merc no power to trim, gauges, or starter

[bill mason]

Trying to help a friend with his 2008 90 hp Merc. No trim, no gauges, no power to solenoid. If I take wires going to voltage regulator off the starter solenoid then there is power to it. As soon as I put those two wires (that go to voltage regulator) back on solenoid post the power completely stops.I would think the voltage regulator is bad and causing this. What do you guys think? Any help much appreciated. All wire connections good and battery is good.
Thanks in advance for any assistance.

have fun be safe

[Motv18]

Been thinking. Internal regulator. Do you mean starter silonoid

seen several wire patterns on that.

Purple normally goes to 14 pin or other connector

small red goes to small post. And big red to a separate stud with a black back to different post on solenoid.

Bothe red to same post. On solenoid

some others might be out there the small red typically has a butt connector somewhere in it wiggle it make sure it’s plugged up.

[bill mason]

No I switched solenoids no change. All wires, (starter, trim, tach, etc) go through the regulator. I followed all the wires and all have good connections. Power to ignition switch. Kill switch wires all tight. Main power wire direct from battery, when hooked by itself there is power to the solenoid (of course) as soon as i attach wires, from the regulator, to the solenoid, on top of direct wire from battery, it kills the power??? Not sure how that is possible when the main power wire still goes directly to the battery, but it does it. Don't see that it could be anything but the regulator. Any ideas appreciated

[rock]

If everything works when reg is un hooked but not when hooked then it just about has to be reg. Swap it out and see.
Rock

[kellytheaker]

I second supporting member Rock on reg, no in line fuses missed was my first check but I believe you found your issue with regulator.

[Motv18]

Forgot to ask if 4s or opti? I guess with separate rectify / regulator it’s 4 stroke. Which is completely different then what I was saying. Iirc that’s just plugs and white wires. Will have to double check though.

[flabum1017]

When you say "main power wire direct from battery", are you talking about the large battery cable? If so, you have a bad battery cable (positive or negative) or bad connections on the battery cables.

[bill mason]

Thanks for reply guys. It is a two stroke. The large wire going direct to battery seems fine. Only time the power at the solenoid isn't there is when I hook up the wires from the voltage regulator. On this engine it looks like everything trim, tach, gauges, and power to solenoid all goes through the voltage regulator. I replaced the solenoid with a new one I have. No change but when I pit the old one back on the gauges and trim worked with power to solenoid (still would't turn starter over). Sat overnight and back to no power to solenoid and trim and gauges not working. Seems like a short in regulator?? Thanks for posts guys. Happy Easter to you and family.

[Capt.Insane-o]

The negative cable is hooked to the battery? The positive connects directly to the solenoid and the ground to the block..so unless the negative is off the battery and trying to feed back through a ground like the gauges or another small wire.

The trim is fed directly off the starter solenoid to the relays, the switch is fused off the main 20 amp. So check and make sure the negative cable is hooked up.

[JR IN JAX]

Bill,
A lot of times your meter will show "Apparent Voltage" which can disappear when you put a load on it. This is a very large problem with the new electronic DVMs since they do not load down the circuit while making a measurement. You can have a high potential ground or hot that will show voltage until you put a load [like a solenoid or other device] on it. This is usually corrosion under a connector or inside the wire insulation. You can add an artificial load [like a grounded carbon resistor] to the circuit and then measure sections of the circuit to see where the voltage disappears. Just remember the break can be either in the hot side or ground side of the circuit, so check it both ways.
Clear as mud?

[bill mason]

I don't have to put a load on it to stop the power to the solenoid. Just touch the voltage regulator wire to the hot wire from battery at the solenoid) and the power goes out?? New regulator on the way. Hopefully it will cure his problem. Thanks again for posts guys, much appreciated.

[flabum1017]

do you get a big spark when you touch the wire from the regulator to the hot wire? If not, then your problem is not the regulator. Have you load tested the battery? Have you load tested the battery cables?

[bill mason]

As I said when I attach the regulator wire or just touch it to the solenoid post the power stops from the battery cable. I left the regulator attached for past two days and now the battery is dead. I checked all the cells before this and all were good. Now every single cell is dead. I think there must be a short in regulator?? Just got the new regulator and they sent a five wire not the six I need.

[Motv18]

Do you have the black main leads crossed?

New one upside down?

atempting to post diagrams I’m working from. They have no external replaceable regulator the four stroke does the 2 stroke optimax does not it uses internal to alternator.

I only have the sn xxx up I’m missing 09 up to 10

[bill mason]

Put old solenoid back on. Same position. It does have a 6 wire regulator. Got a new one coming from Amazon. Hope it solves the problem.