Perko issue on 2019 DF250

[doug@5rivers]

My boat is an Excel Bay Pro 230. My 36 volt trolling motor system is totally separate and isolated. All of my electronics are fed off a fuse box near the batteries. Hooked to it are 2 Helix 12 Mega, a Helix 10 Mega and Garmin Livescope. Nothing else hooks to that box. Battery 1 runs all electronics thru the fuse box, nothing else. Battery 2 is strictly for the engine and console, nothing else.

I was installing a 2 battery Perko disconnect switch for engine and electronics batteries. OFF- ALL -battery 1 and battery 2 selector. Jumper wires were placed on both battery + posts and all load wires removed. One battery + wire went to post A, one went to post B and all load wires taken off batteries were hooked to switch post C. Selector switch was in OFF when all wires were connected. A jumper wire was connected to the - negative terminals of both batteries per instructions.

When the Perko selector switch was turned to ALL, immediately there was smoke and a burning smell under the engine cowling. The switch was instantly turned to OFF and all wires disconnected. We hooked all wires back to their original connections. When the key was turned on, the alarm lights on the tach light as normal but engine won't crank nor will the trim switch on the throttle remote work. When the key is left on, there is a blinking single alarm beep and check engine light stays lit

I traced the white wire back as far as I can, where it splits into smaller white wires, and it seems OK. All fuses I can find seem OK. I slept on it and will get back to try to locate the source of the smoke and smell.

Any ideas?

[artdf175]

the white wire that feeds the ignition switch has an inline 15A fuse
read the 'Sticky' on the white wire

[doug@5rivers]

I read every piece of information I could find on the net including the sticky. I pulled every fuse, relay, resistor, and moved around every wire that would move. Nothing!!! No visible burn. No broken wires or connectors. I was at my wits end. I took the Perko out and replaced every wire to its original position and took a chance. I turned the key and heard the fuel pump start. When I turned the key to start, it started instantly. I was elated but now I'll have that sneaky suspicion that some Gremlin now resides under the cowling. I don't have any other choice but maybe take it to my dealer and have them put it on the computer. I'm headed to the lake with it later today hopefully.

[Harper]

I'd start by scrapping the Perko and getting a Blue Seas dual circuit battery switch, https://www.bluesea.com/products/551...Battery_Switch and the Suzuki dual battery isolator lead. I don't think your Perko is allowing for the house battery and start battery to be separated. You are running both electronics and the engine and console on the same battery at any given time with that Perko (both run off #1 or both off #2, depending which you have selected. The motor is also only charging one battery or the other, dpeending on the switch position). With the Blue Seas switch, there is a simple on-off setup that when turned on, connects each battery to it's specific function (#1 to electronics, #2 to engine/console), and if both batteries are needed to start the motor, then putting the switch in the "combine batteries" position, connects your two batteries in parallel, providing more amps to start the engine, The Suzuki dual battery isolator lead allows the motor to charge both batteries simultaeously while keeping them isolated from each other.

[doug@5rivers]

I did a simple continuity test on the Perko switch. With VOM in **10K, I checked resistance with all wires unhooked. The switch showed that it was working correctly. I decided to hook it up to only the electronics battery. I did and everything seemed fine. I then took the VOM on 50VDC and checked it. The switch to ON showed 13 volts on outlet side of my fuse box. The switch in the OFF position showed 6 volts on the fuse box outlet side. I cycled the switch quickly several times but nothing changed. The Perko is going back to supplier and I'm going to install a simple battery cut-off on the positive side of the electronics battery alone. Engine still cranks instantly and both remote trim switches work fine.

[doug@5rivers]

No idea why R times 10K was edited?

[Harper]

Forum does weird things. You can't type the word a d m i n i s t r a t o r without it being replaced by asterisks. Several of us used to be moderators, had all sorts of quirks to deal with.