Electrical Query ( Same Boat, Same Outboard, Different Settings)

[Karnic]

Hi. Honestly im completely lost and dont know whom or what to believe. Me and my friend BOTH bought a new outboard same HP, and of the same year. Suzuki 115 DF. Both where rigged by the same authorized person. Apart from threads before that both were rigged with different height levels ( Same Boat and model ), another issue arose.
My Outboard when i turn the battery switch to OFF position, and i turn key on nothing happens, no lights nothing. Just the bilge pump stays working which i understand.
My Mate SAME outboard model and rigged by the same person, when his battery is off and turns the key on his gauges and starting alarm will light and sound ONLY but nothing else works( except Bilge pump) and could not even start engine.
So difference between us is that when both of us have batteries off, Mine have no current at all except bilge while his seems to have current in Gauges and light.
My friend inquired and was told that his is right because im Disconnecting the ECU every time i put battery off and vice versa when switch to on which its no good for the ECU and could cause problems. However in my humble opinion i prefer that when i leave boat unattended there is no current ( except bilge which is connected direct ) for safety.
Could please someone guide me? Who is right?

 

[QBhoy]

You’re being told a tall story, I’d say. What you have now sounds spot on. No power when isolated, but bilge pump wired direct to battery via float switch to operate should the worst happen. This is how it should be. Only other thing that should be hard wired to battery, should it apply, is a diesel fired heater.
All the best.

 

[jfm]

I completely agree with qbhoy. All my engines are wired that way. I turn off power to ECU every time I park my boats, both mothership (big caterpillars) and tender (Yamaha)
If you turn off your pc there is no power to the ECU (so to speak) either.
Basically, your mate’s boat has been wired incorrectly. Simple to correct it though.

 

[spannerman]

Suzuki outboards have two power supplies, one is the big cable from the motor to the battery main switch, the other is a small cable which supples the instruments, it sounds as though your mates has been wired direct to the battery instead of via the main switch. the argument for turning ECU's on and off is b*ll*cks, we have over 250 outboard powered boats in winter storage and they all have the batteries disconnected for the winter and they give no problems. This includes Mercury Verado engines for which we are a dealer and they DO have a permanent supply direct from the battery and again no problems from disconnecting batteries.

 

[Karnic]

Suzuki outboards have two power supplies, one is the big cable from the motor to the battery main switch, the other is a small cable which supples the instruments, it sounds as though your mates has been wired direct to the battery instead of via the main switch. the argument for turning ECU's on and off is b*ll*cks, we have over 250 outboard powered boats in winter storage and they all have the batteries disconnected for the winter and they give no problems. This includes Mercury Verado engines for which we are a dealer and they DO have a permanent supply direct from the battery and again no problems from disconnecting batteries.

Thanks Spannerman. So i think i should not worry as set up is? Could not understand issue Same Boat, Same Model of outboard BUT rigged with different Heights and when switching Batteries OFF one performs so and the other performs Differently. Could not figure out.