Electrical questions.

I have a couple electrical problems / questions. I’m not sure if they are all related or not.   The boat is pretty much all stock except for installing an electronic ignition about 10 years ago and replacing the alternator a few years ago. The boat runs really good, but I’ve just noticed a few odd things.

Here’s the questions / problem.

1.     Occasionally, it seems like the boat does not start until after I release the key. Not always, but just once and a while. In the reading I’ve done, some have said that when you engage the starter, the voltage to the coil is shut off to provide the starter all the voltage, but that seems a little odd. How much could the coil draw?

2.     The main fuse next to the ignition switch on the dash seems to get pretty hot. Hot to the touch, but not so hot to burn you.

3.     When I turn on the blower or bilge pump, the gauges all seen to drop. For example, if the gas gauge is reading ½ full, it might drop to 3/8th full.    I had read that adding an additional ground will should address this issue, but after doing that, it still seems to be happening.

Couple notes.
About 2 years ago I replaced the battery and installed new battery cables with soldered ends. The local auto shop made them for me.    I’ve cleaned the connections at both ends so this seems good.

The ballast resister is still in place but it’s been disconnected and bypassed. In the reading I’ve been doing, some say it should still be used, some say it should still be used but with a jumper wire from one connection to the other, others have said to remove it all together.

When the alternator was replaced the marine store told me it had an internal regulator and I only need to connect the output wire. I don’t think there was a place to connect the second wire. I think it’s called an exciter wire. I’m not sure what that is for.

Any suggestions or help.

Thanks,

One thing you could do is put in the "Zach jumper" described in the thread in the link below.

It explains it in that thread

As said, it gives full battery voltage to the coil when the key is turned

I have a friend whose boat won't start consistently without that jumper . It should, but due to wiring issues he doesn't get enough voltage to the electronic distributor for it to fire without the jumper. It takes 8 volts for his module to fire and when cranking he's real borderline on getting that voltage even with no ballast resistor. With the jumper installed it gets the needed voltage plus some

When the key goes back to Run this wire is no longer feeding the coil but the alternator is supplying plenty of power at that time.


link

And check your 8 plug connector too for corrosion etc which could be causing issues.

And check for loose connections on the back of the key switch