Hooking up 8hp Yamaha charging system

[AlK]

I would like to hook up my Yamaha's 8hp charging system to the electrical system on my boat. What do I need to do and I don't want to cause any damage.

The boat has the following:
- 1998 200hp Merc Offshore EFI
-2 Batteries
-Perko Switch (Off/1/All/2)

At the present time the positive (+) wire from the 200hp Merc goes to terminal 1 on the Perko Switch.

1) Where does the positive (+) wire from the 8hp Yamaha go?
2) I think the negative (-) goes to the negative bus bar, correct?
3) With the 2 battery system and the Perko Switch that I have, can both motors be running at the same time or is something else needed to isolate the motors from each other?
4) Where do I hookup the wiring harness up to on the Yamaha ( the red wire on the harness has a bullet type connector and the black wire has a small ring connector)?

Thanks

 

[Charlie]

I would like to hook up my Yamaha's 8hp charging system to the electrical system on my boat. What do I need to do and I don't want to cause any damage.

The boat has the following:
- 1998 200hp Merc Offshore EFI
-2 Batteries
-Perko Switch (Off/1/All/2)

At the present time the positive (+) wire from the 200hp Merc goes to terminal 1 on the Perko Switch.

The engine starter should NOT be on #1 - that should be your #1 battery? The positive wire from the starter should by on the center post "com". One battery should be wired to the #1 terminal and the other battery to the #2. The engine starter should be wired to the center post “com.”

1) Where does the positive (+) wire from the 8hp Yamaha go?

To do it correctly... You now will have twin engines with two seperate charging systems, so you should have those two charging systems separated. Easy way to do that is using two battery switches. That prevents one charging system from damaging the other. With that said, I assume you are only going to just run one engine at a time? If so, only running one you won’t have any problem.

2) I think the negative (-) goes to the negative bus bar, correct?

The negative can go directly to any part of the engine negative system. To include the negative on the engine itself, battery, or any other part of the common negative.

3) With the 2 battery system and the Perko Switch that I have, can both motors be running at the same time or is something else needed to isolate the motors from each other?

With only one battery switch (wired to work "correctly") you shouldn't run both engines at the same time. If you do, there is a chance of one charging system damaging the other if continually done. Worst case, "possibly" one stator "might" blow the other and that would "probably" be your main blowing the stator of the kicker? That can happen and that is... a "can," "could," and "might." It has happened but "probably" won't, unless you run them both constantly and continually.

4) Where do I hookup the wiring harness up to on the Yamaha ( the red wire on the harness has a bullet type connector and the black wire has a small ring connector)?

The red wire on the Yamaha will also go on the center "com" terminal. If your battery negatives are corrected correctly you can put that black wire ring connector directly to either battery or main engine.
Here is a Perko wiring diagram for you:
http://www.perko.com/images/catalog/pdf/Fig 8501-8504 Inst (8500INS1).pdf

 

[Clipper]

Ouch! I didn't realize that you couldn't or shouldn't run both engines at the same time with a two engine (main and kicker), two batt and single switch setup. I normally leave the main (F150) running for boat control until the kicker (T8) warms up and had no idea that this could be harmful. Guess you learn something every day and I'll have to check both motors charging systems output.

 

[AlK]

Charlie,
Thank you for your concise reply.

My mistake, Charlie you are correct; the #1 battery is connected to terminal #1 on the switch; the #2 battery is connected to terminal #2 on the switch; and the Merc is in fact connected to the common terminal.

Sorry, for not being very clear, but my question #4 dealt with where I connect the wiring harness on the kicker. The harness came in bag. I removed the hood from the kicker and found the male red plug.

So I basically need another Perko switch and wire the two switches per the Perko drawings.

However this raises a question in my mind.
For example with the port engine and battery#1 being hooked up to the port switch and the starboard engine and battery#2 being hooked up to the starboard switch and both switches being set to say (1 or All or 2) and both engines running are the charging systems isolated from each other?

 

[Charlie]

So I basically need another Perko switch and wire the two switches per the Perko drawings.

However this raises a question in my mind.
For example with the port engine and battery#1 being hooked up to the port switch and the starboard engine and battery#2 being hooked up to the starboard switch and both switches being set to say (1 or All or 2) and both engines running are the charging systems isolated from each other?

If you chose to go the two battery switch route, While both engines are running, one should be on #1 and the other engine on #2. You can chose to run the different engines from either of the seperate battery systems. You then can switch either engine to run from either battery, so while running both keeping the charging systems separate and then when running just one engine it can be from either battery providing a charge to the battery selected.

There are a lot of "can," "could," and "might" there. I personally would just wire the red kicker wire to the one Perko "com" and not worry about it? Worse thing, "Might" blow one of the stator!

 

[AlK]

Charlie,

Thanks for your comments, that certainly makes it simpler.

 

[Bifmalibu]

I have not used this product but I have read it's great reviews. http://bluesea.com/products/7650