Wire schematic help

[Tbmyer88]

I’m new to boat wiring. I have found the schematic for my boat and don’t know what these icons are. I thought it was a ground but when I hook it to ground it blows fuses. Any ideas what these mean? Thanks!

 

[DaleH]

PPL is the wire color for Purple, which is switched 12VDC from the ignition switch. That is what is powering your gauges. Note only the Tach and Voltmeter are powered.

BLU or Blue is for switched power to illuminate the gauges at night.

BLK = Black or your ground.

ORG = Orange ...

Yada, yada ... would need to know OB model/year for engine/harness specifics for such colors.

 

[Tbmyer88]

I have the color chart also. I need to know what the icon in the circle mean. After the purple wire leaves the tach?

 

[DaleH]

Connects to your harness (if equipped) or key switch terminal, as I am sure they intend that to just indicate as a terminator or connection icon. But note that is not a symbol that show up on typically electrical circuit schematics, as they'll show the actual connection.

In case of the blue wire, you would pick up a 'hot' from a term block, then go to a switch and then run it to the 1st gauge (lamp connection) that you want illuminated at night. Then daisy chain another blue wire from that gauge to another gauge lamp connection and so on ...

 

[Tbmyer88]

Connects to your harness (if equipped) or key switch terminal, as I am sure they intend that to just indicate as a terminator or connection icon. But note that is not a symbol that show up on typically electrical circuit schematics, as they'll show the actual connection.

In case of the blue wire, you would pick up a 'hot' from a term block, then go to a switch and then run it to the 1st gauge (lamp connection) that you want illuminated at night. Then daisy chain another blue wire from that gauge to another gauge lamp connection and so on ...

Terminator icon? As in the wire ends there?

I have a blue wire that comes off the Nav/anchor switch to the harness then to the tach then piggy to the volt then that random icon(terminator?)

 

[DaleH]

Nope .. means it connects "somewhere". they don't tell you where that is ... but the color orients you.

Your Purple wire is SWITCHED power - only hot when the ignition is ON, so now that I think of it, you gotta get that from off your key switch, unless there is such a purple lead that double-backed via the harness bundle.

Your Blue wire sounds correct too, although I'm surprise there's a hot blue wire in the harness, but all harness are different; through the years and brands ...

 

[Tbmyer88]

Nope .. means it connects "somewhere". they don't tell you where that is ... but the color orients you.

Your Purple wire is SWITCHED power - only hot when the ignition is ON, so now that I think of it, you gotta get that from off your key switch, unless there is such a purple lead that double-backed via the harness bundle.

Your Blue wire sounds correct too, although I'm surprise there's a hot blue wire in the harness, but all harness are different; through the years and brands ...

Ok that makes sense.
So here’s my problem... I was planning to replace my broken volt gauges also going to remove the water and Speedo gauges as they do not work. Once I cut the purple, blue, and black wires off the gauges v and removed then now motor won’t crank. I would think the motor would run without gauges.
What do you suppose is the problem?

 

[GTS225]

Ok that makes sense.
So here’s my problem... I was planning to replace my broken volt gauges also going to remove the water and Speedo gauges as they do not work. Once I cut the purple, blue, and black wires off the gauges v and removed then now motor won’t crank. I would think the motor would run without gauges.
What do you suppose is the problem?

The problem is that you don't REALLY know what you're doing, and you cut wires without knowing where they go, and what they do. Reconnect everything back the way it was originally, and try the circuits to make sure the boat will start and run again.

Now....take a look at your third pic in your first post.
"BLU" wire from the speedo...remember that. Go up to the top, and slightly left, to that rectangle labeled "Flasher". Right below that, you'll see a "BLU" wire with the same (termination) symbol. Mentally connect those two together, and CHECK on your boat to ENSURE that is what you have.

What they did was to prevent the schematic from getting too "busy", making it difficult to follow the wiring. For someone that doesn't know how to read schematics, it's really confusing to follow.

Question.....is your schematic on two pages? I don't see a battery in that schematic that you posted. Power has to come from somewhere, and it would be nice to know how it's connected into that system.

Come to think of it, I don't see the starter motor, or engine in that schematic at all. There must be another page that we would need to see to give you good advice on this.

Roger

 

[Tbmyer88]

The problem is that you don't REALLY know what you're doing, and you cut wires without knowing where they go, and what they do. Reconnect everything back the way it was originally, and try the circuits to make sure the boat will start and run again.

Now....take a look at your third pic in your first post.
"BLU" wire from the speedo...remember that. Go up to the top, and slightly left, to that rectangle labeled "Flasher". Right below that, you'll see a "BLU" wire with the same (termination) symbol. Mentally connect those two together, and CHECK on your boat to ENSURE that is what you have.

What they did was to prevent the schematic from getting too "busy", making it difficult to follow the wiring. For someone that doesn't know how to read schematics, it's really confusing to follow.

Question.....is your schematic on two pages? I don't see a battery in that schematic that you posted. Power has to come from somewhere, and it would be nice to know how it's connected into that system.

Come to think of it, I don't see the starter motor, or engine in that schematic at all. There must be another page that we would need to see to give you good advice on this.

Roger

Absolutely right I do not know what I’m doing. I already tried to reconnect everything problem is the gauges are so old the plastic housing are cracked or cracking. Which the blue connector broke off the volt gauges. And the Speedo so I have no connectors on them

I was thinking that’s what the blue went to the other blue below the flasher. But where does the purple go?

There has to be more pages but this is the only page I can find online.

At this point I was hoping to just get by with the tach and bypass the rest. Just need to find out if the wires need to connect somewhere else.

 

[Tbmyer88]

I found this version as well…

 

[SaminMass]

This may confuse the issue but from a real beginner’s perspective (me) this is helpful.
https://www.boatus.com/expert-advic...leshooting-boat-gauges-instruments-and-meters

 

[Tbmyer88]

This may confuse the issue but from a real beginner’s perspective (me) this is helpful.
https://www.boatus.com/expert-advic...leshooting-boat-gauges-instruments-and-meters

Thanks!

 

[LDUBS]

Assuming the console wiring diagram in pic #3 is correct, I don't understand how cutting those wires behind the gauges would impact starting the motor.

I also don't understand why whatever wires were cut cannot be simply reconnected (with or without the gauges) if for no other reason than to see if that caused the problem. Especially the black and purple wires. And, make sure all the fuses are good.

I'm on pretty thin ice when it comes to this stuff. I have nothing constructive to add but am really curious to understand what happened here.

 

[Tbmyer88]

Assuming the console wiring diagram in pic #3 is correct, I don't understand how cutting those wires behind the gauges would impact starting the motor.

I also don't understand why whatever wires were cut cannot be simply reconnected (with or without the gauges) if for no other reason than to see if that caused the problem. Especially the black and purple wires. And, make sure all the fuses are good.

I'm on pretty thin ice when it comes to this stuff. I have nothing constructive to add but am really curious to understand what happened here.

That’s what I don’t understand either. I tried to reconnect and discovered the broken connectors. So I tried reconnecting bypassing those broke gauges and still nothing. That why I was asking what those icons are. Maybe I’m missing a connection somewhere. A friend of mine said he thinks it’s a bad ground. I checked the battery wires and all other connections and everything seems right. Even got a new battery thinking that was the problem as my old one wouldn’t stay charged longer than 48 hrs off the charger.
I defiantly am no marine electrician but from research and ol you tube thought I had a small sliver of an idea what I was doing. Boy was I wrong I guess lol smh.

 

[David Atkins]

electrical ground image that is on all wiring schematics, can be shown with or without the circle. The symbol you show is an electrical continuation to another gauge or device that will be shown on another wiring diagram. If it is hot with key in on position then it is powering or supposed to power a device; you have to run out each wire (Search) unless you have all of the electrical diagrams.

 

[Tbmyer88]

View attachment 115127 electrical ground image that is on all wiring schematics, can be shown with or without the circle. The symbol you show is an electrical continuation to another gauge or device that will be shown on another wiring diagram. If it is hot with key in on position then it is powering or supposed to power a device; you have to run out each wire (Search) unless you have all of the electrical diagrams.

Thanks, that’s what I thought. Just confused as to where else the purple or blue wires could go since all the gauges are wired and no other devices.

 

[MrGiggles]

Check the main fuse on the outboard. If by chance the key was on while you were snipping wires, may have accidentally shorted it out. It should crank without any gauges hooked in.

Also make sure it didn't get bumped into gear. Been there done that!

 

[GTS225]

Absolutely right I do not know what I’m doing. I already tried to reconnect everything problem is the gauges are so old the plastic housing are cracked or cracking. Which the blue connector broke off the volt gauges. And the Speedo so I have no connectors on them

Oohhh. Connectors broken off......there's a monkey wrench in the works. OK.....you should be able to run the engine without the gauges.

I was thinking that’s what the blue went to the other blue below the flasher. But where does the purple go?

Are you saying you "lost" the other side of the purple wire that you cut?

There has to be more pages but this is the only page I can find online.

At this point I was hoping to just get by with the tach and bypass the rest. Just need to find out if the wires need to connect somewhere else.

You shouldn't need to bypass them, in the true sense of the word. You should still be able to operate the boat with them still hooked up. They may not tell you anything useful., but they shouldn't keep the engine from running. (Do tape off those that go to the broken gauge connections.)

Do you get anything that resembles electrical power? At this point, I suggest you double-check all your fuses. You may have popped one that's not obvious.

Roger

 

[GTS225]

I found this version as well…

THERE we go!
I see a battery, an ignition switch, and most, (if not all), the common loads. (lighting, trolling motor, tilt motor.)

I recommend you save that and print it on a larger format. It will greatly help you with this problem.

Roger

 

[GTS225]

Hey guys? I'm not seeing an actual ground indicator on the schematic that Tbmyer posted.
(I'll admit the schematic is pretty small for these old guy eyes.)
That makes me think the mfgr may not have wired the boat using a common ground.

Tbmyer; Does the battery negative actually have a wire that connects to the boat hull, very near the battery?

Roger