$285 for oil and lower unit oil change. Etc....

[slingshot]

I shut my my batteries off, the whole boat is off including the motor. I guess you could rig a battery to be a dedicated starter and then rig two others to run accessories but I've never seen the configuration. If someone has a diagram showing this I'd like to have it.

My PC has a dedicated start battery, 2 "house" batteries (1 plus a backup and I also use it for the dinghy motor) and another dedicated to the refrigerator. 2 - 2 bank charger/inverters and one PERKO switch between start battery and house battery #1 in case the start battery is dead. Have pictures but no diagram

So if your switch is attached to your house batts and your start batt and you turn your PERKO to the "off" position will your motor still start?

[badmoonrising]

I shut my my batteries off, the whole boat is off including the motor. I guess you could rig a battery to be a dedicated starter and then rig two others to run accessories but I've never seen the configuration. If someone has a diagram showing this I'd like to have it.

My PC has a dedicated start battery, 2 "house" batteries (1 plus a backup and I also use it for the dinghy motor) and another dedicated to the refrigerator. 2 - 2 bank charger/inverters and one PERKO switch between start battery and house battery #1 in case the start battery is dead. Have pictures but no diagram

So if your switch is attached to your house batts and your start batt and you turn your PERKO to the "off" position will your motor still start?

No. "Off" disconnects all power. House and start motor.

[GregF]

My 4 stroke Merc. 60 is wired the same way and it was done by a very competent mechanic that has worked on my boat since 2007. It has the rotary switch and 4 positions. Asked him about it and he said it was to maintain the electronic memory and computer

I had the impression that the logs and settings were in flash memory on a Merc ECU. I looked and I can't find anything either way in the shop manual.

[TSully980]

Got a reply from Merc today about the switch and batteries wiring. They didn't answer my question but sent me this diagram. Can anyone tell me if the switch is wired per this diagram if the motor will start? After reading all the posts it appears I'll have to do some more research on what is right. Including all the accessories being off when the master power switch on the helm is off as my gps will stay on if I don't turn it off.
I took my boat back to the marina I purchased it from. And they rigged it. And I did purchase it new. I don't have a trailer (didn't want one) so the maintenance is hard to do when the boat is on the lift. The motor is hard to get to. See profile pic at left. I guess I could try backing the boat into the slip. I may be able to get to the motor then.

[TSully980]

RodB and oldmn19 --- What you guys said is what I think should happen. Merc informed me that the service tech is working with their most experienced technicians to determine why the neutral light always stays on and the throttle only doesn't work. I think they will figure that portion out soon enough. But this battery thing worries me. Why even have the switch if the motor will start? The way it is now makes me wonder if the position chosen (1,2,or 1&2, or off) is even correct.

[tms0425]

I wired my ski boat like that drawing with a Hellroaring brand solid state battery isolator. When in off position, there is no voltage to the starter on the motor.

[TSully980]

Tom Schmidt--I wired my ski boat like that drawing with a Hellroaring brand solid state battery isolator. When in off position, there is no voltage to the starter on the motor.

Hope the guys at marina figure that out!! I don't want them to talk me into something they think is correct and I can't prove otherwise. Unless their "correct" makes sense to me.

[ronb]

Just looking at the perko switch in the diagram. Imagine there is a lever/handle that extends from the center post out to either O, 1, B, or 2 (like the minute hand of a clock). Also note that the only thing that is hooked up to the batteries is the switch (no bypass for the engine or other accessories) If the lever is touching the 1 connection then only the number 1 battery can feed power to the center post and then out to all electronics. Similar with 2, and B (both). But when it is in the O position there is no battery connected to that post and all electronics should be dead/unpowered.

If the switch is marked right and it was installed correctly you should be able to kill all power (motor/GPS/accessories) by shutting down that one main switch (turning it to O )

That switch needs to be wired correctly or replaced.
-ron

[GregF]

I think the guy who assumed the engine always had to be connected to the battery all the time wired it wrong.
Ed is right, in the off position, there should be no power to the engine.

[badmoonrising]

Ed is right.

That's all you need to know

[TSully980]

Below is the email I sent Merc after receiving the schematic of the switch wiring. Which was also sent to me from Merc.

So if I interpret the schematic correctly the boat should not start when the Perko switch is in the off position. Should there be any "juice" from the batteries flowing to any part of the motor when the Perko switch is off? And not only does the neutral light stay on while in gear but the throttle only selection doesn't engage as well as the active light isn't on either. I hope Brad from Village marina and Merc can get all this correct.

Here is their response-
You have interpreted it correctly.
We will.
Sincerely,
Mercury Outboard Customer Assistance

Now here is a 2nd email sent to me from Merc a couple of hours after the first one (above)

Thank you for contacting Mercury Marine Customer Service. Unfortunately, our agents are not trained technicians. We can send you tools like schematics to help you understand what is going on, however, providing technical support via email or phone is not something we are able to do. A great source of technical information on your Verado can be found in the technical service manual available directly from Mercury Publications, 920 929 5110. We are happy to report Village Marina has gained preauthorization from Mercury Technical Service to order a brand new engine harness, in the hopes of taking care of the issue you are experiencing.
Sincerely,
Mercury Outboard Customer Assistance

It appears as though someone is covering their butt with the 2nd email. So I believe that when my boat is ready everything should be fixed and everyone on the same page. Hope so anyway! If not I have some emails to show my service guys.
Troy

[rbiederwolf]

Late to the dance, but OFF is OFF. The engine should not start in the OFF position. I have a Perko swith and two batteries as well, and when they installed it they did say that I believe the radio needed constant power for the memory, but the motor will NOT start when the switch is in the off position.

Kind of like a circuit breaker, when it is OFF you want to know there is no power coming in.