Wiring Advice Needed

cliffpaul2 · #1 03-08-2005, 03:29 AM

Ugh! I just finished reading a 300 page book called Boatowner's Illustrated Handbook of Wiring, and although I can now test circuits, calculate wire size, etc, I still don't know the basics.

Can someone recommend a more basic book or web site? Or can I get some simple instruction assuming I am starting with no wiring at all? Just two batteries, a battery selector switch, a fuse block, and some electronics.

I'd like to rewire the boat to eliminate any weak spots in the electrical system.

I'm going to have the following components immediately:
Bilge pump
Blower
Fishfinder
GPS Chartplotter
VHF
Navigation Lights
Cabin dome light

I'd like to leave room for the following:
Deck lights
Bait tank pump
Horn

Access: I will probably be cutting a hole in the cuddy wall behind the helm and adding an access hatch.

Fuses: For water tightness I prefer to use a fuse block instead of the in-line fuses that are accessed from the front of the switch panel.

Switches: I would like to use a separate 3-way switch for the bilge pump (auto/manual/off). The bilge, blower, and lights will be on toggle switches.

I appreciate any advice you can provide.

macojoe · #2 03-08-2005, 12:18 PM

They make a book for that??? Gee I wish I new!! I just bought 100 miles of the same color wire and did it all that way :o
No really I bet I only have a few colors of wires so I have mine all taged.

All I did was figure out how many things I was running to the back of the boat, then added 6 more things and taped up as many different color wires I could. If I use the same color twice I marked the A and B ran the wire harness thur and then just started wireing things up.

Goiod Bad ??? but everything works for now :-/

reelapeelin · #3 03-08-2005, 02:25 PM

CP...Blue Wave makes a great fuse block...with cover and all...find ONE place to run ALL ground wires, then from there, take ONE wire to battery...go pos to pos to pos on all items you want on one switch, then neg to neg to neg, then to your ground...separate wires for fishfinder and GPS to fuse block...try to run transducer wire away from other wires as will cause interferance you don't want...

Use 16 ga. wire....RED for pos, BLACK for neg....label all wiring at battery...one day you'll be glad you did... ;)...in-line butt connecters w/heat shrink already on 'em are great(heat gun)...

buy lots of tie-straps and screw-on straps and use generously...get a good quality crimper and stripper...cheap ones are major PIA... :P

Use larger wire from fuse box to battery...14 ga will do...

Good luck w/all... ;) ;D

macojoe · #4 03-08-2005, 06:06 PM

I used welding cable to go from the battery to the fuse block ;D
I guess no one here would like my wire set up! :'(

bigshrimpin · #5 03-08-2005, 10:36 PM

How's This!!!

http://forum.classicseacraft.com/sho...o=&fpart=1

***
***
***
If you care about the color coding Regs
***
***
***

This is from classicseacraft.com.

reelapeelin · #6 03-09-2005, 09:20 AM

Yup...that'll pretty much cover it... ;)

#7 03-11-2005, 02:57 AM

http://www.screamandfly.com/home/hul...4/wiring_1.htm

cliffpaul2 · #8 03-11-2005, 04:11 AM

Thanks for your help. I'm starting to get the jist. I'll study the diagram some more and get back to you with any more questions that I come up with.