How Do You Wire a Yanmar Start Solenoid ?

[Chief Engineer]

To eliminate the starter button problems?

[Bash]

eliminate the quick connector in the wiring harness that goes back to the starter button. replace with standard butt splices.

did this on my last boat, and it solved the problem instantly and permanently.

[ggray]

Not sure exactly what you are referring to, but for long wiring runs from panel to engine, Yanmar had an optional relay that mounts near the starter (solenoid). Maintains good voltage at solenoid.

Seems to help, and makes it very easy to rig a starter button right at the engine if you have a weak battery, and need to start with aid of decompression.

[never monday]

I usually just fix the harness connectors

[captfolly]

....just did this last month for our 3gm30 which has an extra long harness and was having the intermittent solenoid problem...used one of the common 30 amp "cube" relays used in cars and mounted it near the start solenoid...start wire goes to the relay coil to ground, the relay contacts go from the starter battery connection through the contacts to the solenoid terminal....works every time now!!

George

[capbillh]

I ran a continuous 14 AWG boat wire from switch to seloniod. Found wire to be .1 ohms with the original showing 5 ohms. Not worth it to mess with existing harness connectors.

Bill K2SDV

[IdoraKeeper]

Regardless of what the actual problem is (relay, burned spot , brushes, wires ect.) At some point you may need to get it running when something is fubar. Wire a big stout momentary switch to the hot side of the starter motor. Make sure the switch is in an accessable but out of the way position One push and the engine is running, you can trouble shoot the rest from a safe position later.

Todd

[DevoDave]

Originally Posted by IdoraKeeper

Regardless of what the actual problem is (relay, burned spot , brushes, wires ect.) At some point you may need to get it running when something is fubar. Wire a big stout momentary switch to the hot side of the starter motor. Make sure the switch is in an accessable but out of the way position One push and the engine is running, you can trouble shoot the rest from a safe position later.

Todd

Excellent suggestion!

[Chief Engineer]

Today I went to boat.

There are 4 connectors between push button and starter.

Voltage at button was 12.4

At starter 8.2

I opted to run a #12 wire all the way to starter,

Couldn't see the need to put another electrical (read subject to failure) geegaw in the mix..

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Chief Engineer

... Voltage at button was 12.4
At starter 8.2
I opted to run a #12 wire all the way to starter, ...

What was the new (after #12) voltage at the starter?

[Chief Engineer]

12-12.2

[Inlet Marine Services]

I install a relay in the system, why? a relay takes a very small load compared to the load of the solenoid. By installing a relay the load is shifted to the relay and as long as the panel allows alittle current to flow then the relay will turn on. I have posted this before and have been hit with 50 requests and many happy Yanmar owners. I have a wiring diagram with Carquest part # just e-mail me and I will send the wiring diagram.
inletmarineservices@comcast.net put your e-mail in the request.

[capbillh]

I agree with Chief Engineer, KISS, why put an other device to failure in the system??

[Inlet Marine Services]

Yanmar on all the new YM series engine have a starter relay in the system. The relay takes the load instead of the panel.

[hellosailor]

"I agree with Chief Engineer, KISS, why put an other device to failure in the system??"

Because a starter solenoid relay is a fairly robust device that should last 20+ years without failure. And a starter may draw several kilowatts of power when it is engaged. Your "starter button" is unlikely to be rated for that kind of heavy power draw, and by omitting the relay you are ensuring that the starter button itself will arc out and fail. Possibly welding itself shut and leaving you with no way to disconnect the starter except by lunging for the master power cutoff.

If there was no good reason to use a starter relay, do you think every car, truck, and boat manufacturer on the planet would be wasting money supplying them, when they could just omit them and keep the extra bucks?

Read the power rating on your starter switch--for 12V service. Read the power rating on your starter. I'll bet the starter pulls roughly 20x more power than the switch is rated for.