My non-electrical .02 :D
Do some reading up on "black boxes" or "postive ion control" on
downriggers - supposedly a mild positive charge attracts fish...
think I've sort of picked up between the lines that negative turns 'em
off. But they are SELLING gizmos to alter the charge on the downrigger
cable, so take it for what it's worth.
And, I have been known to have too much time on my hands
My last boat, playing with a test light, found out that just by having the
power leads from my 50 Honda hooked up to the cranking battery, I
had a circuit between the hot post of the battery and the boat hull, at
least enough to light the bulb... I'm thinking it has something to do with
the charging system, the Honda had electric start, but no key, just a
pushbutton. It was a tiller steer, and though dealer rigged, they were
not really intended to have tillers with electric start on that size motor
I was told by the dealer. He ordered a 50 without a remote box, and
a handle from a 25 and it all fit. This was in '97. Never hurt anything that I saw, never ran battery down or anything, but who knows?