Key start issues

[MUTT Vet]

I have a brass marine key start that i'm going to use in my A2.

It fits right in the hole under the ignition switch.

My issue is i have no idea which of the four wires on the ignition switch i need to splice the key switch into.

I'm not looking to replace the starter button on the floor, just add a kill switch to secure the jeep.

Any suggestions?

[Rainman]

Hey MV,

Sometime your going to have to add pictures to some of these posts, cause I don't have a hole under my on/off switch, and I'd bet no one else does either. If yours does, It sounds like a reasonable mod to aid in security. I have seen keys modifications on dashboards before, a military version would be better than most! Sorry I don't have the solution ow "which wire" to splice into it, but someone here will.

Rainman

PS,

I'm the guy with the plug adapters your waiting on pictures from.

[MUTT Vet]

I have already soft mounted the key start and am just waiting for some input on how to wire it up.

I will take a picture of what I have done and post it tonight.



Eric.


P.S. I'm ready to buy that adapter whenever you can send me a picture.

[raymond]

The easiest way to add keyed security to your M151 is to put a keyed battery cutoff switch on the ground wire of the batteries. This not only stops any unauthorized starting of the engine, but also keeps anyone from playing with the switches and draining your batteries.

[MUTT Vet]

As Homer Simpson would say...D'OH!!!


I didn't even think about that. Splicing in a key switch into the battery wire is much easier than messing with the ingnition switch!

Thanks Raymond!

[raymond]

The reason for using the ground is that if you have a hot wire fail between the switch and battery, it will not go to ground, It will also keep any 12 volt items from being turned on and running down the batteries, which can still happen if you hook it up to the positive side.

[Horst]

I recently came across a battery switch with is remotely controlled. It will be installed on the plus side and can be activated and deactivated by a little remote control like the one you have on your daily driver. It also has a buzzer which will indicate whenever switched off or on, again pretty much like in your civy car. That remote-controlled battery relay could be installed in the battery compartment without anybody seeing it.

Only reason why I have not bought it yet is that I am not sure if the remote control will work ok as our battery compartments are more or less fully shielded boxes and it could be a simple radio frequency issue and not work. But I am still thinking to give it a try. It is about 100€ over here.

[MUTT Vet]

I found a marine waterproof keyed battery switch; it should work for any military vehicle shouldn't it:

http://marineengineparts.com/shopsite_s ... ge145.html

I'm thinking on getting the "9005 BLUE SEAS BATTERY SWITCH-2 POS-KEYED", it says it can handle up to 32 volts so it shouldn't be an issue with a MUTT.

I can mount it right under the ignition switch on the left of the steering wheel.

What do you guys think?

[Horst]

that position it probably not such a good idea. As said by others ideally you would switch off the negative side of the battery. For that position it would mean a lot of extra routing of the battery cable. Even if you want to switch the positive side, you need to route from the starter switch, maybe ok. A little less convinient to use the switch but easier on routing the cables would be to install it right by the starter switch.

But anything of course goes, everything you proposed is possible. Only the question why do want to add it in the first place? Having it in the dash is probably the location where it can be bypassed the easiest...

[Fil Bonica]

First thing is the key switch DPST Double Pole Single Throw?
There are two sets of contacts on the present rotary switch that have to be switched.

In addition George mentioned using a high current relay to activate the starter instead of the floor button. This adds another layer of work that you may or may not want to do.

Think it out and see what you want to do.

Fil Bonica

[raymond]

That looks like a good one. Looks like you could even mount it with just the round part that the key goes into sticking through. The nice thing about marine electrical parts is their resistance to corrosion. A good place to mount a keyed switch on the ground is inside the battery box with the keyed part sticking into the toolbox. Makes it a little harder to get to, but not very obvious. It does not have to handle as many amps as a similar engine that uses 12 volts. Remember that Ohm's law states that if you double the voltage you halve the amperage. People forget this when they add accessories to the M151 or M151a1. They forget that even though the earlier models only used a 25 amp generator, it puts out the equivalent of a 50 amp generator on a 12 volt system.

[MUTT Vet]

I finally installed a keyed battery kill switch:



I attached an extra jumper cable port cover (don't know the real name ) that i had, to keep debris out of the switch and to keep me from catching the key with my knee and breaking it off:






The key fits inside nicely and i can still close the cover:




It was a simple job of attaching a wire from one terminal on the switch to ground and another wire from the other terminal to the outside negative post of the battery.

Works like a champ, thanks raymond!