40 amp circuit breaker?

Brian,

Sure, here's my email: comtor@netzero.com

Thanks again,

Walt

Nutty,
Excellent! If you need to fax it: 812-597-0699.
Many thanks.
Walt

6strings wrote: Nutty, I would definetly be interested in the wiring diagram you mentioned. My 76 has had the one wire alternator change over but all the old wires and regulator are still in place with clipped wires. I'd like to go through it all and remove the old wire remnents and make sure the rest is up to date, including a main breaker. I'd also like to clean up my dash wiring since replacing the ammeter with voltmeter. It sounds as if I can eliminate a couple of wires that are still in place. Thanks everyone for all the knowledge sharing!

Great Chris. I agree on the learning thing. There's alot more satisfaction on knowing why something isn't working and how to fix it.

Nutty, I would definetly be interested in the wiring diagram you mentioned. My 76 has had the one wire alternator change over but all the old wires and regulator are still in place with clipped wires. I'd like to go through it all and remove the old wire remnents and make sure the rest is up to date, including a main breaker. I'd also like to clean up my dash wiring since replacing the ammeter with voltmeter. It sounds as if I can eliminate a couple of wires that are still in place. Thanks everyone for all the knowledge sharing!

Jeff, It sounds more and more like your wiring method is what 112 has. This has gotten real confusing!! Did CC wire differently than the PCM wiring diagram? Has someone changed the wiring?

112, Put the new breaker in and you have a fully charged battery now then see what happens.

Poster, is the picture above of the engine in your boat? If so it looks very nice. My question is...why haven't you upgraded to an alternator with an internal regulator and replaced that ammeter with a more reliable voltmeter. Your electrical problem would be much simpler to troubleshoot this way if not done away with. I can provide you with a wiring diagram for this modification if you'd like. It would also clean up some clutter in your engine compartment. Brian

I believe that the wire from ignition directly to solenoid is white and not 10 gauge. It is smaller. The only red wire connected to ignition switch is the wire from the ammeter. It is the only 10 gauge wire connected to the switch.
I cannot tell for sure if the breaker is original or not. I think not. The engine is original and I do not know if '78 351w Commanders came with them. The bracket that it is attached to is VERY clean, though. The previous owner also replaced the voltage regulator (I think that is what it is. It says "short circuit protected" on it). Here is the photo of it with a big blue box on the rear of the bracket. That blue box has been replaced by a 2 inch by 3 inch shiny silver box that says "Short circuit protected" on it.

It really is a Commander, by the way. It just has PCM manifolds on it
My battery charger is not one with an amp meter, per se. It's a cheap one with a light "scale" indicating level of charge. It started on the very bottom when I first hooked it up and climbed as it charged. It may start on the lowest level, by default.

Battery took some charge. I have not put it back in though to test (thunderstorms).
The wiring diagram that I have is the one that you posted. I gave you the wrong location of the breaker earlier. Here is the correct location.
The 10 gauge wire from the alternator goes to one post of the ammeter. From that same post, a 10 gauge wire goes to the breaker and from the breaker to the solenoid. The other post of the ammeter has a 10 gauge wire going to the ignition switch. The diagram says that wire is supposed to be "clipped" if ammeter is used. Does that mean no connection there? Mine definitely has a wire there from the ammeter and alternator to the solenoid with a circuit breaker in-line:

Jeff, The wiring diagram is right out of the PCM manuel.

    8122, this is a weird diagram as I am pretty sure its messed up. First you are right about all the loads going through the ammeter. The diagram cant be right because the way they show it, you would show charging current as total load being drawn from the alternator including battery charging combined. Being wired this way, your current meter will never creep to zero. Also, it would not show ANY discharge current. In oreder to be correct, the right side post of the ammeter in the pic would would have to have a direct line to the "batt term" on the ign key and NOT going from "batt term" direct to the battery like it now shows. Then the a direct line from the battery would have to go to the left post on the pic of the ammeter. I wish I had 112 intelligence on how to "draw" on the diagram as I suck at computers!!

     112, did you just add the ammeter across the breaker without unhooking anything??? If so, you need to unhook the wires on one side of the breaker (doesnt matter which) and put the ammeter in series with it.


                                      Jeff...

wow! I think I need a beer....

Pete, here is the breaker location:

It says "red to ign. switch" which would be the bat. terminal

112, Below is a 70's pcm wiring diagram. Is it like the one you have? Were is the 40 amp breaker?



Jeff, This diagram shows that all loads and battery charging go through the amp meter or tell me if I'm missing something again!! Again thanks for bringing up the fact that a cheap volt / olm meter many not read low enough ohms. I guess I'm used to using my DMM and didn't think about it before recomending buying a $40 meter. Typically I'm at higher voltages which helps with ohms law too. I usually don't see anything less than 24 volts nominal and that would only be on PLC'c.

    A current meter inline with the breaker is the only true way to troubleshoot without guessing.


                                    Jeff...

Yeah. I've got a charger. I'll give it a try.