Spaghetti, hold the meatballs…..

[charlie_the_tuna]

file:///var/mobile/Library/SMS/Attachments/31/01/DC5E2727-7B44-48E4-91F0-EBC56C7A4A47/IMG_2236.heic

[charlie_the_tuna]

Ok, it didn’t work. So I’m behind the helm yesterday as I was going to install a VHF in the cuddly. There’s an antenna and an electrical connection. I took a test light to the connection, and nothing. So now I’m testing the circuits on the secondary fuse block and nothing. Nothing’s getting power. I found a hot line off the main fuse block, but it’s a hot spaghetti mess back there. I won’t have a problem getting in the water, and the main things seem to be good. Running lights. Can’t check the anchor light yet due to the shrink wrap getting in the way of everything. I also have the added disability of not being able to easily move about in the cabin. It’s a pretty tight fit and I’m hardly as graceful as I once was. I’ll get it done a little at a time, but it’s gonna be a long road and quite a bit of new wire. DAM!!!!

[spareparts]

leave the engine harness, gauges and key switch alone. Run a # 8 red wire from the battery switch to the helm, run a #8 black wire from the negative terminal on the battery to the same place. Install your fuse panel/ground bus here. Don't use an old glass fuse type, upgrade to the push in fuse type. Count how many accessories you have and assign a switch for each, lights generally get a double pole, double throw on-off-on switch. everything else gets a on-off switch. Bilge pump gets a brown wire, live well gets a brown with a stripe, anchor light gets a grey, bow light gets grey with a white stripe. Any other lights gets a grey with what ever color stripe you decide. Run a short run of #8 black from the negative battery terminal to a ground buss at the transom to supply ground to anything back there. Run a fused brown with red stripe to the automatic bilge pump function. You can disable it for storage by pulling the fuse, Live well pump, use brown with another color stripe. Generally speaking, browns are pumps, greys are lights, orange is power feed to a switch, black is ground(although newer stuff uses yellow) Blue is dash lights, pink is fuel tank sender.

[charlie_the_tuna]

Well that certainly simplifies everything, doesn’t it. I’m planning to eliminate the wiper and wiper motor. Anything else I won’t be needing will be getting axed. It’s a pretty big mess and while I won’t be running all new wiring, I’m gonna clean everything up the best I can and get everything going.

[charlie_the_tuna]

Should I run the hot from the battery, or the battery switch?

[charlie_the_tuna]

And should I run 10, or 12 gauge for everything?

[spareparts]

#8 red for the main hot from the battery switch to the fuse block. You need to be able to cut it off. #8 black from the negative terminal to the ground buss on the fuse panel. Using #8 will allow you to add more stuff later on. #14 wire will be fine for all of your accessories. Number 16 on real low amperage stuff<10 amps. Using a ground buss bar behind the dash and at the transom will save you a lot of black wire, and it should make it easier to diagnose a problem if you have one.

[charlie_the_tuna]

Ok, if I run a circuit breaker in-line hot wire, how many amps?
Or should I just rely on the fuse block?

[SkunkBoat]

get one of these. Put it in a dry accessible place behind the dash.
run the 8awg black and red to it.. 8/2 awg duplex will simplify the job.
https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sea-Syst...ps%2C68&sr=8-3

https://www.amazon.com/Lawrence-Mari...ps%2C55&sr=8-4

The Red wire has to be fused or have a 30A circuit breaker near the battery.
If you use a surface mount 30A Bussman 185 type breaker it can be used as an on/off switch also.

or... You could use an MRBF battery terminal 30A block fuse

[spareparts]

those parts skunk listed will work fine. Mercruiser uses a 90 amp fuse to the accessory feed on sterndrives. Most older outboard boats i work on aren't fused at all. I believe(IIRC) USCG requires a fuse within 18 inches of the power feed. SO its always a good idea to use a fuse or a breaker coming out of the battery switch. Like Skunk said, the face mount breakers can be used as a switch. I prefer not to use that type in this application as they can be tripped easy unintentionally( they do have their place). I prefer fuses as I keep a box of spare fuses on board, you get a bad breaker, you're stuck. I can feed it fuses of increasing size till I'm at the dock where I can do a more permanent repair.