Johnson Electric Starting Junction Box

[outbdnut2]

Easiest thing to test first is to see if you can turn the starter with your fingers – be sure it’s not seized. Also – have you tried pulling the motor over with the starter rope? If the motor is seized, the starter cannot turn and will load the battery voltage down to where the solenoid clicks in and out. My experience is that when the solenoid clicks like that, it is not a bad solenoid – most often, it’s battery terminals/connections/cable ends that need cleaning and wire-brushing….or a bad battery – have you tried jumper cables from another battery? maybe get your car or truck close enough to jump it? If it cranks with a jump, it can be the terminals or the battery.
Dave

[nj-boatbuilder57]

OK…I’ll bite: How would / could a car solenoid "destroy" anything? These are just solenoids……SPST relays, really. Energize the coil and the contacts close the current-carrying terminals together. They’re about as "low-tech" as an electrical device can be.

Sure, you could buy one that’s not rated for the current of the starter motor, and that would cook the solenoid itself, but how could a solenoid damage some other component?

I’m stumped….

[garry-in-michigan]

True, they are all electrically powered switches. But the internal wiring for the actuating coil is different. The OMC solenoid has the coil totally independent from the heavy duty contacts. The Ford solenoid has one post internally connected to the heavy duty 12V power post and is used by Ford as a power distribution point. The other small post is grounded through the starter switch to start the motor. Putting this in an OMC outboard dumps 12 volts into the breaker points heating the coils and burning out the insolation. And that is if the points are open. If closed the entire system insolation melts. The breaker point spring will loose temper and turn blue. The Battery is constantly discharging. . . 😎

[phil-b]

Here’s a link to a past post with internals for both types of solenoids:

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=10595&p=55740&hilit=ford+solenoid#p55746

[Alan]

Hello;
Weighing in from the peanut gallery….
First of all, that sure is a pretty box! I’d guess it hasn’t been left out in the weather like all the ones I’ve had.
Second; there’s a lot of experience and expertise on this board. Listen to them before me.
Last; if all else fails, have your battery tested under load, (and most auto parts stores will test them for free). I’ve seen batteries that are all charged up, and show 12.9 volts, but have a burned cell and won’t turn the motor over. Every time I’ve had a solenoid clicking as you describe, it’s been the battery.
Best of luck; please let us know what the solution turns out to be.
Happy motoring;
Alan

[fleetwin]

quote Calan:

Hello;
Weighing in from the peanut gallery….
First of all, that sure is a pretty box! I’d guess it hasn’t been left out in the weather like all the ones I’ve had.
Second; there’s a lot of experience and expertise on this board. Listen to them before me.
Last; if all else fails, have your battery tested under load, (and most auto parts stores will test them for free). I’ve seen batteries that are all charged up, and show 12.9 volts, but have a burned cell and won’t turn the motor over. Every time I’ve had a solenoid clicking as you describe, it’s been the battery.
Best of luck; please let us know what the solution turns out to be.
Happy motoring;
Alan

I agree Alan, how could such a nice looking junction box not work properly! And yes, you are right again, just cuz a battery shows 12.5 volts, doesn’t mean it can develop enough current to run a solenoid and starter motor. A load test and cell check is always where to begin…We always get bitten when we overlook the basics…

[amuller]

For what it’s worth, I just picked up from some sale a solenoid that looks exactly like the one in your box. Same sticker, same all. I just checked it and it has the two operating coil terminals isolated from the power terminals. That doesn’t mean yours is the same, but it’s easy to check. There should be continuity between the two small terminals–usually around 4-5 ohms for 12 volts, there should be no continuity to either of the large terminals. But, there are several ways a "4 terminal" solenoid can be made, so to avoid the disasters mentioned above, pay attention….

You don’t have to pay for a "marine" solenoid as long as the coil is isolated from the power terminals. The marine product might be made with more corrosion-resistant materials or it might not.

[Author]

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