... on my engine alongside the relay box that runs to the start switch. The 50A breaker is on the main battery ground wire to the engine and handles the heavy load. I know that if I trip that 50A breaker my electric engine controls go dead so nothing starts or stops. I think the wiring to the control panel (start switch) is relatively low load. There is a box containing 2 smaller push-button breakers and three relays to isolate ground, one for start, one for stop, and one for the glow plugs (ground is only connected to the block momentarily when one of those is activated, the rest of the time the block is isolated from battery ground). That relay box is the engine interface to the control panel assembly on my pedestal. One of those breakers in that box was tripped when the short circuit happened. Will be checking that further to make sure I understand it. The schematics are on the boat.

The assembly that houses the engine indicator lights was overloaded, and some of the wiring between the engine control panel and the engine relay box. If you read through the alternator tech article I posted the link to earlier tonight, toward the end it discusses the functional relationship between the alternator and the battery indicator light (if that bulb blows or that connection opens your alternator won't work, and that's an important bit of trivia). I think it's that connection that's been fried and when I replace the light cluster and damaged wires the main issue may be remedied. Of course I still need to replace the hour meter (easy) and figure out why some wires fried when it was a different wire that was pinched (maybe not so easy).