Fuse panel Installation

[87Stratos]

I installed a blade fuse panel in my 18 ft Stratos. I used 12 gauge marine wiring (13ft) directly to the battery (I didn't have enough length so I used a 10ft and a 3ft). After installation I connected my radio, Humminbird Piranha fishing finder, Humminbird Matrix 67 fish finder with GPS and an accessory plug. I ran the Piranha fish finder to the front of the boat and use the Matrix at the steering consol. Now onto the problem. About 6 times this season I found the Piranha fish finder running without me turning it on. Now I checked a few times to make sure I didn't hit it by accident and I know for curtain I did not. What would cause this to come on by it's self? By the way I did install terminal covers on the battery. My first attempt was going to be replace the wiring with 10 gauge one full length of 13ft.

 

[Boatist]

Re: Fuse panel Installation

Jeff<br />I think you have a problem with your Piranha fish finder. Even if you lost power and it came back on I do not belive the fish finder would come on. Mounted up front the unit gets a lot of bounce.<br /><br />As far as your wireing goes I do not like any splices. Also one thing I hope you did was to put a main fuse very near the battery. Fuse near the battery protects boat from a fire if that main wire should rub somewhere and short out.

 

[ThomWV]

Re: Fuse panel Installation

You've got a bad fish finder, that's all. <br /><br />I have to ask, what makes you think that a 10 guage wire is the right size? What made you think that a 12 guage wire was the right size? Have you added up your power draws (which is clearly a trick question) to see how much juice you are going to be requireing that wire to handel? Have you gone to the charts to see what size wire is appropriate to handel the load? Also, you didn't mention it but do you have that wire fused at the source end? Also, and this is really a pet peeve of mine, why did you connect directly to the battery instead of connecting to the output side of your battery switch? You do have a battery switch don't you? Here is why I ask, because if you don't have a fuse at the battery end and you've got a defective hunk of electronics on the other end what is to stop that wire from melting and starting a fire when that Humminbird really craps out on you if you have no protection in the line and no way to shut off the power supply?<br /><br />Thom

 

[waterone1@aol.com]

Re: Fuse panel Installation

I have to agree with Thom. What further worries me is the mention of an accessory plug. Someday you will probably sell this boat to someone else. God only knows what else they will try to plug into your accessory plug, or tap off of your fuse block. Please make sure that you have at least installed a fuse at the battery for your new "fuse panel". I also think that all acessory wiring should be "after" the battery switch. The only thing that I can possibly see being connected directly to the battery would be a properly fused bilge pump.

 

[18rabbit]

Re: Fuse panel Installation

Originally posted by waterone1:<br /> What further worries me is the mention of an accessory plug.

Couldn’t agree more. Those critters are capable of pulling many more amps through that socket then the wiring can support. Keep in mind the conductor is going to see even more amps at the source end than the socket end. Initially I had intended to respond to this to help 87Stratos with this wiring but he abandoned the thread, but that can be understandable.