draws a spark across the gap. That's what creates the burn.

Chris......

 

[Boomyal]

Re: It's biblical what leaving a boat sit will wrought!

If you saw the inside of this solenoid in question, it shows no characteristics of heavy use. It's appearance seems to agree with my assessment of of the amount of use on the rest of the power train. I really think it is a function of years of sitting idle, as the title of my post alludes to. A very mild cleaning of the contact surfaces would make this solenoid work. I just ordered a 36 pc set of Dremel 6 mm cup brushes. As soon as they get here, I will lightly dress all the contact surfaces and retest it.

In the mean time, my new solenoid will have arrived and I will install it. Today I went over to where my boat is stored and cut a good 6' out of the trim/tilt harness. It now neatly wraps around behind the trim pump and plugs back in to it's receptical. I also shortened the big red wire from the starter solenoid to the trim solenoid so I am now free of that rats nest of extra wires. I also made a little shunt to bridge the purple and blue wires that would have gone to the tilt limit switch.

I am loving all the colored wiring diagrams. It is so much easier to follow the juice.