CNYBoater
Active Member
- Aug 14, 2017
- 386
- Boat Info
- 1994 200 Overnighter, Single Axle Easy Load'r Galvanized Trailer, 2006 Toyota Tacoma Double Cab
- Engines
- Single 1994 Mercury Black Max V135 O/B
I recently installed new gauges and noticed that my poor voltage readings carried into the new gauge, as well as all gauges dipping doing trim usage. I rewired the gauges with new marine tinned 14 gauge wire as the old non-tinned 16 gauge wires are just old, being a 1994 boat. changing the wires out, gained me a bit of reading, I'm assuming from less resistance and moving the voltmeter closer to the new ignition switch.
anyways... We were out today, and I noticed that the voltmeter was still reading around 12vdc at all RPMs. after an hour or so, we pulled up to a state ramp and tied off and sat in the shade for an hour or so having a picnic. It took 10 minutes and hooking the jump box up to refire the engine, voltage had dropped to around 11.5ish. When we docked up to trailer home, voltmeter was still reading just below 12vdc. On my old outboard, (1978 Johnson 115) I had to replace the rectifier twice. Looking up the parts catalog, it looks like this outboard uses 2 voltage regulars instead. They are rather pricing if I don't want to buy the knockoffs shipping from China. I don't want to risk them melting under the cowl nears god knows what flammable fumes.
So question time... There is a seller on eBay with new, old stock (stamp on the mercury VR unit is 1993) at a very resonable price... Should I buy both 20A rectifiers and replace them as a pair? Should I avoid the eBay old stock items, since these are electric components? CDI and Siera are a bit cheaper, but if I need to do a pair, I'm off the water for a while, as that will come out of my boating fuel budget. I've already spent my maint and upgrade budget for the year. At the moment, its frequent water level checks int he Exide 27MDP battery and put it on the charger at home. but that limits my anchor and restarts for a trip. Kids really wanted to anchor and inflate the lake lounger, but I didn't want to risk it.
anyways... We were out today, and I noticed that the voltmeter was still reading around 12vdc at all RPMs. after an hour or so, we pulled up to a state ramp and tied off and sat in the shade for an hour or so having a picnic. It took 10 minutes and hooking the jump box up to refire the engine, voltage had dropped to around 11.5ish. When we docked up to trailer home, voltmeter was still reading just below 12vdc. On my old outboard, (1978 Johnson 115) I had to replace the rectifier twice. Looking up the parts catalog, it looks like this outboard uses 2 voltage regulars instead. They are rather pricing if I don't want to buy the knockoffs shipping from China. I don't want to risk them melting under the cowl nears god knows what flammable fumes.
So question time... There is a seller on eBay with new, old stock (stamp on the mercury VR unit is 1993) at a very resonable price... Should I buy both 20A rectifiers and replace them as a pair? Should I avoid the eBay old stock items, since these are electric components? CDI and Siera are a bit cheaper, but if I need to do a pair, I'm off the water for a while, as that will come out of my boating fuel budget. I've already spent my maint and upgrade budget for the year. At the moment, its frequent water level checks int he Exide 27MDP battery and put it on the charger at home. but that limits my anchor and restarts for a trip. Kids really wanted to anchor and inflate the lake lounger, but I didn't want to risk it.