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Old 12-13-2015, 10:30 PM   #10
GFC
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City: Tri Cities, WA
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 4,406
Brian, that is something that the mechanic and I will discuss. The wiring harness that burned up is one that sends engine temp/oil pressure/etc. signals up to the helms. I'm still not sure how the runaway starter caused that wiring to burn up and as we have more time I'll discuss that with him and also about adding fuses.


Pete, your comment...
"Otherwise, it powers the starter motor only, via another robust selector switch, (so I can use the house batts at a pinch, but never do), so the only link to the the house system is the small amount of draw via the ignition switch to close the solenoid that triggers the starter batt. Any sign of trouble, like starter over-run, (in itself a strange phenomenon), and I can de-couple that batt pronto at the selector. "


It sounds like your system is set up similar to mine. I have 2 separate 24V batteries that power the starter motors for the engines. I have a cross-over "emergency start switch" that I can momentarily engage if I need power from the house batteries to get an engine started, and that sounds like your "robust selector switch".


Re: your comment " Any sign of trouble, like starter over-run, (in itself a strange phenomenon), and I can de-couple that batt pronto at the selector", I suspect that if you had a runaway starter motor you would not be able to diagnose the problem and remove the power ("decouple") that battery before the wiring harness burned itself up.


In our situation it probably took me less than 30 seconds to get from the upper helm down to the engine room. That short time period was for me to (a) recognize what my wife had said and had it register; (b) climb down from the flybridge and open the engine room hatch and see the smoke; and (c) get into the lazarette to shut off the battery switches. By the time I got there the damage was done.
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