Let me start off by saying that boat projects are so much never-ending fun!
I decided to toss the barely working instrument panel on my Pearson 323 with a Volvo Penta MD11C and install some nice looking VDO gauges with a TinyTach. The unfortunate part is the wiring diagram doesn’t match the panel I had - oh yay, a mystery! I then figured out how the fuel shutoff solenoid valve was somehow connected to the post on the voltmeter and I thought I was on my way (it’s now connected to the ignition pos bus bar). After installing a lot of new and labelled wiring I fired up the motor. Well, I’m getting low readings from the voltmeter. Ugh. I did some investigating and it appears the alternator has an exciter wire that I finally traced today. (It’s the little things, right?) And it’s a black wire that I had errantly thought was another ground. The wire is now disconnected and as far as I can tell I’ve done no damage yet. Yet.
Now the question is where to connect this wire. I’ve read a lot about charger warning lights with diodes and voltage balance. I unfortunately do not have one and really don’t want one. Do I connect this wire as a ground to the voltmeter? Or do I just connect it to the positive ignition bus bar?
Thanks in advance for any help!
-Brent
s/v Indigo
I decided to toss the barely working instrument panel on my Pearson 323 with a Volvo Penta MD11C and install some nice looking VDO gauges with a TinyTach. The unfortunate part is the wiring diagram doesn’t match the panel I had - oh yay, a mystery! I then figured out how the fuel shutoff solenoid valve was somehow connected to the post on the voltmeter and I thought I was on my way (it’s now connected to the ignition pos bus bar). After installing a lot of new and labelled wiring I fired up the motor. Well, I’m getting low readings from the voltmeter. Ugh. I did some investigating and it appears the alternator has an exciter wire that I finally traced today. (It’s the little things, right?) And it’s a black wire that I had errantly thought was another ground. The wire is now disconnected and as far as I can tell I’ve done no damage yet. Yet.
Now the question is where to connect this wire. I’ve read a lot about charger warning lights with diodes and voltage balance. I unfortunately do not have one and really don’t want one. Do I connect this wire as a ground to the voltmeter? Or do I just connect it to the positive ignition bus bar?
Thanks in advance for any help!
-Brent
s/v Indigo