Force 50, where to mount tilt switches?

[bioman]

I swapped a working Force 50 with my unworking one, putting the good one on my tilt/trim transom mount. The old motor had the relays and switches for tilt/trim mounted on the base of the motor cowling, right under the terminal block.. its very inconvenient tight space to be drilling and tapping holes.

Any reason I can't mount those switches and breakers in the spacious front under the carb? or on stbd side under the fuel pump? Lots more room over there....

Also, old boat seemed to have two circuit breakers in line for red wire (power). Why would it need 2 ?

Questions: 1) Any sensitivity where I mount the relays and the circuit breaker?

2) Can I leave one of the two circuit breakers out and simply connect red wir wire to soemthing hot?

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: Force 50, where to mount tilt switches?

The larger force engines mount them on the lower cowling right where the wiring enters the engine. On the larger engines I have mounted them on the exhaust cover, the wire terminal mounting plate, and on the starter motor.

The factory assembles engines in a different order than we repair them so they do things for sometimes what is not an obvious reason. They may have just had a few holes available at the location described and decided to use them for relays.

You can mount relays and switches without circuit breakers, but since you already have them, why give up the protection? That's just poor thinking.

That said, the relays and circuit breakers can go anywhere, but good practice would call for using the shortest run of wire possible. Remember, although the switch wires only carry signal voltage and just enough amps to energize the relays (probably less than one amp), the power wires to the motor can carry as much as 30 amps. --Shorter wire=less resistance=less power loss and less heating.

 

[bioman]

Re: Force 50, where to mount tilt switches?

thanks much for advice... I understand not giving up protection, but it seems the 2 relays are in serial, so seems like double opp for failure to me.. one should be enough if I can find the room.

Weirdly you bring up another really good point about resistance... the kit must have been supplied with ane xtra long wire, because although the relays are about 2 inches apart, they're connected with a 10 inch wire wrapped around and around.... you're right I could improve juice by shortening it and bringing it closer to the tilt unit.

Thanks again,