Changing a stop button to a kill switch lanyard on an FDL-18

[Hugh Davis]

Hi,

When I was about 15, I had this engine on an 8′ mini-max boat we found in a dumpster one day behind a marina. We were out hot rodding around and the steering cable snapped. luckily I was was thrown back diagonally from the center of the boat and was able to grab the yoke on my way out. after a couple 360’s, I was able to pull my self up far enough to hold the kill button on the engine in a few seconds and shut her down. I don’t think they had breakaway kill lanyards back in 1970’s!  Now that I’m 50 years older and several hundred years wiser, my son and I are going to put that same engine on a tiny titan 3 point hydroplane that we are building from plans. Before it goes operational, we need to replace the kill push button with a breakaway lanyard kill switch. My problem is the new kill switch has 6 posts and the existing kill push button only has 2 wires, and both are black! I’m not good on electric stuff so thought I’d ask for some help here. I picked the new one over at a Marina shop that’s closing and it does not have any schematics in the package with the switch.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Hugh

[frankr]

I’m not familiar with any 6-post lanyard switch.  Is it also an electric start/key switch?  Whatever, last resort is check it out with a continuity light or multimeter.  Identify two terminals that have continuity with the lanyard pulled, but no continuity with lanyard attached.  (They may be marked “M”).  Extend your present push button wires to those two terminals thus identified.  Makes no difference which wire to which terminal.  You can leave the present kill button connected too.

[crosbyman]

basic  layout to kill a magneto … see picture

essentially   the idea  is to interconnect both sets of points to kill   the engine so a NORMALLY  OPEN contact…  is needed somewhere  in the boat

Be it a “push to kill”  on the motor,  a key switch to go OFF   or… a lanyard   all these methods will  ultimately  link 2 magneto  wires to rejoin the points  to  kill the ignition

 

 

 

Joining AOMCI has priviledges 🙂

• This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by crosbyman.

[Hugh Davis]

thank you gentlemen!

Should I solder connections?

frank you say leave old kill button in place, can I remove and fill hole with new kill switch lanyard? they are not the same diameter  but I can fill with 2 part epoxy or JBWELD and redial.

Have a nice evening!

Hugh

[frankr]

Solder is optional.  I’m an old closet radio tech, so I have solder in my veins.

As for the switch mounting, sure you can, whatever fits your situation.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by frankr.

[Mumbles]

These types of kill switches are normally closed when the lanyard clip is pulled out of them, as in ‘Man Overboard’. With the clip installed, the circuit is open, allowing the motor to run. The motor can be shut off in two ways, either by pulling the clip out or pushing on the button.  Keeping the lanyard in your pocket while the boat is unattended will also act as a theft deterrent.

To install one in the original position, why not screw or rivet a piece of thin aluminum plate over the original hole and drill a hole in the plate to fit this type of kill switch?  Can you post a photo of the one you have with six terminals?  It seems more like an ignition switch.

 

[crosbyman]

mumbles… seems to me I read somewhere that if the “driver ” flips overboard with the lanyard the engine would be killed … GREAT !!

 

yet someone on board could actually restart the engine

is this the case  or does it apply  only to  a certain type of lanyard installation

 

 

Joining AOMCI has priviledges 🙂

[frankr]

Types vary a lot.  With my OEM kill switch, If I go overboard, of course the lanyard goes with me.  But I keep an extra lanyard in the boat for just that sort of case.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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