I can sympathize with you Dave, which I will elaborate on. As far as your situation, it seems like They should be eye terminals. Probably with an elastic stopnut on the solenoid. In fact, I think nearly all terminals on boats should be eyes and not spades due to the problem you just mentioned of them slipping off. Bringing a new to me boat home a few years ago, the first day out, the secondary alternator charging the house batteries failed. I spent almost every evening that we stopped rolling around in a hot engine room trying to find the problem. Finally, halfway up the Hudson, I found an eye terminal laying in the bottom of the bilge. I was able to find a wire that was orphaned. Put a new terminal on it and voila! So, even having the eye didn't save that situation. I suppose it needed a heavier eye, and probably some form of stabilization of the wires due to vibration. Anyways, glad you finally solved your problem. They can sure be frustrating, especially in tight compartments!
Bill Coleman Entrada, Erie PA On Sun, Oct 30, 2022, 09:58 David Knecht via CnC-List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com> wrote: > I think I fixed the starting problem yesterday and it is still at once > mysterious and satisfying. I started by carefully checking all the > power circuits after having gone over my circuit diagrams of how everything > should be connected. All seemed correct on the panel and I had 12+ V at > all contacts. Pushed the start button and nothing. I went to the engine > to check the power at the starter solenoid and found the wire dangling from > the solenoid spade fitting (impossible to see or get a hand in there). I > reattached the wire and tried again and the engine turned over and started > right up. In fact, it started quickly and easily. So I think my primary > problem is fixed and in the end, the engine works better than before, which > is what I was hoping for. I still don’t understand all the strange > electrical issues I encountered along the way. Maybe that wire was > intermittently contacting the starter housing and maybe that created would > have created a short. I am not thrilled with the fact that a spade > connector worked its way off over time. Maybe a spade connector is not the > right type of connection for something vibrating all the time with the > engine running. I don’t see a way to change the spade to something else > unless someone has a suggestion. I have not touched that area of the > engine for several years so it was not something I did while installing the > switches. But the loose spade might explain why I has having intermittent > starting issues. I will likely replace the spade fitting on the wire this > winter/spring, but it is a really hard thing to get to without removing > either the starter or the alternator so will leave that job for later. > Thanks- Dave > > S/V Aries > 1990 C&C 34+ > New London, CT > > > On Oct 20, 2022, at 1:37 PM, Carl Freeman via CnC-List < > cnc-list@cnc-list.com> wrote: > > Occasionally you will get a push button that will not cooperate. Worse > case scenario grab the back of the switch with water pump pliers or vice > grips and drill out the center of the switch. Start a little undersized as > it is likely that the switch will break off. > > The push button will probably be able to be ripped off the switch with > pliers allowing you access to the center. > > Good luck. > > COMP > 1979 C&C 34 > Groton, CT > > On Thursday, October 20, 2022 at 11:46:20 AM EDT, David Knecht via > CnC-List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com> wrote: > > > I took the boot off and tried to loosen the collar on the outside, but no > luck. That is why I am not sure there isn't some hidden trick. Sprayed it > with PB Blaster and will try again next time I am on the boat. It is > possible that the PO put a different push button in, but I can't find > anything like that one in the Cole Hersey catalog. The other push button > and the new ones all have boots that pop on. This one the boot seems more > securely attached, which might be more weather resistant. I think the > outside collar actually trapped the rubber boot. Dave > > S/V Aries > 1990 C&C 34+ > New London, CT > > <pastedGraphic.tiff> > > On Oct 19, 2022, at 12:03 PM, Carl Freeman via CnC-List < > cnc-list@cnc-list.com> wrote: > > Hi David, > > That back up nut on the backside will loosen it up if you can get at it. > As an alternative you can cut the rubber boot off and grab the outside > metal with a pair of vice grips or something similar. Sounds like it is no > good anyway so tearing it up shouldn't be a problem. > > Regarding different switches, one may have been replaced in the past or > have a different amperage rating than the other. > > Best, > > Carl > > On Wednesday, October 19, 2022 at 11:30:39 AM EDT, David Knecht via > CnC-List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com> wrote: > > > I spent some time yesterday replacing the original engine panel (Universal > M4-30) buttons/switches and ran into a problem. I had bought a new Cole > Hersee key switch and two push button switches for the replacement. I was > able to replace the key switch and the glow plug button easily (only a > small amount of blood and pain). However, I realized that the original > push button start switch is different from the glow plug button. The glow > plug button has a rubber hood that can be easily removed and a knurled > round collar nut on the outside and another nut on the inside to secure > it. The start button has a rubber hood that appears not designed to be > removed and a rounded collar piece with no knurling that secures it on the > outside. I have been unable to remove that collar and it is not clear if > it is threaded. The inside nut is different as well, and it is so tightly > spaced to the body that I have not found a tool thin enough to get to it > and loosen it. Anyone have suggestions on: > > 1. Why these two push button switches are different when the presumably > perform the same type of function? > 2. A flat tool that can get to a narrow space for a large nut (something > like a bicycle pedal wrench but adjustable)? > 3. How that start push button switch is supposed to come apart? > > THanks- Dave > > S/V Aries > 1990 C&C 34+ > New London, CT > > <pastedGraphic.tiff> > > <pastedGraphic.tiff> > > > <pastedGraphic.tiff> > > >
