Boat wiring

[larry1592]

I apologize for posting this question in the wrong forum but I now believe I am in the right forum. Question: I am trying to rewire my 1979 Grady White 24' Weekender. I want to run a 4 gauge wire up to a breaker and then to a power buss bar for all of my accessories, lights, electronics etc.. . The switches are on a panel and are fused also. Question, do I run it from the battery switch or directly from the battery. I have two switches, two batteries, and two engines. The reason I want to run the 4 gauge to a buss bar is because it is like Spaghetti under the dash. My intention is to get rid of the old wiring an replace it with new. Please advise.

 

[lowvlot]

Re: Boat wiring

I would run 2 8awg wires instead. Then split up the circuits. important functioning circuits on one and not so important on the other.

 

[Luhrs28]

Re: Boat wiring

I would run your main + wire from the battery switch, except have your bilge pump(s) wired directly to the battery with a fuse. Ideally when you leave the boat docked everything should be switched off except for the bilge pump.

 

[jspriddy]

Re: Boat wiring

My boat's wiring also looked like spaghetti, not only under the dash, but in the battery compartment as well. Mine's a 15.5 ft. bass boat so the wiring would be much simpler, hopefully.

What kind of bus bar and breaker do you have? I need both these items.

John

 

[AviatorJim]

Re: Boat wiring

I concur. Definitely run it through the battery switch, but I would run the bilge pump through a switch also, but a different circuit directly to the battery. You do want to have a way to cut that off when you have it on the trailer. I have 2 circuits from the batttery to the electronics bus, one off of each battery. I only use one to power it, but it gives me the option to run them off of either engine if one breaks down.
--Jim

 

[larry1592]

Re: Boat wiring

Thanks for all of the replies. John, I got a Seachoice 30 AMP breaker and a Seachoice 10 gang terminal block

 

[jspriddy]

Re: Boat wiring

Thanks for all of the replies. John, I got a Seachoice 30 AMP breaker and a Seachoice 10 gang terminal block

Thanks. I guess a 4 or 6 gang would be all I needed-2 fish/depth finders, bilge pump, aerator, and nav lights.


Is your breaker manual or automatic?

John

 

[larry1592]

Re: Boat wiring

John,

It looks just like a home circut breaker only smaller. I can toggle it on and off I guess if I needed to but I am going to wire it from the battery switch. The bilge is going direct from the battery to a breaker or fuse and will be on a switch. I think I pretty much am going to take all the other wiring out and see what new I will have to use. I am also going to make a schematic in case I don't have the right color wire. Talk to ya soon.

LB

 

[jspriddy]

Re: Boat wiring

...just like a home circut breaker only smaller. I can toggle it on and off I guess if I needed...

OK, that's my fault, Larry. I was confusing a circuit breaker with a battery switch. Not that I didn't know the difference, I just got them turned around in my mind. But is the circuit breaker going to take the place of a fuse (or several fuses), as it does in house wiring?

Taking out old wiring and seeing what works is pretty much where I am now. I think the guy that owned this before me just ran a new wire to the battery when something quit, and if he had 15 feet of wire and only needed 5, he just bundled up the excess. I've never seen such a rat's nest. I'm saving all the excess wire I'm removing. When I get done, I may post a picture of it. Wish I'd taken one before I started.

John

 

[seabob4]

Re: Boat wiring

What I do for a living. Take this...

And turn it into this...

With a little patience and know how, it can be done...

 

[Silverbullet555]

Re: Boat wiring

What I do for a living. Take this...

And turn it into this...

With a little patience and know how, it can be done...

Man. I pride myself on my wiring, but DAMN! That is awesome. Wish all boats were this way.

 

[jspriddy]

Re: Boat wiring

Awww. Come on, Seabob. You just took a bunch of wires and threw them up there for the picture, didn't you? And you stole two of my little orange connector thingies, didn't you? That's OK, I'll have a pocketful when I get through de-wiring. I won't go so far as to say I'm "rewiring", yet.

Isn't it amazing the things people will do to keep from fixing something right? Don't check a fuse or switch, just grab a roll of that "red NAPA war, Charlene, and tie yore en' to the batt'ry".

John

 

[seabob4]

Re: Boat wiring

I have fun in bilges, too.

Before...

After...

When you gut everything, and start with a clean canvas, it makes things a lot easier...

 

[jspriddy]

Re: Boat wiring

Do you solder connections and terminals? I couldn't tell from your pictures. I always thought this was the "best" connection possible, but have read different somewhere here.

John

 

[NYBo]

Re: Boat wiring

1. 4 gauge to run the breaker panel is overkill. 8 gauge is plenty for the loads you're describing.
2. Use quality crimp connectors and a quality crimp tool.

 

[seabob4]

Re: Boat wiring

Do you solder connections and terminals? I couldn't tell from your pictures. I always thought this was the "best" connection possible, but have read different somewhere here.

John

Soldering is allowed per ABYC in butt connectors in the middle of longer runs of wire/cable, as a solid joint is created, and the inherant flex of the wires/cables will be sufficient to withstand vibration. At mechanically terminated joints? No solder!

 

[boaterinsd]

Re: Boat wiring

Man. I pride myself on my wiring, but DAMN! That is awesome. Wish all boats were this way.

I like your style, now thats a tight job , Seabob.

 

[boaterinsd]

Re: Boat wiring

Isn't it amazing the things people will do to keep from fixing something right? Don't check a fuse or switch, just grab a roll of that "red NAPA war, Charlene, and tie yore en' to the batt'ry".

John

FUNNY
i had to read this 2 times to get the point with the spellin, n all, LOL

 

[jspriddy]

Re: Boat wiring

Soldering is allowed per ABYC in butt connectors in the middle of longer runs of wire/cable, as a solid joint is created, and the inherant flex of the wires/cables will be sufficient to withstand vibration. At mechanically terminated joints? No solder!

Thanks, and I guess I've hijacked this thread and for that I apologize. But one more question-what is the reasoning behing not soldering mechanical terminal connections?

John

 

[seabob4]

Re: Boat wiring

Thanks, and I guess I've hijacked this thread and for that I apologize. But one more question-what is the reasoning behing not soldering mechanical terminal connections?

John

Vibration. The same reason we use stranded wire on boats, not solid like used in homes. When you solder a connection, it in effect becomes solid wire. The close proximity of the mechanical connection doesn't allow the wire to move with vibration (unlike a butt splice in the middle of a longer run), and eventually the wire will crack where the solder joint is...