Ground Connections

[JoeW80]

Just got a new boat... there are many disconnected wires and I'm tracing them to find out where they all go...

There is no distribution panel.. looks like everything was connected directly to the battery with in-line fuses on some wires.

Do I need to connect the negative battery terminal to a metal piece on the engine or do I just leave it floating and make sure everything else on the boat is connected to the same reference?

 

[JoeW80]

Re: Ground Connections

Also, any recommendations for the lack of a distribution panel?

It's a small boat and not much room, low budget. I want a circuit breaker in-line with the electronics and I don't want many wires connected to the battery.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Ground Connections

Run your large battery cable to the engine block. You can run another ground from either the engine block or the battery to a distribution panel. The power feed to your distribution panel needs to leave the battery and enter a large fuse or circuit breaker and then go to the distribution panel.

 

[flargin]

Re: Ground Connections

Also, any recommendations for the lack of a distribution panel?

It's a small boat and not much room, low budget. I want a circuit breaker in-line with the electronics and I don't want many wires connected to the battery.

Assuming you are only talking about "accessories", get yourself a simple fuse block, but anything here will work. I would recommend something like this: Blue Sea Screw Terminal Blade Fuse Blocks. It uses auto fuses and is protected.


You really don't want a bunch of wires connected to the battery, it only leads to bad connections, shorts and other problems.

You can use individual circuit breakers and bars, but then you still have to deal with unprotected connections.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Ground Connections

i concure with bruceb and flargin. i did exactly what they're talking about.

same fuse block flargins talking about. the big fat red wire got put to my starter w/ a big fat fuse right at the connection. i used the starter location so i wouldn't have a mess at the batt. the neg. went to the block w/ other grounds. my batt. has one wire ea. + and -............ my fuse block got mounted up under my dash. your choice for location on your boat of course. i wanted out of sight out of mind, but accessible..

 

[JoeW80]

Re: Ground Connections

Thanks for the great responses guys. I like that fuse block.

Here's my plan:

* a fuse block similar to the one you guys recommended, that one is out of stock - this will be for the accessories (radio, fishfinder, etc.)

* inline fuses for my panel instruments

 

[flargin]

Re: Ground Connections

Thanks for the great responses guys. I like that fuse block.

Here's my plan:

* a fuse block similar to the one you guys recommended, that one is out of stock - this will be for the accessories (radio, fishfinder, etc.)

* inline fuses for my panel instruments

Sounds great, but you could still use the fuse block for the instrument panel, or for that you could tap you "Acc" circuit on your motor system.

Well organized wires are the savior for troubleshooting.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Ground Connections

I would not have any inline fuses. If you are going through all the trouble, get a power panel that has plenty of spare fuse holders so that everything that needs its own fuse, has one on the panel.

 

[Searay19]

Re: Ground Connections

What i did on my mark twain was just slowly gut it, Meaning i would take off one wire and trace it back, I ran a brand new power wit and inline fuse and Everything i had i grounded back the battery> safest way in my opinion

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Ground Connections

What i did on my mark twain was just slowly gut it, Meaning i would take off one wire and trace it back, I ran a brand new power wit and inline fuse and Everything i had i grounded back the battery> safest way in my opinion

Ok...what is a "power wit"?