A shcking experience

[Giffo]

Hi all, I had a rather 'shocking' experience on the water last weekend.

I took the boat out on Sunday. The motor, a 1977 Javlin 85hp started and ran fine, until I went to turn it off. When I turned the ignition switch off, the motor continued to run. After playing around with the key it eventually stopped, after about a minute or so.

The next couple of times I did this there was no problem, then it happened again. This time I received a decent electrical shock when I touched the control box. The electrical shock problem only happened when the motor was running and the ignition swithched into the off position. It did not occur during the normal running of the motor.

My guess is there may be a loose wire/conection in the ignition switch, however I'm wondering how this may have occured.Or could the issue be a loose wire/connection in the motor's electrical system itself.

I would appreciated any suggestions as to what may be causing this problem.

Regards

Giffo

[BFB]

I would say that by you getting an electric shock that your boat is an aluminium hull. The electric shock would be received by a wire shorting to the frame of the controls and you becoming the circuit to earth.

I am not sure how the ignition switch operates but if it shorts the ignition in the controls when the switch is turns off the shock could be caused by a broken connection.

[Testlab]

I think you'll find your keyswitch is full of salty gunge and corroded to the point the grounding terminal inside is either broken off or no longer making sufficient contact. The shock is from electrical leakage through the salt corrosion, making an electrical path from the ignition wire to the key barrel and key itself.

Clean or replace the ignition switch assembly and it should be back to normal (in my opinion).

Edited October 19, 2011 by Testlab

[Giffo]

Thanks for the replies.

Hopefully it is just a matter of giving the ignition switch a clean.

Giffo