Boat wiring

[NetDoc]

Re: Boat wiring

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...

That right there folks, was worth the price of admission! I have been re-wiring my 1968 Fibra from scratch. I ran a 8AWG red wire to a ATO Fuse Panel and another 8AWG wire to a ground bar. I am using tinned wire and bare terminals and using heat shrink tubing to seal off the wire & crimp. Is this overkill?

 

[seabob4]

Re: Boat wiring

That right there folks, was worth the price of admission! I have been re-wiring my 1968 Fibra from scratch. I ran a 8AWG red wire to a ATO Fuse Panel and another 8AWG wire to a ground bar. I am using tinned wire and bare terminals and using heat shrink tubing to seal off the wire & crimp. Is this overkill?

No, not overkill by any means. But what I use are adhesive lined heat shrink terminals. When you shrink them, the adhesive melts and creates a far better water-resistent seal than simply shrink sleeving. Yes, you can buy adhesive lined sleeving, but I use the terminals as they are color coded, but clear. As you shrink them, you can see the adhesive melt throughout so that you know you have a good seal. I get mine from genuinedealz...

The reason I said water-resistent and not water-proof is that the ends of rings and quick-disconnects are still exposed...

 

[jspriddy]

Re: Boat wiring

Vibration...and eventually the wire will crack where the solder joint is...

OK. Thanks, Bob. Your help is greatly appreciated, as is everyone else's.

John

 

[MarkySparky]

Re: Boat wiring

Seabob4, what a great example of what boat wiring SHOULD look like! As an electrician myself, I can really appreciate seeing good work, as I do similar work building control panels for power substations. A few words for everyone: Yes, its possible for anyone to do this nice of work, it just takes some time to do (and some practice!). Thanks again to Seabob4 for your excellent example! You are a PRO!

 

[ratedrg10]

Re: Boat wiring

I have a 1994bayliner 2355 ceira v6 installed a perko dual battery sw, batt 1 pos to sw batt 1, batt 1 neg two batt 2 neg,batt 2 pos to sw batt 2, eng ground to batt 2 neg, eng start and fuse are on the sw common i leave my sw on batt 1 came back three days later batt 1 very weak nothing was left on what could be the problem my batterys are the same brand but 1 is bigger

 

[seabob4]

Re: Boat wiring

I have a 1994bayliner 2355 ceira v6 installed a perko dual battery sw, batt 1 pos to sw batt 1, batt 1 neg two batt 2 neg,batt 2 pos to sw batt 2, eng ground to batt 2 neg, eng start and fuse are on the sw common i leave my sw on batt 1 came back three days later batt 1 very weak nothing was left on what could be the problem my batterys are the same brand but 1 is bigger

Have you checked your bilge pump float switch? If it's stuck in the "On" position, it will run the pump until it drains the batt.

You should turn your battery switch OFF when you leave to boat, that's one of the reasons it's there, to kill all the power to the boat EXCEPT for the float switch and the stereo memory...

 

[ratedrg10]

Re: Boat wiring

with the switch off the float has no power should i take the wire from the comm battery sw and connect it to batt 1 pos

 

[seabob4]

Re: Boat wiring

You have 2 wires coming out of the float. 1 will be combined with the positive from the pump and run forward to the manual switch at the helm. The other will go to either batt 1 or batt 2 on the switch. Install an in-line fuse holder and the properly rated fuse within 7" of the batt switch...

 

[ratedrg10]

Re: Boat wiring

will do ill let u no how it goes there is two wires with fuse and the starter pos wire that i connected to the comm on the switch so i can take the two with fuses off the comm and put them on either batt 1 or 2 on the switch and leave starter wire in comm on switch

 

[seabob4]

Re: Boat wiring

Correct. The reason the two leads have inline fuses is that they are not protected by the main breaker/fuse protecting the rest of the boat...

 

[ratedrg10]

Re: Boat wiring

thxs i got it

 

[larry1592]

Re: Boat wiring

Man you do great work!... I am going to try to make my wiring look like that.

Thanks to everyone for the comments. I do not think this was hijacked because I learned from all of you.

Thanks
LB

 

[CaptainKickback]

Re: Boat wiring

Wow! Seabob4, you have set the bar very high, but now I have a target to shoot for when I get to that point in my restoration project. Thanks.