My neighbor hooked up his wires wrong when attempting to start his outboard with one of his trolling motor batteries. He brought me this and asked me if I could fix it. He said it is from under the dash and is for the gauges. I’m sure I can fix it after I figure out what it is. The boat is a Tracker Avalanche, not sure year. It looks to me like a ground wire junction block of some sort.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
1993 Bullet 20XD
2000 Mercury ProMax 225
Usually called a “push-in” or “push wire” connector.
Here’s a sample https://www.lowes.com/pd/IDEAL-In-Su...E&gclsrc=aw.ds
Good luck. If that block got that hot, no telling what else is toasted.
If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity,
nothing else matters.
Interesting, I’ve only seen them in light fixtures, didn’t know they used them in boats.
Looks like a cheap Chinese copy of a Molex connector.
Mike
2019 Ranger 520L w/ 250HO ETEC G2
2011 Tracker 175TXW w/ 75HO ETEC
Thanks y’all
1993 Bullet 20XD
2000 Mercury ProMax 225
I repaired a Nitro last week for the same problem. The white connector is a cheap molex style and the other is a Wago 8 port splice. In my case the ground circuit pin was a loose connection and caused the heat to travel along the wire causing extensive wire insulation damage. Had to remove the burnt wiring and bypass the connectors.
The heat looks to have gotten all the way to the splice block in your case.
I had no components causing excessive draw and my circuits were related to the gauges (inop tach, low volt gauge and fuel level readings)
Hope this helps
I STRONGLY SUGGEST ALL TRACKER, NITRO OWNERS INSPECT THEIR WIRING UNDER THE CONSOLE!
"There is nothing more free, than one who has nothing to lose"
mwill29, thank you.
1993 Bullet 20XD
2000 Mercury ProMax 225
Hey eh2000 no problem. Glad I could help.
After I looked closer at your pics the first pic isn't the molex type connector. Your 2 pics is of the Wago 8 port splice, just both sides.
I called my buddy after I read this and he told me that a few years ago he had hooked up the battery wrong but didn't try to start it.
So this is caused by the improper battery connections, I had assumed his problem was a poor ground terminal in the 4 pin molex type connector that caused heat damage. And he may still have had a poor connection but the common denominator is hooking up the battery wrong.
It took a long time for his problem to manifest into the gauge problem that I went after (no tach, low voltage on gauge).
I verified the engine charging system was good and the inop tach wasn't a regulator problem, as well as accessory current draw wasn't a problem.
My repair for replacing the Wago 8 port splice was that I had to daisy chain 3 Ideal 4 port splices to have enough connections for the 8 wires. I don't feel that was the "best" repair but he needed it done that day. It's just a way to connect 8 ground wires. It works and if it causes problems in the future I"ll know.
Thanks for posting. This has been very informative.
Last edited by mwill29; 10-16-2020 at 03:45 PM.
"There is nothing more free, than one who has nothing to lose"
My repair for replacing the Wago 8 port splice was that I had to daisy chain 3 Ideal 4 port splices to have enough connections for the 8 wires. I don't feel that was the "best" repair but he needed it done that day. It's just a way to connect 8 ground wires
As long as the ground feed is a bigger wire then those daisy chained, shouldn't be a problem
Thanks for the feedback y’all.
1993 Bullet 20XD
2000 Mercury ProMax 225
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