Upper and Lower Helm use

[The Brockerts]

I've got a 1990 48 Carver Californian with an upper and lower helm. So the general question is how do I handle ignition switches? I always start from the lower station so I can hear things better and after a start up I go below and check on things. So the upper station ignitions keys are not "on". When I go to the upper helm should I switch the keys on? Will the shut off switch work on the upper helm even if the key switch there is not "on"?

The Brockerts

 

[Comodave]

Our current boat only has an upper helm station so I have to think back to a previous boat. It had keys switches at the lower helm and start and stop buttons at the upper helm. I would start at the lower helm. Turning the keys on would energize both helms. The start and stop buttons at the upper helm would only work when the keys at the lower station were on.

As to yours if you have key switches at both stations then I would suspect that the upper start and stop buttons will only work if the upper keys are on. Easy to find out by trying it each way.

 

[Pete Meisinger]

That's a good question. To tell the truth I'm not even certain I have an"'On/Off" key on the F.B. I know there is a start and stop button up there but I have never used either one.

When I make a dock, I always leave the engine running for a few minutes to idle down and to be certain I am not going to need it anymore, I always shut it down from below. I, like you, always start the engine from below also.

Guess that shows how observant I am.

pete

 

[MYTraveler]

My boat only has keys at the pilot house helm, and I would only turn the boat on from there. (In addition to the keys, there are a bunch of circuit breakers to flip and electronics to fire up, etc.) There are start and stop momentary switches at both.

 

[STB]

Only one way to know...try it.

In my 1977 Marshall Californian 42' Aft Cabin, both shutoff buttons were powered from ignition, so either would work as long as they key was "On/Run".

In my current 1981 Hardin 42' Europa, upper and lower ignition are switched independently, even though they combine at a wiring block in the engine room. The upshot is that I need to make sure keys are in and switched to "On/Run" before I start from either helm. If I don't, in an emergency, I could find myself needing a key or to run to a different helm or pulling the floor to grab a mechanical pull tolo shut down. That would be sad.

I much prefer the arrangement in the prior boat, but now that I'm in the habit of using both sets of keys, I havent gotten around to changing the current arrangement.

 

[johnma]

I always start and stop from the lower station. I had a problem when i first got the boat with starting from the flybridge and then shutting down from the lower station and visa/versa I had a hell of a time getting the switches back in synch. I don't have a key on my boat just an on/off and start switch at each location. The lower station has rockers and the upper has toggles so just physically looking at the switches you can not see the different positions.
John

 

[High Wire]

My Perkins needs the key on at the respective station for the start and stop buttons to work.
Try it on your boat. You cant hurt anything.

 

[The Brockerts]

Ok, I wanted to try it and now have my answer. Just didn't want to do damage along the the test path.

The Brockderts