Electrical help

[4x15mph]

I am installing a fuel/air separator today and I had ordered some red, marine/tinned wire for the connection. I forgot to buy black wire or enough wire to wire up the ground connection.

1)Do I need to get marine grade or can I use wire from a home store or auto store? Is this a real "shortcut" going with regular wire?
2) Is it important to solder? I bought some marine shrink tubing and I was thinking that I would just twist the wires and then use the shrink.
3) for the black/ground, can I just tap this into the ground/black of my rear running light? Other, better ideas that would be near the engine compartment where I am installing the filter/pump?

Thank you

 

[Andy S]

1)Do I need to get marine grade or can I use wire from a home store or auto store? Is this a real "shortcut" going with regular wire?

No any wire with good insulation will do. You can go to a Lowe's, Home Depot, auto parts store, etc and buy the gauge and length of black wire you will need.

2) Is it important to solder? I bought some marine shrink tubing and I was thinking that I would just twist the wires and then use the shrink.

Just twisting the wire and heat shrink is not a good enough connection, over time the connect with fail. If you don't want to solder you can use some heat shrink crimp connectors.

3) for the black/ground, can I just tap this into the ground/black of my rear running light? Other, better ideas that would be near the engine compartment where I am installing the filter/pump?

I would run a dedicated ground over to the battery, I personally like to keep my circuits separated.

 

[justason]

2x on the above, I like limited dedicated circuits. I recently purchased some of the heat shrink crimp connectors, then went over them with shrink sleeve as well. My application was a wet one.

I'm guessing this unit is tapped off an ignition source?. I mention this only to make sure the power feed is fused properly/somewhere.

 

[4x15mph]

yes, I am told to tie the power into one of my ignitions switches. I guess I have to have that switch on regardless of whether both or a single engine is running.

I have to check if the ignition is fused unless someone knows that on an LS2000

 

[4x15mph]

yes, I am told to tie the power into one of my ignitions switches. I guess I have to have that switch on regardless of whether both or a single engine is running.

I have to check if the ignition is fused unless someone knows that on an LS2000

 

[Glassman]

If you don't mind my asking, what unit are you installing?

 

[4x15mph]

GroupK. I would buy gas from them if they sold it. Great service so far

 

[txav8r]

Uh...any good quality insulated wire that is STRANDED will do. Do not use solid wire in a boat. Home wire is not suitable at all for a multitude of reasons. Use a good multi stranded copper wire with a good thick insulation.

 

[JC6275]

I would be 99% confident in saying that the ignition switches are on a fuse / breaker. I can't imagine they would not be.

 

[Glassman]

Ah, now I see why there is an electrical connection...I was scratching my head since my Racor's don't require any type of electrical connection.
I take it the pump pressure on your model is not sufficient to handle the separator alone?

Group K setup:

 

[4x15mph]

Yes, that is the groupk filter and it includes an electric pump. I installed it and I did not get the surprising results that I was hoping for. It still took a number of tries to start it.

I wonder if last years (October) gas would really make that much of a difference. I did treat it with Stabil storage. I guess my next plan is to fill up with new gas now that I have run the tank down to 1/2 way.

 

[JC6275]

I had old gas in mine, I replaced the filters, and put manual primer bulbs in.. I was shocked!!! I pumped the primers till they were hard. Turned the key, cranked over about 4 times and fired up, both engines the same result. I would say if that was the first time you started it after installing the pumps and separators, there may have been air in the lines and pumps.