Frank Langer
1984 Ericson 30+, Nanaimo, BC
Hi,
I have owned our E30+ for 13 years, and noted early on that the starting circuit has been rewired to shorten the long wire runs and increase wire thickness as has often been discussed on this site. But the trailer plugs had not been replaced in the engine compartment and in the engine panel area. I have regularly taken the plugs apart to ensure they were clean and added some dielectric grease to keep them functional. But I now have an occasional episode where when I activate the start button, nothing happens, especially after anchoring out. It never happens when the boat is on shore power and fully charged. The batteries have been thoroughly tested, wiring cleaned and tested in the engine panel and at the solenoid and starter. So that leaves only the trailer plugs as a possible source of resistance and low voltage, I think. So I'm planning to replace them with bus bars.
So, my questions: The fix seems to be to cut off the plugs, clean the wires, crimp on ring terminals and attach to the bus bar. In our boat the wiring seems pretty tight and I'm concerned I may not have enough slack to reattach the wires - - have any of you encountered that? Secondly, I will need two bus bars, and that may be ok, but would it be much better to simply run new wires from each connection on the engine to the engine panel without the added complexity of two bus bars?
I know just replacing the trailer plugs with bus bars would be easier than rewiring, and the bus bars provide an open, accessible connection to check voltage or resistance in the future.
Any thoughts or advice from those of you who have done this?
Thanks,
Frank
I have owned our E30+ for 13 years, and noted early on that the starting circuit has been rewired to shorten the long wire runs and increase wire thickness as has often been discussed on this site. But the trailer plugs had not been replaced in the engine compartment and in the engine panel area. I have regularly taken the plugs apart to ensure they were clean and added some dielectric grease to keep them functional. But I now have an occasional episode where when I activate the start button, nothing happens, especially after anchoring out. It never happens when the boat is on shore power and fully charged. The batteries have been thoroughly tested, wiring cleaned and tested in the engine panel and at the solenoid and starter. So that leaves only the trailer plugs as a possible source of resistance and low voltage, I think. So I'm planning to replace them with bus bars.
So, my questions: The fix seems to be to cut off the plugs, clean the wires, crimp on ring terminals and attach to the bus bar. In our boat the wiring seems pretty tight and I'm concerned I may not have enough slack to reattach the wires - - have any of you encountered that? Secondly, I will need two bus bars, and that may be ok, but would it be much better to simply run new wires from each connection on the engine to the engine panel without the added complexity of two bus bars?
I know just replacing the trailer plugs with bus bars would be easier than rewiring, and the bus bars provide an open, accessible connection to check voltage or resistance in the future.
Any thoughts or advice from those of you who have done this?
Thanks,
Frank
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