Here's the deal.

And maybe this will help you guys understand why I stress it so often.

About 1996 or '97 I was on a vacation with the family at Lake Shasta.

It's July,  about 115°F and we're waiting on someone to come down from parking the trailer at the dock near the launch ramp.

The dude next to us has his kids, wife and dog in the boat,  he goes to start the engine and kaboom.

The engine compartment cover (doghouse) blows out of the boat in like ten pieces.  The flames roll out of the boat a breaching whale.

Have to admit, a drop of piss came out. The little girl sitting next to my side of the boat was screaming, her hair caught fire. I threw water on her and the flames quickly went out.

After emptying the fire extinguishers we got the boat out too. The damage was not all that bad.

The cause?

A non marine electric fuel pump without a safety switch and a chrome automotive alternator.

When the Ranger came by, we told them what happened while he filled out a report. He was cool as a cucumber and when asked, he said it happened about a dozen times a year.

I'm not saying anybody died,  but think if it happened 40' forward at the fuel dock. I probably wouldn't be here to tell you about it.

Be mindful that what you do is fine, right up until that one time does happen and innocent bystanders get hurt, or worse,  from your shortcut.

You will have to live with that. Make sure it's worth it is all I'm saying. As for me, I'll keep doing what I'm doing.

I have told this story numerous times and just typing it just now caused goosebumps. It was nearly 20 years ago.


GT

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I have seen the screens in the alternators.  I haven't taken anything apart to look at it.  I understand the need and the certification, I was mainly interested in the physical difference.

Not sure if anyone is on PB but the end of last summer there was a jetski competition the Chanel and night. One of the bystanders recording the show caught a hatch exploding on a boat across the Chanel. You can see flames 8 ft high and the hatch go 20+ ft in the air. The guys boat that caught high was is on PB, he had two kids on the rear bench that both were on fire... Now that I think of it I'm not sure how that ended up.


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Here's what I know being exposed to marine carburetors for decades.

If you put a regular carburetor next the same model marine version the differences are pretty subtle.

The J-tubes are to dump overflow fuel from the bowls down the throat of the intake killing the engine. A regular carburetor would be Niagara Falls all over the intake.

The throttle shafts are also different,  the have seals on the shafts in the throttle body.

Another difference is the throttle lever and return spring,  the lever has fewer attachment points and had a stronger throttle return spring.

Most of them have off road style "loaded" floats.

Many of them, especially Holley, have another port that allows the secondary fuel pump diaphragm house to be attached to the carburetor. Again,  killing or flooding the motor in the event of a fuel pump failure.

On electric choke models, the choke actuator is sealed with a gasket and the shaft has a seal of sorts.

More often than not they have a flare firing on the inlet and not a barb. This is to be hard piped to the pump wroth steel (or stainless steel) tubing.


The only other thing out of the ordinary is the "SAE J" tag. Which is supposed to be clearly visible.  Often a bright color.

GT

Run a piece of hose from j tube to j tube and you got it!

Not sure if anyone is on PB but the end of last summer there was a jetski competition the Chanel and night. One of the bystanders recording the show caught a hatch exploding on a boat across the Chanel. You can see flames 8 ft high and the hatch go 20+ ft in the air. The guys boat that caught high was is on PB, he had two kids on the rear bench that both were on fire... Now that I think of it I'm not sure how that ended up.


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