[C320-list] Battery / engine will not start

[Ted Harrison]

Solenoid 12 v cable was touching the smaller cable right beside it. It was a short. The 12 volt cable covered it an I could not see that they were touching.

Looks like I will be investing in batteries as well . 

Thanks everyone for you help. 

Ted
Hull 424 Whitby 

Ted Harrison

> On Aug 25, 2016, at 3:34 PM, Scott Thompson <surprise at thompson87.com> wrote:
> 
> I'm no expert on starter motors, but could a solenoid stuck in the "on" position explain the symptoms even if there is no short? Or a short between the "small wire" and +12v in the wiring harness going back to the helm? Seems to me it wouldn't have to be a short directly to the "big wire" itself. It might be worthwhile to check whether the solenoid is "hot." That might be difficult with the starter motor running. You could disconnect the negative side of battery 1 so that the engine doesn't start with battery 1 selected. Then measure voltage from the "small wire" solenoid terminal back to the negative battery 1 terminal. A significant voltage between those points with the engine key turned off or disconnected would definitely indicate a short.
> 
> 
>> On 8/25/2016 2:46 PM, Ken Geiger wrote:
>> Ted, did you take pictures or sketch your wiring.  If this was not happening before it would seem like you changed something.
>> 
>> Did you do work at the starter motor?  if so recheck to determine if the small wire from the starter switch is somehow shorted to the big wire from the battery.  If you did not do work at the starter motor check at the motor to determine if the small wire from the starter switch is somehow shorted to the big wire from the battery.  In both cases the small wire should not be shorted but on its own terminal alone.  That small wire activates the solenoid which then moves a contact to carry the larger current from the battery to the motor .
>> 
>> Hope this helps.
>> 
>> Ken
>> 
>> Northern Dream #765
>> 
>>  
>>  
>>  
>> ---- Original Message ----
>> From: Ted Harrison <tharrison at innovations-plus.com>
>> To: C320-List <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
>> Sent: Thu, Aug 25, 2016 2:03 pm
>> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Battery / engine will not start
>> 
>> Ok disconnected start button and it still started by turning battery switch to number 1
>> 
>> Then disconnected key switch and it still started
>> 
>> Next thought?
>> 
>> Key switch broke when taking it out. Where can I get a new one ?
>> 
>> 
>> Ted Harrison
>> 
>>> On Aug 25, 2016, at 1:08 PM, Jbrown5093 <jbrown5093 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Stuck or shorted start button?  If stuck down part way you may get less voltage to the starter that could have been partially fixed by clean connections. That also might have kept the starter turning over to keep the engine running. A diesel should run even with no juice however. Have no idea how it kept running with the fuel shut off pulled. Just a wild guess.
>>> 
>>> Jim brown
>>> 
>>> Sent from my iPad
>>> 
>>>> On Aug 25, 2016, at 12:52 PM, Ted Harrison <tharrison at innovations-plus.com> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> Battery switch to off. All cables disconnected at batteries.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> This morning I clean all the connections and battery cables.
>>>> 
>>>> Charged the batteries last night.
>>>> 
>>>> Moved the levers to decompress.
>>>> 
>>>> Checked the oil and it is not milky. Added half a pint. To top if off.
>>>> 
>>>> Reconnected the cables.
>>>> 
>>>> Help with his one: : Now you will not believe it. I was real careful and connected the cables back on the same as before.
>>>> 
>>>> Now when I turned the battery switch to number one the engine started. Key was not even turned on.
>>>> 
>>>> Then ran out to the helm to stop it and it would not stop. Turned the battery switch to off and the engine stopped .
>>>> 
>>>> What could I have done ! Or what is wrong ?
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Ted Harrison
>>>> 
>>>>> On Aug 25, 2016, at 12:49 AM, <rclausen1 at bigpond.com> <rclausen1 at bigpond.com> wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>> Hi Ted
>>>>> The levers on top of our Yanmar moves to the back then have someone turn the key as the engine fires up move the levers quickly back towards yourself.
>>>>> This is how we start our engine if we have a run down battery.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Safe sailing
>>>>> 
>>>>> Teddy Clausen
>>>>> Cool Change 294 Port Macquarie Australia
>>>>> 
>>>>> -----Original Message----- From: Ted Harrison
>>>>> Sent: Thursday, August 25, 2016 8:21 AM
>>>>> To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
>>>>> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Battery / engine will not start
>>>>> 
>>>>> How do you decompress the engine?
>>>>> 
>>>>> Thanks
>>>>> 
>>>>> Ted Harrison
>>>>> 
>>>>>> On Aug 24, 2016, at 5:52 PM, <rclausen1 at bigpond.com> <rclausen1 at bigpond.com> wrote:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Decompress the engine
>>>>>> Teddy Clausen
>>>>>> Cool Change 294
>