O.K. to ground ignition with Kill Switch?

[sportyinc]

This forum has been a great source of info and help by many and I thank everyone who posts. Thanks!!

I have a '72 1150 with single switchbox. I am adding a Seachoice kill switch.
All Kill Switch instructions and posts I have read here state that all outboards (Not inboards) wire the kill switch to gound the ignition wire when tripped. One post I read here said to run a wire from the kill switch to the tach ground. A ground is a ground, right?

Ignition on the motor seems to be the white wire at the bottom of the switch box. It is hot only with the key on.
Before I ground the ignition terminal of the switch box (can you say $200?) I would appreciate any feedback.

 

[achris]

Re: O.K. to ground ignition with Kill Switch?

DO NOT ground that white wire!!! You'll melt a lot of wiring....

The instructions you are reading are for a ADI type ignition. That engine has a distributor and a Battery ignition.

To install that kill switch you can have to do it one of 2 possible ways.

1. If you insist on grounding something, then you are going to need to run a new wire from the engine to the kill switch. Hook the new wire up in parallel with the mercury tilt switch, which is connected to the Brown wire on the distributor side of the switchbox. Or,

2. Have the kill switch break the circuit for the switchbox power, the white wire you mentioned.

Chris..........

 

[sportyinc]

Re: O.K. to ground ignition with Kill Switch?

Thanks for the feedback. I wanted another opinion before grounding any wire.
It is alright for me to ground the distributor wire where the tilt shutoff is wired?
I didn't even think about that possibility. That makes sense since the tilt switch grounds the distributor to turn the engine off.
You have saved me untold dollars.
Thanks

 

[Gomer50]

Re: O.K. to ground ignition with Kill Switch?

I just put a toggle switch in between the white wire to the switchbox like achris mentioned,flip her up and she's good to go,flip her down and no juice no go.The last thing I wanted to do was invest in a new switchbox $$$

 

[sportyinc]

Re: O.K. to ground ignition with Kill Switch?

That's a great way to wire the switch, unfortunetly I ran two wires to the motor, used one for the temperature sender and only have 1 left.
If achris hadn't mentioned the distributor, I would have had to run another wire to make a complete circuit, like you did.
A lot of work.

 

[achris]

Re: O.K. to ground ignition with Kill Switch?

That's a great way to wire the switch, unfortunetly I ran two wires to the motor, used one for the temperature sender and only have 1 left.
If achris hadn't mentioned the distributor, I would have had to run another wire to make a complete circuit, like you did.
A lot of work.

Just mount the switch near the control box and run the white wires out from the box to the switch. All of 2 feet? That's the way I would be doing it....

Note in my original post I said "If you insist on grounding something...." that was the clue that there is an easier way....

Chris.......

 

[sportyinc]

Re: O.K. to ground ignition with Kill Switch?

achris, I understand what you are saying. When I first bought the boat, I wrapped the entire wiring harness with rescue tape and black tape and zip tied it up about every 2 feet.
The thought of getting at, finding and splicing into the white wire has me looking at alternatives first.

If the terminal used by the tilt switch (which already has a wire 12" away that goes all the way to the dash) doesn't pan out to be the best way, I will bite the bullet.
Thanks mucho for the accurate advice and I'm sure you have pointed me in the right direction.

Thanks

 

[Gomer50]

Re: O.K. to ground ignition with Kill Switch?

I know this might be a little off topic but in my case my wiring had become very brittle so I tore it all out and started pulling wires as needed.I guess you could say a cutomized wiring job which made it easy concerning kill switch/white wire for the switchbox etc.Key Ignition wired seperate,battery kill switch,wasnt a whole lot of work but definately not something the marine shop wants to troubleshoot LOL.

 

[sportyinc]

Re: O.K. to ground ignition with Kill Switch?

That sounds very familiar. My wiring harness was good but every wire inside the control box was falling apart.
I replaced the ignition switch and the choke button.
I bought 2 feet of every color wire used in the harness.
I totally redid and soldered the control box and then spiced the new wires into the existing wiring. Then I wrapped everything in rescue tape and black tape.
I wasn't thinking far enough ahead like you to add more wires.
When I realized there was no temperature gauge or sender, I ran two wires from the dash to inside the engine.
sounds like you had a similar experience.

 

[Gomer50]

Re: O.K. to ground ignition with Kill Switch?

Yes Sir, same thing mine is a 1972 Merc 800 bad wiring from front to back.I am not sure how many previous owners it has had but when I got it (IT) was a nightmare.There were too many chefs in the kitchen on this one LOL

 

[Gomer50]

Re: O.K. to ground ignition with Kill Switch?

By the way I see your not to far away I am in Yuma Arizona