electric choke wires
Printed From: CorrectCraftFan.com
Category: Repairs and Maintenance
Forum Name: Engine Repair
Forum Discription: Engine problems and solutions
URL: http://www.CorrectCraftFan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1389
Printed Date: September-27-2024 at 5:01pm
Topic: electric choke wires
Posted By: jimbo
Subject: electric choke wires
Date Posted: March-30-2005 at 4:43am
I bought an '84 ski nautique last year with the 351 Commander engine with a Holley carb (4160). There is something that has been bothering me and I thought I'd ask the unpaid research department.
The electric choke has two electrical connectors (one male, one female). One wire is plugged into the male connector and nothing into the female. There is a wire with a female connector dangling near by that is labled "ground". Should this wire be connected to the choke? It just bugs me that this wire is just laying there.
I've been having some starting and idleing issues but I'm headed in a different direction with them (tune up, I think she has an intake leak and I know there's and exhaust leak).
Any advice?
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Replies:
Posted By: 79nautique
Date Posted: March-30-2005 at 10:18am
The other wire should be connected to the choke stat. The connectors are different so that you get the pos and neg correct.
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http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=756&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1979&yrend=1979 - 79 nautique
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Posted By: David F
Date Posted: March-30-2005 at 12:21pm
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Exactly, the choke needs to be grounded to complete the circuit in order to work at all. Since the choke is just a heating element, I really do not think polarity matters as a short circuit is a short circuit and that is how heating elements work with DC.
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Posted By: 79nautique
Date Posted: March-31-2005 at 10:38am
The choke stat may not care about the polarity but the rest of the componets the are wired into that grounding circuit do. If it was a stand alone wire i.e. not in series or parallel circuit, then that would be fine. But since it is not a stand alone curcuit you can cause problems by reversing the leads.
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http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=756&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1979&yrend=1979 - 79 nautique
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Posted By: David F
Date Posted: March-31-2005 at 11:54am
Uh, I disagree. The heating element in the choke does not care which way the power flows and the other components in the circuit would NOT know the difference. A short circuit is a short circuit no matter how the wire are connected.
Polarity is not important with the choke. 12V will travel through the heating element in either direction to ground. Think of the choke heating element as a big resistor (which it is). Have you ever seen a resistor that is polarity specific? No. Just like the ballast resistor used on ignition systems with points...the resistor is not polarity specific.
PS: If your choke cover has a "+" or "-" (mine does not), then by all means hook it up that way.
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Posted By: jimbo
Date Posted: April-02-2005 at 4:23pm
All that is written on the choke is "lean". I'm just concerned because the ground lead won't plug into the choke directly, both leads are female. I would need to change the connector on the lead to male. It smees like if that's where the wire is supposed to connect, the connector would be the same. The lead is labled ground so I don't think it would hurt to hook it up.
I guess right now the choke isn't working and I've got an open circuit in the carb (that doesn't sound good!).
Can someone give me a brief explaination of how the electric choke works? Does it shut off most of the airflow until the engine gets hot, then open the air flow?
Thanks,
James
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Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: April-02-2005 at 4:47pm
Yes, the plate should be gently closed and not preloaded too much. rotatin gth echoke chenged the preload.
Newer carbs have Male/Female connectors.
Older carbs have two make connectors.
I suspect the carb is not original and was replaced with something more modern.
Since its not a good idea to run high current through a carb, the element is isolated from the carb body, hence the need for a ground.
As been said, follow the polarity, if indicated.
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Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: April-02-2005 at 4:49pm
Jeepers, did I write that? corrected:
Yes, when cool, the plate should be gently closed and not preloaded too much. Rotating the choke changes the preload.
Newer carbs have one male and one female connector.
Older carbs simply have two male connectors.
I suspect the carb is not original and was replaced with something more modern.
Since its not a good idea to run high current through a carb, the element is isolated from the carb body, hence the need for a ground.
As been said, follow the polarity, if indicated.
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Posted By: Jim_In_Houston
Date Posted: April-03-2005 at 4:58pm
I agree with the last sentance in GottaSki's post.
I am NOT an expert when it comes to marine electrical work but let me please give you the benefit of my limited knowledge in the area.
NOTE: This stuff is much more dangerous than it first appears. An electrical short near the carb could be lethal for you and your family - so be sure to know what you are doing or hire an expert to do it for you.
It would be best to protect the electrical wiring by adding an inline fuse to the choke electrical circuit. (Assuming the electrical point from which you are deriving your 12 volts is not already properly fused). There probably exists a specification somewhere on what size fuse to use but I do not know what it is. If you fuse the circuit be sure to use a fuse rated for DC 12 volts (minimum). A fuse rated for a higher voltage is OK as long as it is rated for DC. Someone on the forum may have an idea as to the proper amp rating of the fuse. My GUESS is 3 to 5 amps will be OK. The choke manufacturer will know.
Marine applications may even require a special fuse holder - this I do not know but I would like to hear from others on it.
The fuse should not be connected in the choke circuit between the choke and the electrical ground.
If your ignition coil (spark plug coil) does not use an external ballast resistor you can connect one side of your choke to the positive terminal on your coil (and the other side to a ground on the carb frame. If the positive terminal of your coil is wired to an external resistor the voltage at your coil will be less than 12 volts and is not suitable for connection to your choke. The resistor usually looks like a small rectangular shaped block of white ceramic porcelyn.
I hope others will expand on the above.
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Happy owner of a '66 and a '68 Mustang
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Posted By: Jim_In_Houston
Date Posted: April-07-2005 at 11:52pm
This is a MUST READ for all of the above. (Copy and paste the URL into your browser address box):
http://www.holley.com/TechDocs/Instructions/Holley/Sheets/745-224.pdf#search='fuse%20holley%20electric%20choke
According to Holley connecting the wires in the reverse polarity could cause a fire!
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Happy owner of a '66 and a '68 Mustang
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Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: April-08-2005 at 9:29pm
Posted By: jimbo
Date Posted: April-10-2005 at 7:55pm
Ok, I jumpered the wire (rather than cut off the connect and replace it with the correct one) and I had trouble getting the engine started. I disconnected the jumper. While the engine was running (at idle) I reconnected the jumper and the engine stalled. Any ideas?
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Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: April-12-2005 at 9:27am
You're either grounding out the ignition or pulling too much current for the rediculously small gauge ignition wire from the dash that powers the alt,ignition,choke, gauges, etc.
Just a little resistance from correoded connections will cause significant voltage drop under load, but show correct voltage when the loads are removed.
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Posted By: nms1991
Date Posted: April-18-2005 at 1:10am
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The older Holley carbs with the two posts the same it does matter which way it is hooked up. If hooked up wrong it blows the ignition fuse.
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