Honda 4 stroke outboard

[landyhubbard]

Yet more buggeration. The emergency stop thinghy on my Honda 4-stroke 2 HP outboard is broken. I never use the kill cord anyway, and though I will replace it I might need it this weekend. There are 2 wires comming out of the back of the switch, one to ground and one dissapears into the engine. Is this a make or break device- to bypass it do I need to disconect the circuit or connect them together?

 

[Sui Generis]

From a position of ignorance it seems that you should disconnect it. But try either - if you get it wrong it just won't start!

 

[landyhubbard]

The b***dy thing never was easy to start even from new- I much preferred my old 2-stroke Mariner, never let me down, never got serviced, just slung in the shed for the winter, always started 1st or 2nd pull, and if you accidently dropped it bits didn't fly off. I reckon the Honda is a triumph of marketing over utility.

 

[crazyH]

The emergency stop is a safety feature. Most safety circuits (like fire alarms, kill switchs on motor bikes, etc) are closed circuit so you break the circuit to trigger them; so it probably needs to be connected (that way if the wire breaks it stops the engine; i.e. it fails safe).

It's likely to be the earth connection for the ignition if it's like a motorbike kill-switch.

A

 

[Malcb]

[ QUOTE ]
I never use the kill cord anyway

[/ QUOTE ]

Why not? It's there for your, and your passengers, and any third parties, safety.

 

[landyhubbard]

For the same reason that I don't always wear a life jacket when afloat, or always wear a safety harness when venturing on the fore-deck in a flat calm. I take reasonable care and accept the consequent risks. Anyway, I found that using the kill cord in a small dinghy, trying to find somewhere to clip the thing on, and then getting it wrapped around my feet, presented more hazards in the way of distraction than anything else.

 

[Lakesailor]

I agree there. Bloody HSE. Seagulls never had kill cords and everyone seems to love them.
Sod lifejackets and kill cords.
I am not a number. I am a free man.

 

[Gypsy]

The safety switch grounds the ignition circuits so it cannot generate spark. The switch is held open by the safety cord/clip. Therefore, just temporarily remove the wire going to ground and insulate it to allow it to run without saftey cutout. Remember it then becomes your responsibility that you have disabled the safety feature. Ray