I have a 2022 60HP 4-stroke that is blowing 15a fuse on start-up. I inspected wiring and found red and yellow wire is chafing against metal. I have zero experience with engine electrical work. Any suggestions on how to obtain replacement wire, and then suggestions for removal and replacement? Can I safely tape it up in the interim?

1: This is the stuff you want - West Marine carries it as well as other marine supply dealers. Red is 'Hot' yellow is 'Ground' instead of black in house-wiring.

2: Ya - put some electrical tape on it for now, but I'd replace ASAP.

Ty, @MN Fisher . I haven't disconnected either end yet, so I have no clue whether I can pull it and simply replace new length of wire into existing connectors, or if I will need those, too. Unfortunately, that wire gets bound into a bit of a jumble buried, taped, bound and zipped behind 'other stuff'. I suppose maybe I can splice bit of new wire you recommend, replacing the worn section.

The fastest simplest way to "fix" that is to simply cover it with heat shrink. And cover it twice just to be sure. Put one small piece on, shrink it down. Cut another piece to size and and shrink it down. Problem solved.

You can also try moving the wire physically so that rubbing does not happen any longer and keep on rocking with minimal effort here.

And you can put a secondary cover over top all those wires to prevent rubbing.

If you're gonna splice in lengths - get the butt-splices with built in heat-shrink....much better than the separate heat shrink.

45 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

1: This is the stuff you want - West Marine carries it as well as other marine supply dealers. Red is 'Hot' yellow is 'Ground' instead of black in house-wiring.

2: Ya - put some electrical tape on it for now, but I'd replace ASAP.

I'm not positive since I haven't cut or disconnected anything, but I believe the red-striped yellow wire is a single insulated wire.... maybe 16ga or 14?). So I'm not sure how I'd use the wire pictured. (Sorry for my inept questions...I can barely use a multimeter. Aside from some basic terminal connections, I don't have a lot of experience. )

I may have just enough room/slack to cut at the two rubbed parts. Splice with the heat shrink connectors @MN Fisher recimmended, and then shield with the harder plastic that @FloridaFishinFool posted.

Questions are not an issue - that's why us electrical guys are here.

Given the colors in the area, I would say the yellow/red stripe is your hot-lead and the black is your ground.

If you can disconnect one end close to that spot - then FFF's sugestion of heat-shrink is doable - but not the plain black stuff for marine wiring....get the waterproof stuff

If you can't find an end close - get the waterproof butt-splices, cut and reconnect....electrical tape is not gonna be good enough for the long-term.

I’d paint some liquid electrical tape on the gap in the insulation. Then if you can disconnect the wire from the terminal on the other end then you can take that clear protective boot off, and slip some glue lined heat shrink tubing over it and shrink in place with a heat gun. Do two layers of different size tubing to get the thickness. Then as some have said use a small piece of split loom or braided pet sleeping to protect it from happening again.

If you can’t disconnect it to do that then agree with cutting, and using a heatshrink waterproof butt splice to make a repair. And still up some split loom on there to repair.

Thank you all. I am going to try butt splices and heat shrink at the two spots where the insulation is rubbed down, and shield the length with the split loom wrap.

I put some plastic in between the wire and the motor frame, change the fuse and it started right up, so I'm pretty confident that is the extent of my problem for now. Not ready to tear into either wire bundle to get to the connectors.

Please! Before you decide how to repair that wire could you please tell us what the wire is for? You might be trading one problem for another problem.

4 minutes ago, BigAngus752 said:

Please! Before you decide how to repair that wire could you please tell us what the wire is for? You might be trading one problem for another problem.

Variously described as 'Main power', or neutral safety starter switch.

The fuse that blows is 15a. I lose starter as well as trim.

1 minute ago, Choporoz said:

Variously described as 'Main power', or neutral safety starter switch.

The fuse that blows is 15a. I lose starter as well as trim.

Okay, no problem. I just wanted you to be aware that those "convenient", crush with pliers and seal with a lighter, butt-splice thingies are notorious for changing the resistance of a wire. The best way to fix that wire is cut it, strip the insulation, slide a section of shrink wrap on, intertwine the strands, and solder the wire. Soldering is incredibly easy and is, by far, the top way to fix a wire like that. Second best is doing everything I just listed but just twist them together and heat shrink. The handy butt-slice thingie can be very quick and helpful, but it often acts like an over or undersized section of wire. You will be just fine using the pinchy butt-splicer on your wire because of what it's powering. If this wire was leading to a gauge, radio, or graph then you might not be okay with the results.

Also, it's tough to see in your pic, but it looks like you are into the strands on that nick closest to the camera. That effectively lowers the gauge of the wire. I would probably fix that. The nick furthest from the camera I'm not even seeing copper. If you can see copper AND you can see broken/missing strands then properly repair it. If you don't see broken/missing strands just heat shrink it and cover it with some armor. Just my opinions.

4 hours ago, Choporoz said:

Thank you all. I am going to try butt splices and heat shrink at the two spots where the insulation is rubbed down, and shield the length with the split loom wrap.

I put some plastic in between the wire and the motor frame, change the fuse and it started right up, so I'm pretty confident that is the extent of my problem for now. Not ready to tear into either wire bundle to get to the connectors.

I don’t think you need to cut that wire or use a butt splice to fix it. In the top of your picture there looks to be two wire ties holding all those wires together. And under those wire ties that wire has a barrel plug on it. You should be able to un plug it , carefully take that clear protective boot off, and slip a piece of 3:1 heat shrink tube over that barrel plug right down over the wire. Once you plug it back in replace the wire ties.

You may not even be able to cut it, strip it, and crimp a butt splice on there without unplugging it. You don’t have a lot of wire there to work with, and you need a fair bit of room to get strippers and a good set of crimpers in there. If you don’t use the right crimpers and get a strong crimp it’s going to either come apart on you or be generating heat and resistance. And you need to get the wire fully seated as far as it will go into the butt splice, you don’t want the wire slipping back out on you while you’re crimping it because you don’t have enough room.

@kschultz76 , thank you. I will take a closer look and try to avoid cutting any wires. @FloridaFishinFool reminded me, I've had mixed results crimping in much better situations.

14 hours ago, BigAngus752 said:

butt-splice thingies are notorious for changing the resistance of a wire

I know in building that voltage drop due to wire length is a thing. You definitely taught me something here.

Thank you

@Choporoz, sorry for the hijack, and I have no repair for you on this, sorry. Just wanted to thank @BigAngus752. Good luck with your repair.