wiring harness

[Dawntrader]

Current status

I have installed the new engine  wiring harness and voltmeter and have wired the original 55 amp alternator to the house bank. The starter is feed from the battery switch common. I've connected the yellow wire with red stripe to the spade connector on the solenoid (with an inline fuse holder)

my question is the red wire coming down from the panel does that connect to the large post on the solenoid and should it be fused?

I have read many articles on the cat 34 website and am still confused.

Appreciate your input..
peter
86 mk1 m-25

[Ron Hill]

Peter : I wouldn't count on doing wiring by the color of the wires. You need to trace the wire from it's origin to where it is connected!! Some times "Paco" at the factory or a PO may have used any color wire to connect items!!

Look in your owners manual (page 4.2.2) or look that the manual on this site to trace where/what the wiring should be!!

A few thoughts

[Stu Jackson]

These discuss the wire from the 1-2-B switch:

OEM 1-2-B Switch Wiring History  http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,4949.msg30101.html#msg30101

1-2-B Considerations (New 2020 - Rod finally got around to diagramming what I had done in the above link in 2009 :) )
https://marinehowto.com/1-2-both-battery-switch-considerations/

The proper place for the fuse is at the battery, because the battery is The Bomb you are protecting against.  So, no, this doesn't need a fuse.

The yellow wire is from the cockpit panel switch or key to the starter solenoid.

Your approach, as Ron says, is to understand what the purpose of the wires are, not just their colors.

[Dawntrader]

Stu/ Ron
Thanks. i have read everything there is to read and there was alot. I have made the upgrades but am still a little confused. The red #10 wire comes down from  the ignition switch at the cock pit panel,   which i believe needs power to feed the instrument panel. just not sure where to connect it . my first thought is from the large Battery post on the solenoid and again i would guess it should be fused but not certain of either. As you mentioned the yellow/red wire comes down from the starter button. Batteries are fused.
Thanks

[Ron Hill]

Peter : Yes, connect the red #10 wire from the key switch to the stud on the starter solenoid. If you want to fuse that wire I'd use a "stab in" not a Buss (glass) fuse.

a few thoughts

[KWKloeber]

The red #10 wire comes down from the ignition switch at the cock pit panel,  which i believe needs power to feed the instrument panel.

just not sure where to connect it . my first thought is from the large Battery post on the solenoid and again i would guess it should be fused but not certain of either.

As you mentioned the yellow/red wire comes down from the starter button.

Peter

Yes, the (#10, red) power feed to the panel can be connected to the solenoid "B" (battery post.  ON TOP of the battery cable lug, not underneath it.

An issue is that it is difficult to get a proper ring terminal suitable for the purpose;  They are all too light for that use where there is movement/vibration. 
Whenever I build a custom harness, I use an FTZ brand. #8 x 5/16" (or M8) starter lug.  I strip the #10 a titch more than double-long, fold it over on itself and crimp it in the #8 lug (two #10s equal a #8 cable.)  I use heavy-duty (mil-spec, double wall) heat shrink over the lug/crimp for strain relief and resistance bend/work-hardening failure.
AS MANY as these as I have made up over the years, I don't believe I had ever grabbed a photo.  My BAD.

Now for the fuse -- YES the panel feed MUST be fused, otherwise it's a fire hazard!!!
I use a tinned-copper, #10 gauge, ATC (blade) fuse holder.  My fuse holder pigtail is what is crimped to the #8 x 5/16" lug, and the other end is butt crimped to the #10 power wire to the panel.

If you can't find a proper fuse holder, I am looking at about 50 of them in front of me and will gladly send you one!

Pic #1 shows the FTZ starter lug (on the starboard side) the other two are cheapo crap -- an Ancor lug and another "internet" lug.  You can easily see why FTZ is the way to go.

#2 pic is similar to how I fuse it but this is a "maxi fuse" for a heavy-duty (8 gauge) harness on a Canadian Sailcraft.

#3 pic (on a Catalina/Universal engine) shows the in-line ATC fuse holder but obviously, you can't see the crimp/heat shrink due to the boot on the solenoid B post.

#4 shows the good, secure, hefty FTZ #8 lug on the solenoid B post (it is on top of the battery and "alternator charge" cables.)  (the black "battery" cable (actually to ground the starter) was used for illustration purposes; I hadn't made up a red cable for this customer.)  The point is, the heaviest amperage (battery) on first, second greatest amperage (alt charge,} then the lightest amperage (panel feed cable.)

I just can't get the whole "picture together" dang it.

[Stu Jackson]

Ken's photographs and description are excellent and should be much appreciated.

A wiring diagram for this work could well start from this diagram, which is part of the Wiring Harness essential article (Engine Harness Upgrade - https://c34.org/wiki/index.php?title=Engine_Harness_Upgrade) in the tech wiki:  https://c34.org/wiki/index.php?title=File:Harness4.png

It shows the wiring from the cockpit panel to the starter solenoid.

Please recognize that this article was written eons ago and its purpose was twofold:  to replace the wiring harness' trailer plugs (i.e., Ken's Gummy Bears , so we don't have to discuss the Eurostrips again ) AND to replace the original ammeter in the cockpit panel with a voltmeter (eliminating the long power run through undersized wiring).  The ammeters were replaced at the factory in the late 1980s.  When I replaced my alternator I worked up my on wiring diagrams like this:  https://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,4548.0.html

As Dawntrader posted this has been extensively covered in Critical Upgrades, the tech wiki and Electrical 101.

Tag: starter solenoid wiring

[KWKloeber]

A wiring diagram for this work could well start from this diagram

https://c34.org/wiki/index.php?title=File:Harness4.png

One comment for anyone who will be working on their panel and/or harness.

The panel schematic https://c34.org/wiki/index.php?title=File:Harness4.png
(from Seaward) shows the PB circuit Breaker on the panel, which was standard for newer Seaward/Catalina Direct panels to protect the lighter gauge panel/gauges/lighting wiring. 

However, how Seaward wired it and Dennis continued to do panels for CD, it does not protect the alarm and light gauge alarm and alternator excite wires that run back to the engine compartment.  While it is "unlikely" that something would happen behind the panel to energize the oil or temp switch wires it could happen, and the Alt wire is powered whenever the key is on.  If there's a direct short to ground on these on their way to or in the engine compartment, with them not protected by the panel breaker they could catch fire before the larger main fuse on the 12v+ feed to the panel blows.

I rewired two CD panels for customers that I found wired that way (initially because heat shrink terminals are not used on Seaward/CD panels and I also found two quick-connect terminals pulled off in my hand.)  While rewiring I changed those wires to be protected by the panel circuit breaker and switched it to 20a (I thought it was a titch low for the blower plus other stuff -- probably overkill.)

Just a thought when working on your wiring -- not as important as putting a main fuse on the feed to the panel, but there's no reason to wire the breaker as it was -- so why not fix that?

[Dawntrader]

Thanks Ron, Stu and Ken for your help. much appreciated.

[Ron Hill]

Peter : Your starter solenoid probably only has one stud!!

A thought

[KWKloeber]

Peter : Your starter solenoid probably only has one stud!!

Ron

Kubota starter solenoids have two "studs" posts.  One 8mm post for the battery cable, etc, as I show.  The other, more recessed, 8mm post top one in my pic) is where the feed to power the starter motor bolts onto.