Kill switch help

[Bassinkorea]

My kill switch has stopped working, however it has stopped working in a way that I wasn't expecting. It just doesn't shut the engine down at all, so my boat is still usable, but I really want the safety of the kill switch.

Anyway, the kill switch is located at the bottom of the gear shifter and I thought I may have just knocked a wire off the back of it during my recent re-wiring as I was pulling new cables through the area behind the switch, but the wires seem to look normal on the back of the switch.

What else should I check?

[Gotsnodooks]

Ok...I'm gonna say you should check your wiring...The killswitch opens the circuit killing the motor, as I'm sure you know.  I would look for chaffed/exposed conductors that may be touching each other allowing the circuit to maintain continuity.  So basically just do a good visual inspection of the wiring.  If you have an electrical meter you can disconnect the switch and do a continuity test o the two conductors...they should read open if disconnected...if not...then that is definitely the problem and you just have to find the faulty cabling.

[merc1997]

if it is a toggle type, it is possible that the toggle just went bad.  you can test it with a volt ohm meter and see if you have connection on both sides of the switch in both positions.  if so, the switch is bad.  you should have continuity one way, and nothing the other way.

bo

[Bassinkorea]

Thanks guys. That'll give me something to start with. I'll report back.

[Mike Cork]

These guys are spot on, I'd start at the switch. Don't imagine it's going to be easy to get to the terminal side of it though

[Bassinkorea]

Well, the kill switch issue has been resolved, but it took a brain fart moment to do so   

I had to take my boat back to the shop last Saturday to get an oil hose changed, so on Saturday morning I prep the boat and can't find my boat key. It is attached to a bright green key float, so should be easy to find. I searched everywhere for it and cannot find it anywhere.

Long story short and $150 later, I had to get a new ignition/key switch.After the new switch was wired in the kill switch works perfectly again   

[Donald Garner]

Steve
We all have those moments and most of the time its an expensive one too   

Glad to hear you got it operational.

[Oldfart9999]

I think we've all had those moments, I know I have.
Rodney