HELP!- Wiring Issues

[Papidoos56]

I have an 1973 Ericson E-32. We have been experiencing issues with wiring. Apparently someone miswired the ignition control panel and it keeps shorting out. Most recently I think it toasted the starter. Can anyone: 1) Steer me to a schematic that I can make sense of...or draw one perhaps. 2) Take a photo of the inside of your E-32 panel. 3) Provide me with a schematic of the engine wiring so it can be made right. According to a local wrench the coil is mis-wired, the panel is mis-wired, etc.

DESPERATE!!!

 

[peaman]

What engine do you have? Also, what control panel? A photo of the front and/or rear of the panel will be helpful.

There are several engine manuals posted HERE. If your engine is represented there, it may include a wiring diagram and information on the control panel.

 

[G Kiba]

Most engine control panels are wired similarly but you need to know which motor and panel you have as so much may have been changed over time. The stater burning out might be caused by a sticky starter switch. The happened to be earlier this year. The button stuck internally engaging the starter for 15 minutes while I was trying to diagnose this new noise coming from the running engine. The rubber cap over the switch prevented me from see that the button was depressed continuously. If you have a Kubota diesel. Vanilla Duck has a Blog post here that is amazing!

E32-3 - Going Overboard with the Engine Instrument Panel

Before... ...After It's amazing what a little fresh paint and new gauges will do for an engine instrument panel. And, a box of new marine grade wire, some fancy LED-backlit buttons, a grip of heat-shrink ring terminals, a heat gun burn...

ericsonyachts.org

 

[Loren Beach]

I seem to recall that many (most?) of boats in that era originally had the gas A4 engine installed. Hopefully another owner can chime in with a link to a schematic. Note that it's common for boats over 3 decades in age to need new wires and terminal connections.
Best of luck!
If a subsequent owner has converted to a diesel, there is the chance of poor wiring choices and techniques...
That's one reason so many owners end up re-wiring their classic sailboats.

ps: added to the thread title to make searching easier.

 

[bigd14]

Make sure you use proper tinned wire and heat shrink terminals.

Here is a schematic I came up with for my panel replacement project (Universal Diesel engine). Note the fuel sender wire doesn't match up to the fuel gauge, its an old diagram and I can't find the new one.

And some photos of the final project here:

E30-3 - New Engine Panel Fabrication Part III

This time I used thickened epoxy on all the edges and let the first course cure before adding the reinforcing layers of biax. This turned out way better with much fewer voids. Try #2 I filled the voids and spent hours sanding it flush. Then I...

ericsonyachts.org

Some resources that might be helpful:

Wire and fuse chart: https://d2pyqm2yd3fw2i.cloudfront.net/files/resources/reference/20010.pdf
Lots of technical help: https://www.bluesea.com/support/reference
Source for wire: https://www.boatwireusa.com/
Source for terminals: https://shop.sailboatowners.com/search.php?brand=sailboat&kw=FTZ
How to install terminals: https://marinehowto.com/marine-wire-termination/

Good luck with the project.

 

[kapnkd]

I seem to recall that many (most?) of boats in that era originally had the gas A4 engine installed. Hopefully another owner can chime in with a link to a schematic. Note that it's common for boats over 3 decades in age to need new wires and terminal connections.
Best of luck!
If a subsequent owner has converted to a diesel, there is the chance of poor wiring choices and techniques...
That's one reason so many owners end up re-wiring their classic sailboats.

ps: added to the thread title to make searching easier.

Correct Loren, in ‘73 when I bought my 32, the A-4 was the standard (perhaps ONLY) engine offered by Ericson.

We replaced our A-4 in ‘91 with a diesel and with it came a complete new panel. Regrettably, the old one had given way to years of being in the salt water environment and was discarded.

…No doubt his panel is also/likely to be (more probably be) suffering from years of long time corroding contacts, connections and thus shorts.

On my next boat check, I’ll look in my old manual to see if there are any engine panel schematics.

 

[Papidoos56]

Correct Loren, in ‘73 when I bought my 32, the A-4 was the standard (perhaps ONLY) engine offered by Ericson.

We replaced our A-4 in ‘91 with a diesel and with it came a complete new panel. Regrettably, the old one had given way to years of being in the salt water environment and was discarded.

…No doubt his panel is also/likely to be (more probably be) suffering from years of long time corroding contacts, connections and thus shorts.

On my next boat check, I’ll look in my old manual to see if there are any engine panel schematics.

 

[Papidoos56]

Thanks. She has an original A4...older model. People have over the years bypassed everything. I got her started tge other day only to not be able to shut her off. Local wrench played with wiring and we never got her started again.

 

[Parrothead]

1. Are you a member of the Moyer Marine Forum? If not, you should be.
2. Avoid professional mechanics. Gas engines with old school ignition systems are a dying art and today's mechanics don't have the knowledge or experience to troubleshoot them.
3. As an example of both comments above, here is the Atomic 4 wiring diagram including the instrument panel found on the Moyer Marine Forum in the Drawings and Schematics forum category.

edit: many if not most gauges today require a ground wire, not shown in this drawing.

 

[shard7]

Thanks. She has an original A4...older model. People have over the years bypassed everything. I got her started tge other day only to not be able to shut her off. Local wrench played with wiring and we never got her started again.

I feel your pain, seems to be a common issue with older boats.

Our recently acquired '74 E27 also has decades of accumulated wiring atrocities (but at least it mostly works). I've started an initial pass of just getting rid of all the wires that don't need to be there (makes it much easier to make sense of what's left), and correcting major issues as I find them (the battery and alternator wiring was just bonkers). This winter I'll likely rewire most of it...

 

[G Kiba]

I like that people pay money for heat shrinkable terminations and then don't apply a heat to shrink them. My boat had the same wiring issues. I rewired the engine control panel last year and this year will redo the main DC electrical panel. So many splices!

 

[Christian Williams]

I wish to record that my Ericsons were made with simple marine crimp connectors, no heat shrink at all--more than 35 years ago.

In all the usual owner wiring work I never found one that failed through corrosion, which is presumably why we heat seal them to keep atmosphere out. All my failures were mechanical, from being bent or vibrated or yanked on or never crimped right to begin with.

 

[shard7]

I wish to record that my Ericsons were made with simple marine crimp connectors, no heat shrink at all--more than 35 years ago.

In all the usual owner wiring work I never found one that failed through corrosion, which is presumably why we heat seal them to keep atmosphere out. All my failures were mechanical, from being bent or vibrated or yanked on or never crimped right to begin with.

Yes, I'd agree that the value in terms of corrosion protection is minimal (the other end of the connector is often a completely exposed ring or fork), but since it conforms to the wire, I do find that heat shrink insulation provides better strain relief and less movement at the wiring connection which (to your point) is helpful for reducing mechanical failures.

 

[Kenneth K]

One of my concerns about the "new" heat shrink terminals is that the metal crimp barrel is shorter than the barrel on the non- shrink terminals (at least with Anchor brand). That means less of a metal-to-wire stain relief and thus requires a more precise crimp.

It takes a little longer, but I still use the old non-shrink terminals and then use epoxy-lined shrink tubing over the connection. A little liquid- electrical-tape on the exposed wiring end seals it all up nicely.

 

[G Kiba]

The look of the shrink wrap connectors is so much cleaner and the sealed connections will undoubtedly be appreciated by future owners as they will likely out live my time on the boat. While I still buy green bananas, I would really prefer to avoid wire connection issues. I was once in a meeting with a group of Ford engineers who told me that the life of an automobile is determined by it's wiring. So, why not just do it with the best materials available when it's affordable?

 

[Tin Kicker]

Thanks. She has an original A4...older model. People have over the years bypassed everything. I got her started tge other day only to not be able to shut her off. Local wrench played with wiring and we never got her started again.

These older boats are typically loaded with many owner mods, fast mechanic work, hidden trailer splices, cheap snap-on connectors cutting into the wire, etc.

There comes a point to just replace everything wire by wire, including the gauges.

 

[Christian Williams]

when it's affordable?

One blue Ancor HS butt connector off the retail shelf is nearly $2. That just bugs me.

 

[Tin Kicker]

when it's affordable?

One blue Ancor HS butt connector off the retail shelf is nearly $2. That just bugs me.

I have no issue with most plain crimp connectors if properly crimped.
Putting on some shrink wrap tubing or sealing the ends with liquid electric tape makes them mo' betta.

But I keep running across these and they are the spawn of Satan himself for cutting the wire, creating stress risers, insufficient interface at higher amps, corrosion to set in, etc.

 

[G Kiba]

Ancor is too expensive.

 

[shard7]

So what's a better alternative to those displacement-type 'tap' connectors? Say I want to wire a new cabin light into the existing factory wiring harness, is there a better option?