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Author Topic: Black 40 amp fuse box and black coating on wire  (Read 426 times)

May 06, 2018, 02:56:02 PM
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john desario

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Black 40 amp fuse box and black coating on wire
« on: May 06, 2018, 02:56:02 PM »
First time posting. Thanks in advance for any advice.
Issue: electrical.

Own a 1998 215 Explorer DC. Many years of great fun. Last 4 years, numerous electrical issues.
A little history.

I have re-spliced any connection that looked faulty... that I could find.
Replaced the blue connector in the Stern, after reading about possible issues. chaged out ground buss in stern, and replace all ground connectors to the bus. Replaced terminal connectors to the battery.
 
Replaced all the gauges except fuel at the helm. As they all stopped working.
RPM & Trim gauge still not working,,  Volt,fuel &, Rpm all work.   

Last season, twice ... off shore,  when powering back up.. the motor would not turn over. Stranded !
Eventually I would get the motor to turn over.. typically it appeared to be a loose connection at the negative battery terminal. 

this season , just discovered. Negative terminal to battery , totaly covered with corrosion, forgot to  disconnect this season. So that is getting replaced.. thought the battery was dead, as motor would not trim up, *( using trim button on motor cover, since it was right in front of me ), disconnected the battery to charge it and  Put a meter to the battery ... it was 95 % charged 12.4 volts, 2 years old battery. I am assuming it was the corrosion at the terminal, loosing connectivity.

Black box in the stern.. inside is completely corroded.. so assume none of the breakers work.
Reading up on the black box... its the 40 amp breaker to the helm that I am concerned about.

Do I need to replace the black box ??. and if so where do I purchase one ?

Bilge pump is working, float switch is working, I no longer have a radio and when I did just direct wired it to the battery. Forgot what the 3 white fuse is for.

At times at the helm, some of the toggle switches do not work... there is one breaker and its in a vertical row,( not breaker just below the individual toggle swithches ) that seems to click when pressed. Think it fixes one of the fuses, not remembering which one at the moment.

Anyway.. long winded... Guess the question is :

Where else do I look for the cause of loss of power to the motor ?

How do I test if its the key switch... or just replace it ?   

Oh... just about.... all the wires that I have re spliced are not bright copper... there all black coated !
Ive read this is possible rotten wire ? I s that true... and if so am I up the creek without a paddle?

Any advise is appreciated.. I have other questions.. but lets start with this.. next post will be shorter.

May 06, 2018, 04:08:00 PM
Reply #1

wingtime

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Re: Black 40 amp fuse box and black coating on wire
« Reply #1 on: May 06, 2018, 04:08:00 PM »
Remember the house circuits and the engine circuits are on two different wire harnesses. The black box itself is unique to Genmar so your not going to find one. You can replace the components in the box or build a new one. The 40 amp breakers the main feed for the helm circuits minus the engine loads (gauges, start switch etc) the three fuses are constant hot even with the battery switch off... they feed the front and stern bilge pump float switches and the stereo memory circuit. The 215 does no come with a FWD bilge so one of them is not used. If all of that is corroded I'd replace them. Also any grounds that are corroded replace them.

If you strip a wire and you see the copper is black... that's corroded too. Cut it back till you find good copper or replace it.
1998 Explorer w/ Etec 250


1987 170 w/ Evinrude 90

 

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