TOPIC: Where to mount junction box and battery?

Hi troops ............

I posted this question on the OMC Trihull site, but I would like to copy it here in case someone here has specific knowledge about it. So, proceeding to copy . . .

I am about to install this . . . (1964 Evinrude Starflite VI 75 hp V-4)



on this . . . (1964 Evinrude Sport 16)



The question I have is - Where do I mount this? (The junction box with the voltage regulator and starter solenoid inside)



And this . . . (The battery)



There is a piece of plywood which looks original bolted to the underside (front) of the outboard well. It looks like this . . .



This would seem to be the logical place to mount the junction box.

The battery used to be mounted to the floor on the port side of the rear of the boat, under the outboard well. I assume it was placed there so the weight would balance a solo driver on the starboard side. But, if so, where did the portable outboard fuel tanks go? Under the center, I guess because they could be full or any weight down to empty.

I can place this stuff anywhere I want, but I'm trying to find out where a "factory" installation would have placed these.

Clark,wouldn't that boat have come with an evinrude on it? If so ,it would have some old mounting holes for the box somewhere under the motor well. Just guessing

Look on the Starboard side of the bilge on the transom for some mounting holes. Battery was typically Strapped to the deck on the Starboard side of the deck under the splashwell using a kit like this with some 1 1/2 inch pieces epoxied to the deck so the screws did NOT penetrate the deck.

Having not yet been born in 1964 - oh wait - my son was born in '64. I guess I have part-timer's disease. Part of the time I remember and part of the time I don't.

I believe a customer could have purchased the hull or motor separately or as a combo. It is strange that the transom of this hull is drilled for Evinrude motor mounts, yet the plywood plate I pictured does not have holes corresponding to the mounting pattern for the Evinrude junction box. There is one hole in the plywood and then a couple of smaller, minor holes - but nothing which could have been used to mount the junction box.

I do believe the plywood plate is original (due to the spatter paint on it identical to the other paint on and under the transom) and is the logical place to mount the junction box. I don't think there was ever a junction box mounted there.

That's why I am hoping someone with an original installation can show me pictures of their box location so that I may duplicate it.

MyFlamingo wrote:

Look on the Starboard side of the bilge on the transom for some mounting holes. Battery was typically Strapped to the deck on the Starboard side of the deck under the splashwell using a kit like this with some 1 1/2 inch pieces epoxied to the deck so the screws did NOT penetrate the deck.

Aha! I will look. The PO had the battery mounted on the port side (I found rusty remnants of metal strap brackets). So - there was plywood above the deck to prevent penetration. Good idea!

I removed many screws, which appeared to be factory installed, holding down seat brackets throughout the seating area. They did penetrate into the plywood floor under the fiberglass and would have allowed moisture into the plywood. I guess their foresight didn't extend to the seat mountings. Probably two different engineers, one more intelligent than the other.

I have also discovered that the hull weight for the identical boat increased 120 lbs. from 1964 to 1965. I've been trying to calculate how much water might have made it's way under the floor, but this new number puts my estimate of 30 gallons into doubt.

Thanks for the tip on mounting the new battery above the level of the floor to eliminate penetrations. I noticed that one fellow who had an excellent presentation of his year-long project mounted his batery in a similar manner. The only thing I could think of when I saw that was he wanted to raise it above incidental water that might be sloshing around. It never dawned on me about sealing the deck plywood from penetrations!

Clark Savage Jr wrote:

Having not yet been born in 1964 - oh wait - my son was born in '64. I guess I have part-timer's disease. Part of the time I remember and part of the time I don't

Clark,I was born in 62 so I can't use that for an excuse for my afflictions. I don't know if an evinrude with magneto ignition,standard shift had an accessory box or not. If not,that might explain the evinrude mounts and not having any old mounting holes for the box. Probably wrong but won't be the first time.

The solenoid box should be mounted under the motor well out of sight as high above the floor as possible to keep it dry. I screwed my base plates right to the transom. Before mounting it, carefully inspect the battery cables, and if cracked or hard, replace them. I just replaced both sets on my twin 62 Rudes (thanks Chinewalker). Also, for the few dollars it costs, consider putting a new solenoid in the box NOW, not when it fails on Saturday afternoon when you're boating. A few simple maintenance items can save your day on the water. A few other suggestions: have the LU gone through and serviced, change out the fuel lines to ensure they can handle 10% alcohol fuel, and same on the carb, have a rebuild for the 10% alcohol, and check your coils, wiring, etc.

crosbyboat wrote:

The solenoid box should be mounted under the motor well out of sight as high above the floor as possible to keep it dry. I screwed my base plates right to the transom. Before mounting it, carefully inspect the battery cables, and if cracked or hard, replace them. I just replaced both sets on my twin 62 Rudes (thanks Chinewalker). Also, for the few dollars it costs, consider putting a new solenoid in the box NOW, not when it fails on Saturday afternoon when you're boating. A few simple maintenance items can save your day on the water. A few other suggestions: have the LU gone through and serviced, change out the fuel lines to ensure they can handle 10% alcohol fuel, and same on the carb, have a rebuild for the 10% alcohol, and check your coils, wiring, etc.

All good points, and I will certainly take note of each and every one. I have little or no experience with an electric shift engine.

I remember as a teenager, we kids could never afford something as expensive as a new solenoid. In those days, they were screwed together. We'd take them apart when they went bad, press the Copper square-headed bolts out, rotate them 180° to expose a new edge, flip the Copper contact plate upside down and re-assemble it. It would work like new!

Nowadays, they save 10 cents on bolts by crimping the cap on the solenoid so's you can't rebuild one by the side of the road on a rainy night. Darn it!