Just sorted out my ignition switch on my '67 StarCraft Bahama with the factory 60 HP Evinrude. Late last night I tried it and the motor cranks just fine now, but I did not try to start it....yet.
But my harness running from the motor up to the console has (2) coil + wires (one is capped off at the dash, I assume it would be used for a tachometer?), and (2) starter solenoid wires.
Why are there (2) solenoid wires? One of the wires (yellow) I attached to the proper post on the starter switch, but the other (black, with a ring termination and a jumper attached to the ring, with it's free end capped off), I did not attach to anything. From basic solenoid theory, I know one of the solenoid small posts gets power from the starter switch, and the other typically runs to ground. So if my starter fires up with the black-wire post un-attached, can I assume the solenoid is grounded at the engine case?
So what is the black wire from the solenoid at the console used for? The only switch on my small dash plate that will accept a ring termination looks like a push-button, probably the horn switch? Could the black wire just be a ground wire, to be used by the horn and anything else that needs a ground?
This might answer another question of mine: How does any electrical guage or device (radio? fish finder, etc?) get grounded, mounted to the fiberglass/plastic dash?
But my harness running from the motor up to the console has (2) coil + wires (one is capped off at the dash, I assume it would be used for a tachometer?), and (2) starter solenoid wires.
Why are there (2) solenoid wires? One of the wires (yellow) I attached to the proper post on the starter switch, but the other (black, with a ring termination and a jumper attached to the ring, with it's free end capped off), I did not attach to anything. From basic solenoid theory, I know one of the solenoid small posts gets power from the starter switch, and the other typically runs to ground. So if my starter fires up with the black-wire post un-attached, can I assume the solenoid is grounded at the engine case?
So what is the black wire from the solenoid at the console used for? The only switch on my small dash plate that will accept a ring termination looks like a push-button, probably the horn switch? Could the black wire just be a ground wire, to be used by the horn and anything else that needs a ground?
This might answer another question of mine: How does any electrical guage or device (radio? fish finder, etc?) get grounded, mounted to the fiberglass/plastic dash?