This isn’t a Mercury bashing post in ANY way so please don’t take it there. I have a 40 merc classic and I LOVE it!!! I am Merc for life.
The reason why I’m asking this is because a buddy of mine had a fire last weekend. Somethine must have happened with the electrical circuts and it flamed up. AND, two years ago another buddy had the same mode (2004 50hp) that did the exact same thing! 
Any of you guys have this happen or know of this happening?
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This isn’t a Mercury bashing post in ANY way so please don’t take it there. I have a 40 merc classic and I LOVE it!!! I am Merc for life.
The reason why I’m asking this is because a buddy of mine had a fire last weekend. Somethine must have happened with the electrical circuts and it flamed up. AND, two years ago another buddy had the same mode (2004 50hp) that did the exact same thing!
Right here. 
100 HP ELPTO 2+2. Motor was less than 1 year old. Voltage regulator shorted out and started the under hood insulation on fire. That started the fiberglass of the hood on fire. And glass burns HOT. We could not put out the fire until we unhooked the starting battery from the motor. This was on a 1890 Yar-Craft Storm.
Being in a boat on fire out on the water in rough conditions is “big scary.”
Got a friend that had the same problem twice.Thats another reason I dont have black on back.Although I have to admit they have gotten a little better over the years.Just not good enough to where I would actually buy one 
Saw one on Mille Lacs go up in flames 4-6 years ago. Dont know the size or year just that it was black before the fire and blacker after 
EXACT same thing as James mentioned. Fortunately, I disconnected the postive wire in time so a major fire did not happen.
The Merc repair guys and I speculated…wire rubbed and shorted, overheated, who knows…
Me TOO!
Voltage regulator on my 125 ELPTO 2+2 shorted and started on fire last October. My advise, start a fire at Mercury with phone call to engineering. Insist that they take it seriously. I tried this and thay claimed that they will put it into a database for furture reference.
I asked if any engineers would be notified and they said NO.
I was very suprised at the way they handled it. I told them that I consider it a very serious safety issue and don’t understand why they don’t really care.
Consider having the voltage regulator checked regularly.
I hae been a Merc fan my whole life until this. Next motor might have a foreign name on it.
FYI… Make sure to make an insurance claim. It will be covered.
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Next motor might have a foreign name on it.
That’s a shame.
My fire extinguisher is American by golly!
Don’t use wing nuts on the battery 
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Don’t use wing nuts on the battery
For real? I’ve never heard that one before.
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Don’t use wing nuts on the battery
Any why not? Many batteries come from the manufacturer with wing nuts in little plastic bags hanging off the terminals. Should the battery companies be sending something different?
The alarm on my 40 HP Merc on my pontoon keeps going off. I’ve had it in for service 5 times now over the last 2 years. I’ve now spent over 1000.00 on various repairs trying to fix the alarm problem. The alarm went off again last weekend. 
They claim the alarm goes off for either over heating or low oil pressure. Needless to say, I’m very frustrated. I pray every night that the SOB starts on fire. 
The new batteries I just bought from Fleet Farm didn’t have wing nuts included. Only hex nuts. I was wondering why.
I too will put on locking hex nuts, just as long as i have the bolt cutters to do a quick disconnect if I smell smoke!
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Don’t use wing nuts on the battery
Any why not? Many batteries come from the manufacturer with wing nuts in little plastic bags hanging off the terminals. Should the battery companies be sending something different?
Wing nuts are typically tighten by hand or shall we say fingers. This can lead to loose wire connections. Loose wire connections on battery terminals can lead to sparks. Sparks can lead to…..well…a scary situation on a boat.
Wingnuts only hand tight? No No
That’s what pliers are for.
Exactly Herb. Then again the Darwin Awards weren’t created for nothing.
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Don’t use wing nuts on the battery
Any why not? Many batteries come from the manufacturer with wing nuts in little plastic bags hanging off the terminals. Should the battery companies be sending something different?
Wing nuts are typically tighten by hand or shall we say fingers. This can lead to loose wire connections. Loose wire connections on battery terminals can lead to sparks. Sparks can lead to…..well…a scary situation on a boat.
That’s what happen to me ,new voltage reg. and wiring $$$
i have a merc motor and it runs pretty good and it is from 1980`s. i checked it over and one of the wires got cracked leaving open wires possibly throwing sparks.
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