• Untitled Document

    Join us on March 29rd, 7pm EST

    for the CBEC Virtual Meeting

    All EYO members and followers are welcome to join the fun and get to know the guest speaker!

    See the link below for login credentials and join us!

    March Meeting Info

    (dismiss this notice by hitting 'X', upper right)

Ignition Switch failure

Chris Miller

Sustaining Member
I just replaced the ignition switch on our 38-200 for the second time in two years. The symptom was the same each time, it was still connected while in the "off" position (i.e. fuel pump clicking and power leaving the switch, just like in the "on" position). Any thoughts for what might be causing something like this? I'd rather spend that $25 on snacks for a cruise!
Thanks,
Chris
 

u079721

Contributing Partner
Mine failed OFF

That's certainly different, as the ignition switch on my 38 failed after 10 years in the OFF mode, so that no amount of pushing would energize the starter. I just replaced it with whatever West had, and it was still working after 5 years. I would certainly rather have my mode of failure than yours!

If nothing else it convinced me that I needed to keep a spare ignition switch on board.
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
to Key or Not to Key

If you are referring to the key switch, ours was replaced with an on-off manual switch by the p.o. Another Ericson that I know of has this mod. also.
Also, I personally know of another sailor that has had the key broken off by an errant foot. Those ignition key switches do not like sea air and being bashed. :(

Since, on my Universal diesel, this switch is only a two-wire on-off device, I like the simplicity....
I did add a hidden toggle switch on the backside of the panel, under the laz seat so that if this obvious ignition switch replacement is turned on when the boat is locked up, it will not be energized. (I need to leave the main battery switch on most of the time to power the house bank for the refrigeration and the bilge pump circuit.)
A planned upgrade for later this year is to put in a replacement Blue Seas (r) switch panel where the 1-2-all factory switch is now. Then there will be one switch for the engine battery and a separate 100 amp house-battery breaker, and an emergency combiner. It's about time for a new set of upgraded primary DC cables to the main distribution panel, anyway.
You know how it goes... the upgrade list just never ends... Never...
:)

Best,
Loren in PDX
1988 Olson 34
 
Top