Outboard not charging, wire disconnected.

[rujr]

I have a 1978 2.4l 200hp merc that I finally have running well, but it is not charging. Voltmeter does not change during startup (only registers draw of cranking then returns to 12V). There is one red wire coming from the stator that is not connected to anything. None of the diagrams in the SELOC manual show the colors of wires I have coming out of my stator. Majority of the wires go to the inside and outside switch boxes. There is a 10 gauge brown wire going to the left (rear) terminal on the rectifier from the stator. Brown and red wires go from the other two terminals to the wiring harness up to the dash. There is a 10 gauge red jumper from the right (forward) rectifier terminal to the POS on the starting solenoid. I know something is missing, but the wire colors are making it hard to figure it all out. Thanks for the help.

[pyro]

New replacement stators have an extra red wire which is not used. I'm not sure why they put it there. Red and blue wires go to the switch boxes, and the two yellow wires (maybe they faded to a brown color) should go to the two lugs on the rectifier.

[rujr]

Man I wish I could find the yellow wires!!! Only thing going to the rectifier from the stator bundle is a larger gauge brown wire.

[transomstand]

Wiring sounds correct, replace the rectifier.

[rujr]

OK, I will give that a try.

[Dave Strong]

278745

Should be something like this. Hope it helps.


Dave

[Dave Strong]

278748

Should be something like this.

Dave

[King Dad]

two yellow wires from the stator, go to the two "small" terminals on the rectifier. The third terminal on the rectifier (you'll know it when you really look at the rectifier) is 12 volts from the battery via the starter solenoid. There is another wire, grey, which is the tach wire and goes up thru the harness to the dash. If it's wired correctly, then I'd test the rectifier as they are the weak link and can/will blow the diodes internally. Never disconnect the battery and always crank down on the battery wingnuts , if you have 'em, with pliers, tight!!!!!

[rujr]

Well, something is not adding up or making sense with the wiring of my stator and rectifier. First- the wires coming out of my stator are: 16 gauge Blue, 16 gauge Blue w/ white stripe, 16 gauge Red, 16 gauge red w/ white stripe (all four of these go to the switches). There are only two other wires, a 16 gauge red (which was hanging bare, stripped, but disconnected when I bought the motor) and a 10-12 gauge brown. Those are the 6 wires in the stator bundle. The rectifier is obviously wired wrong because the battery wire is connected to one of the small terminals. The large gauge brown wire from the stator is connected to the other terminal and the brown wire going into the wire harness and subsequently the dash is the only wire connected to the large rectifier lug. I know what is going on- seems to me someone was messing with the rectifier and never got it right. There is even a nut on one of the terminals that looks out of place (like a furniture nut!) I think someone before me burned up their rectifier, switched wires around, and then left it.

When I put a voltmeter on the large gauge brown and the red wire coming out of the stator, I get alternating current, which tells me they probably should be connected to the two small terminals. The battery is obviously connected to the large terminal, DC out. I am sure I need a new rectifier, just looking at the backwards wiring, but will test it today. I still don't know why my stator has odd-ball wire colors.

[rujr]

Oh, the brown wire coming from my rectifier, to the dash, is the tach signal. This motor is pre-color change (from brown to grey) for the tach signal. The age of this motor likely has a lot to do with why the colors are different. In the diagrams it appears the tach signal comes off of the small lug, not the large lug like it is currently wired (Also the tach signal comes from AC).

Also, I have read somewhere it might be smart to put in an updated rectifier with regulator. Does this make sense? Will the current charging system harm electronics, such as a stereo and amp? Thanks.

[transomstand]

278745

Should be something like this. Hope it helps.


Dave


278748

Should be something like this.

Dave


two yellow wires from the stator, go to the two "small" terminals on the rectifier. The third terminal on the rectifier (you'll know it when you really look at the rectifier) is 12 volts from the battery via the starter solenoid. There is another wire, grey, which is the tach wire and goes up thru the harness to the dash. If it's wired correctly, then I'd test the rectifier as they are the weak link and can/will blow the diodes internally. Never disconnect the battery and always crank down on the battery wingnuts , if you have 'em, with pliers, tight!!!!!

It should be noted that this engine does not use wire color codes that are considered standard today, so some of this info is incorrect.

[rujr]

OK took all the wires off of the rectifier, tested it as follows,

Place/set your multimeter to the 1000 ohmmeter reading (RX1K, R X 1000, etc). See picture below.
Place the RED lead to the ground (G) and place the BLACK lead to A and C alternating. You should show continuity.
Place the BLACK lead to the ground (G) and place the RED lead to A and C alternating. You should NOT show continuity.
Place the BLACK lead to the terminal (B)) and place the RED lead to A and C alternating. You should show continuity.
Place the RED lead to the terminal (B)) and place the BLACK lead to A and C alternating. You should NOT show continuity.
If your results differ, then the rectifier should be replaced


There was no continuity on any of the tests. So I need a new rectifier. Should I be looking to upgrade anything during the replacement of the rectifier?

[tlwjkw]

Also, I have read somewhere it might be smart to put in an updated rectifier with regulator. Does this make sense? Will the current charging system harm electronics, such as a stereo and amp? Thanks.
This would be tha thing ta do along with a 16 amp stator. Yours is just a 9 amp. Doesn't use or need a regulator. All problems solved...........jmo

[markeyracing]

New replacement stators have an extra red wire which is not used. I'm not sure why they put it there. Red and blue wires go to the switch boxes, and the two yellow wires (maybe they faded to a brown color) should go to the two lugs on the rectifier.
extra wire can be used to wire in a more accuate hour meter, since stator only puts out voltage when actually running