Electrical questions....

[22E6441]

I need to rewire my lights and other accessories. I'd like to buy something like this:

http://www.iboats.com/Seasense_Led_...5093374--**********.383556800--view_id.237563

The six gang one would give me lots or options. Now, the switches would get mounted on my dash, but where should the power come from? Is it easy to jack into my ignition switch for power, or should I just run it from the battery?

I'll need to power

1) nav lights
2) courtesy lights that I'm going to install
3) spotlight
4) bilge (manual only..too small for float switch)
5) future use
6) future use

I'm also going to install a radio and my fish finder, but I don't think they need to go through this switch panel....direct power from the ignition switch preferably.

Should I wire anything directly to the battery? Will I regret it if I wire everything through the ignition switch?

My motor is a 1990 johnson 50 with standard omc controls. I'll also be installing another battery and a trolling motor, but figured I'd leave the battery on the trolling motor exclusive to it....but I'm not sure.

I'm going to start doing the wiring maybe this weekend, so any and all thoughts about this wiring would be appreciated. even recomendations about materials and fasteners, etc.

 

[boat1010]

Re: Electrical questions....

It should be wired directly from the battery. Make sure it is fused. Some of the things on your list will be used when the switch is shut off. When you are fishing at nite you will need to run your nav. lights. And you might want to use the spot light when it isn't running too.

 

[22E6441]

Re: Electrical questions....

OK, good point.

Now, should I just run new wire directly from the battery, or jack into the controls somewhere? I want to reduce the amount of spaghetti wiring that I put in and do a nice clean job.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Electrical questions....

Check the sticky at the very top of this forum titled "Generic Boat Wiring Diagram".

A boat has two basic power distribution circuits. One is the engine harness. It contains the circuits related to the engine and gauges on the console. Nothing else should be wired into that harness or powered from it since it is not designed to handle much of an extra load. The second distribution comes directly from the battery. A circuit breaker (20A) is attached to the battery, then the red wire (10 gauge) along with the same size black ground wire feeds the switch/circuit breaker panel. Consider using one of the spare switches as a MASTER power switch. The red wire from the battery would feed that switch. The output of that switch then feeds the rest of them. That way one switch kills everything, yet when on, allows you to control any of the other devices. I will repeat, do not tap into the engine harness.