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New Ignition switches on older boat. Need wiring help

Patrick D Neary

New member
So I've got this 76 Chrysler boat I've been working on. Here's a video of it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywTk1tr-ofA
I've recarpeted it, put some locker doors on it and some other stuff. My problem is with the ignition wiring. First off it has 2 ignition switches. One is for the motor, and one seems to be for the accessories. I don't know why it has 2. The old ignition switches had no keys for them, but when I got the boat it had 2 other ignition switches in it not hooked up that had keys to them. The accessories one is a 3 prong but it only had wires hooked up to the battery prong. The other old ignition switch I couldn't read what prong was what and it even had 2 prongs with a wire linking them for some reason.
I have an 1986 115 hp Evinrude going to the new ignition switch. It has the following wires:
Brown (Generator Armature Generator Armature to Regulator
Alternator Charge Light Generator Terminal or Alternator Auxiliary Terminal to Regulator
Pumps Fuse or Switch to Pumps)

Purple (Ignition)
Purple with White (?)
Red (Battery)
Black (Ground)
Black with yellow (Ignition kill circuit)
White (?)
Gray (Tachometer sender to gauge)

The 4 prong ignition has the following:

Bat
Ign
ACDC
Raised with no marking

Both purple wires were cut an not even connected to anything when I took off the other ignition switches. I'm not sure what the purple with white wire is or the white wire is. Also, I'm not sure how to hook all the wires up. I know red to battery, purple to ignition, and kill switch I think to raised prong, but I'm not sure the other ones. Any help would be wonderful!
 
Ditto on GL's advice. Personally, given the age of the boat and the rats nest of wires, I would strip out all the old wiring (except the trolling motor if it is in good shape) and re-wire the whole thing. Use tin plated marine wire, and marine grade connectors. That course of action will give you the confidence of a reliable operating environment, and will make you intimately familiar with your boat.
 
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