Battling my voltage drain

[spharis]

So I am still battling my voltage drain and choke problems. I got tired of tracing and testing, and decided to start replacing.....throw money at it right....I was down to 10.2V today. The wiring on the older Tige's is so simple, there is just no schema to follow.....I really wish I had a wiring diagram. There are no power distribution boxes. All the dash power comes from either the ignition or from a hot that runs to the starter lug. Tige also used some funky Molex connectors for the instrument cabling to join from dash bundle to sensor bundle. Sone of them switch colors 3 times This does make it real easy to add my second battery for stereo though......the hot for the radio is simply tied to the ignition hot.

Anyway, all my rockers are getting updated with some from this century, and all the circuit breakers as well. Replaced the power outlets, and the new housing for the stereo went in today with the help of the Dremel. If I get time this weekend I will try to get pics posted up. Hopefully I won't hit any snags putting in my new pretty switches. I am supposed to be saving this money for a Phat Budde and the remaining Faria gauges I want.

Swiches I ordered....they are a build it yourself type....pick your actuator style.



I have also determined that my electric choke spring is just not working correctly. It will not close the choke off all the way while it is cool. I have to reach under the flame guard and flip it fully closed. Good thing those are cheap.

[Tige2002]

have you tried adjusting the choke spring by loosening the 3 screws on the plastic housing and turning the housing clockwise while noting when the choke butterfly closes? then tighten the screws up. There are gradation markings on the plastic housing.

[spharis]

Not yet....that is the next thing I was going to do. I nee to charge the battery and connect it back up first. Right now all my electrical is in pieces awaiting parts, etc. The thing that annoys me the most out of all the wiring is that the altenator is run on about 12 gauge cable.......so that is getting replaced too; the whole thing.....

[spharis]

My parts cam in today.....nice stuff....these circuit breakers are so much nicer than the 1997 plastic ones that were on there, and the rockers look sweet. Can't wait to install.....

Link to actuators, and switches....
http://www.mouser.com/catalog/628/1346.pdf
and a data sheet
http://www.carlingtech.com/pdf/contura_X_XI_XII.pdf

BTW my Treo takes crappy pics, so please bear with them. The install pics will be much nicer.

The switch base, with incandescent light. The LED ones were $10 a piece, these were only 4 something. So I can live with incandescent lights. You can always get LED replacements really cheap. As far as the rocker itself, there are two styles, and several types. By styles I mean single or double lights, lit when on, lit when off. As this is marine, lit when on is the only likely canidate. They come in all the usuals DPDT, SPST, SPDT, DPST. I of course only needed SPST.



The rocker itself.....this particular model allows you to pick the style you want. This was the only one that fit the size I needed, with a single light.....I really wanted blue, but mouser had this in red only.


Assembled.....



and the new Carling breakers.....

[spharis]

Well, wired up all the new switches, circuit breakers, and my new radio. Also went ahead and added my transom mounted radio remote. Had to jump the boat off, as the battery was down to 10V, let it charge, and everything looks sweet. I had to order one more circuit breaker as I ordered the same number as switches, but there was one for the horn too. All that's left is wiring up the new comps, and drilling a few more holes, then I will take some pictures. The only problem I had is that apparently, in marine world, a 2" hole is actually a 2 1/8 inch hole. Go figure....I had to sand down the nice smooth perfect circle with a dremel, it's not quite as smooth anymore.