Friend claimed the used Scotty downrigger he had recently purchased
was running in reverse when he tested it. Suggested perhaps he wired
plugin in reverse, but thought no more about it. Last week he
discovered the Prawn trap puller also ran in reverse. He reversed the
wires & both dr's & puller ran okay. He next attempted to fasten the
Scotty (old style) plugin to the metal but blew fuses when the
negative made contact with the aluminum.

We tested using a digital meter & found downrigger wires & battery
both show 12v when grounded to boat. We ran the boat in the water &
did not observe any malfunctions. Also, the battery reads in the ull
charge range.

Removed all five sets of wires from battery. These we
Motor; power to console;downriggers; bilge pump; cigarette lighter
type plugin to console.

Tested each separately. Motor & power to console both showed 12 volt
when testing positive to aluminum. Downrigger ran correctly when
connected on their own.

The partics a 1987 Lund 16' aluminum with a 60 Hp Johnson 1989
CJ60TLCEA. The boat has apparently had wiring work done on it in the
intervening years & the problem appears to have surfaced only recently
when some wiring in poor condition was replaced.

My concern is that if he left thing as they are damage could at some
point be done to the stator. Before removing the console panel and
attacking the problem one wire at a time, I wonder if anyone has had
this problem & can suggest some shortcuts.
tks, edolo

On Apr 24, 9:58*am, edolo wrote:
Friend claimed the used Scotty downrigger he had recently purchased
was running in reverse when he tested it. *Suggested perhaps he wired
plugin in reverse, but thought no more about it. *Last week he
discovered the Prawn trap puller also ran in reverse. *He reversed the
wires & both dr's & puller ran okay. *He next attempted to fasten the
Scotty (old style) plugin to the metal but blew fuses when the
negative made contact with the aluminum.

We tested using a digital meter & found downrigger wires & battery
both show 12v when grounded to boat. *We ran the boat in the water &
did not observe any malfunctions. *Also, the battery reads in the ull
charge range.

Removed all five sets of wires from battery. *These we
Motor; power to console;downriggers; bilge pump; cigarette lighter
type plugin to console.

Tested each separately. *Motor & power to console both showed 12 volt
when testing positive to aluminum. *Downrigger ran correctly when
connected on their own.

The partics a *1987 Lund 16' aluminum with a 60 Hp Johnson 1989
CJ60TLCEA. *The boat has apparently had wiring work done on it in the
intervening years & the problem appears to have surfaced only recently
when some wiring in poor condition was replaced.

My concern is that if he left thing as they are damage could at some
point be done to the stator. *Before removing the console panel and
attacking the problem one wire at a time, I wonder if anyone has had
this problem & can suggest some shortcuts.
tks, edolo

Somewhere I think you have positive going to ground. The motors you
were talking about I take it, are magnetic motors which will run
backwards if the polarity is reversed and thats a tell tale that
there's something backwards. I'm not sure where to tell you to start,
but it sounds like you do have something in reverse polarity .


without further info all I can say is good luck for the moment.

"edolo" wrote in message
...
Friend claimed the used Scotty downrigger he had recently purchased
was running in reverse when he tested it. Suggested perhaps he wired
plugin in reverse, but thought no more about it. Last week he
discovered the Prawn trap puller also ran in reverse. He reversed the
wires & both dr's & puller ran okay. He next attempted to fasten the
Scotty (old style) plugin to the metal but blew fuses when the
negative made contact with the aluminum.

We tested using a digital meter & found downrigger wires & battery
both show 12v when grounded to boat. We ran the boat in the water &
did not observe any malfunctions. Also, the battery reads in the ull
charge range.

Removed all five sets of wires from battery. These we
Motor; power to console;downriggers; bilge pump; cigarette lighter
type plugin to console.

Tested each separately. Motor & power to console both showed 12 volt
when testing positive to aluminum. Downrigger ran correctly when
connected on their own.

The partics a 1987 Lund 16' aluminum with a 60 Hp Johnson 1989
CJ60TLCEA. The boat has apparently had wiring work done on it in the
intervening years & the problem appears to have surfaced only recently
when some wiring in poor condition was replaced.

My concern is that if he left thing as they are damage could at some
point be done to the stator. Before removing the console panel and
attacking the problem one wire at a time, I wonder if anyone has had
this problem & can suggest some shortcuts.
tks, edolo

Two problems. The battery Positive is connected to the hull. That is very
definitely wrong. And you should not use the hull as the ground / negative
for the electronics. You can see extra corrosion because of that. Run a
separate ground and power line to each device. Run the power from a good
fuse panel or circuit breaker panel. My consol electronics all have in line
fuses and run off a connector panel under the dash.

On Fri, 24 Apr 2009 13:21:06 -0700, "Calif Bill"
wrote:


"edolo" wrote in message
.. .
Friend claimed the used Scotty downrigger he had recently purchased
was running in reverse when he tested it. Suggested perhaps he wired
plugin in reverse, but thought no more about it. Last week he
discovered the Prawn trap puller also ran in reverse. He reversed the
wires & both dr's & puller ran okay. He next attempted to fasten the
Scotty (old style) plugin to the metal but blew fuses when the
negative made contact with the aluminum.

We tested using a digital meter & found downrigger wires & battery
both show 12v when grounded to boat. We ran the boat in the water &
did not observe any malfunctions. Also, the battery reads in the ull
charge range.

Removed all five sets of wires from battery. These we
Motor; power to console;downriggers; bilge pump; cigarette lighter
type plugin to console.

Tested each separately. Motor & power to console both showed 12 volt
when testing positive to aluminum. Downrigger ran correctly when
connected on their own.

The partics a 1987 Lund 16' aluminum with a 60 Hp Johnson 1989
CJ60TLCEA. The boat has apparently had wiring work done on it in the
intervening years & the problem appears to have surfaced only recently
when some wiring in poor condition was replaced.

My concern is that if he left thing as they are damage could at some
point be done to the stator. Before removing the console panel and
attacking the problem one wire at a time, I wonder if anyone has had
this problem & can suggest some shortcuts.
tks, edolo

Two problems. The battery Positive is connected to the hull. That is very
definitely wrong. And you should not use the hull as the ground / negative
for the electronics. You can see extra corrosion because of that. Run a
separate ground and power line to each device. Run the power from a good
fuse panel or circuit breaker panel. My consol electronics all have in line
fuses and run off a connector panel under the dash.

Yes, a good idea to isolate the hull from ground. Not a good idea to
make the entire vessel a sacraficial anode.

"jps" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 24 Apr 2009 13:21:06 -0700, "Calif Bill"
wrote:


"edolo" wrote in message
. ..
Friend claimed the used Scotty downrigger he had recently purchased
was running in reverse when he tested it. Suggested perhaps he wired
plugin in reverse, but thought no more about it. Last week he
discovered the Prawn trap puller also ran in reverse. He reversed the
wires & both dr's & puller ran okay. He next attempted to fasten the
Scotty (old style) plugin to the metal but blew fuses when the
negative made contact with the aluminum.

We tested using a digital meter & found downrigger wires & battery
both show 12v when grounded to boat. We ran the boat in the water &
did not observe any malfunctions. Also, the battery reads in the ull
charge range.

Removed all five sets of wires from battery. These we
Motor; power to console;downriggers; bilge pump; cigarette lighter
type plugin to console.

Tested each separately. Motor & power to console both showed 12 volt
when testing positive to aluminum. Downrigger ran correctly when
connected on their own.

The partics a 1987 Lund 16' aluminum with a 60 Hp Johnson 1989
CJ60TLCEA. The boat has apparently had wiring work done on it in the
intervening years & the problem appears to have surfaced only recently
when some wiring in poor condition was replaced.

My concern is that if he left thing as they are damage could at some
point be done to the stator. Before removing the console panel and
attacking the problem one wire at a time, I wonder if anyone has had
this problem & can suggest some shortcuts.
tks, edolo

Two problems. The battery Positive is connected to the hull. That is
very
definitely wrong. And you should not use the hull as the ground /
negative
for the electronics. You can see extra corrosion because of that. Run a
separate ground and power line to each device. Run the power from a good
fuse panel or circuit breaker panel. My consol electronics all have in
line
fuses and run off a connector panel under the dash.

Yes, a good idea to isolate the hull from ground. Not a good idea to
make the entire vessel a sacraficial anode.

Does not make the whole hull a sacrificial anode. It stops ground loops and
places where the aluminum and some other material become the equivalent to a
battery.

On Fri, 24 Apr 2009 18:53:49 -0700, "Calif Bill"
wrote:


"jps" wrote in message
.. .
On Fri, 24 Apr 2009 13:21:06 -0700, "Calif Bill"
wrote:


"edolo" wrote in message
...
Friend claimed the used Scotty downrigger he had recently purchased
was running in reverse when he tested it. Suggested perhaps he wired
plugin in reverse, but thought no more about it. Last week he
discovered the Prawn trap puller also ran in reverse. He reversed the
wires & both dr's & puller ran okay. He next attempted to fasten the
Scotty (old style) plugin to the metal but blew fuses when the
negative made contact with the aluminum.

We tested using a digital meter & found downrigger wires & battery
both show 12v when grounded to boat. We ran the boat in the water &
did not observe any malfunctions. Also, the battery reads in the ull
charge range.

Removed all five sets of wires from battery. These we
Motor; power to console;downriggers; bilge pump; cigarette lighter
type plugin to console.

Tested each separately. Motor & power to console both showed 12 volt
when testing positive to aluminum. Downrigger ran correctly when
connected on their own.

The partics a 1987 Lund 16' aluminum with a 60 Hp Johnson 1989
CJ60TLCEA. The boat has apparently had wiring work done on it in the
intervening years & the problem appears to have surfaced only recently
when some wiring in poor condition was replaced.

My concern is that if he left thing as they are damage could at some
point be done to the stator. Before removing the console panel and
attacking the problem one wire at a time, I wonder if anyone has had
this problem & can suggest some shortcuts.
tks, edolo

Two problems. The battery Positive is connected to the hull. That is
very
definitely wrong. And you should not use the hull as the ground /
negative
for the electronics. You can see extra corrosion because of that. Run a
separate ground and power line to each device. Run the power from a good
fuse panel or circuit breaker panel. My consol electronics all have in
line
fuses and run off a connector panel under the dash.

Yes, a good idea to isolate the hull from ground. Not a good idea to
make the entire vessel a sacraficial anode.

Does not make the whole hull a sacrificial anode. It stops ground loops and
places where the aluminum and some other material become the equivalent to a
battery.

Thanks, I understand dissimilar metals and corrosion. Anywhere
there's a bolt instead of an aluminum rivet would be at risk.

On Sat, 25 Apr 2009 01:22:24 -0700, jps wrote:

On Fri, 24 Apr 2009 18:53:49 -0700, "Calif Bill"
wrote:


"jps" wrote in message
. ..
On Fri, 24 Apr 2009 13:21:06 -0700, "Calif Bill"
wrote:


"edolo" wrote in message
m...
Friend claimed the used Scotty downrigger he had recently purchased
was running in reverse when he tested it. Suggested perhaps he wired
plugin in reverse, but thought no more about it. Last week he
discovered the Prawn trap puller also ran in reverse. He reversed the
wires & both dr's & puller ran okay. He next attempted to fasten the
Scotty (old style) plugin to the metal but blew fuses when the
negative made contact with the aluminum.

We tested using a digital meter & found downrigger wires & battery
both show 12v when grounded to boat. We ran the boat in the water &
did not observe any malfunctions. Also, the battery reads in the ull
charge range.

Removed all five sets of wires from battery. These we
Motor; power to console;downriggers; bilge pump; cigarette lighter
type plugin to console.

Tested each separately. Motor & power to console both showed 12 volt
when testing positive to aluminum. Downrigger ran correctly when
connected on their own.

The partics a 1987 Lund 16' aluminum with a 60 Hp Johnson 1989
CJ60TLCEA. The boat has apparently had wiring work done on it in the
intervening years & the problem appears to have surfaced only recently
when some wiring in poor condition was replaced.

My concern is that if he left thing as they are damage could at some
point be done to the stator. Before removing the console panel and
attacking the problem one wire at a time, I wonder if anyone has had
this problem & can suggest some shortcuts.
tks, edolo

Two problems. The battery Positive is connected to the hull. That is
very
definitely wrong. And you should not use the hull as the ground /
negative
for the electronics. You can see extra corrosion because of that. Run a
separate ground and power line to each device. Run the power from a good
fuse panel or circuit breaker panel. My consol electronics all have in
line
fuses and run off a connector panel under the dash.

Yes, a good idea to isolate the hull from ground. Not a good idea to
make the entire vessel a sacraficial anode.

Does not make the whole hull a sacrificial anode. It stops ground loops and
places where the aluminum and some other material become the equivalent to a
battery.

Thanks, I understand dissimilar metals and corrosion. Anywhere
there's a bolt instead of an aluminum rivet would be at risk.

Thanks all. Was hoping ... but looks like could be a several hour
job! Power bar looks clean, so could be melted wire in one of the
line - almost anything. Pencil, paper, and methodical testing looks
like the the only way.
tks again!
ps: at least there are still a few people on this site that think
boats!

On Fri, 24 Apr 2009 13:21:06 -0700, "Calif Bill"
wrote:

Motor & power to console both showed 12 volt
when testing positive to aluminum.

Two problems. The battery Positive is connected to the hull.

He said the hull was neg. It showed 12v when connected to pos.


In any case the engine, driveshaft and/or sterndrive will make a good
connection from ground to the hull. None the less, I don't believe in
using the hull as an electrical conductor, except for the lightning
rod. To digress slightly, get some really big magnesium anodes if you
have a slip in a marina where they mosty have stray shorepower current
in the water.

definitely wrong. And you should not use the hull as the ground / negative
for the electronics. You can see extra corrosion because of that. Run a
separate ground and power line to each device. Run the power from a good
fuse panel or circuit breaker panel. My consol electronics all have in line
fuses and run off a connector panel under the dash.

Even my 1930's design biplane had a row of fuse holders, a dozen of
them, along the bottom of the dash. My 1975 volvo had the fuses just
forward of the driver door, and you could find a blown fuse by feel,
even while driving. Those Bosch fuses had the wire exposed on the
outside of a ceramic plug.

If the wiring has been ****ed with, go over it wire by wire, testing
and attaching labels as indicated.

Casady