Re: Need Help Wiring!!!
hey,
so I am now attempting to wire my lights, radio, fish finder, and bilge pump and I am lost. This is my first time doing this and i'm only 18 years old so I want to learn how. My dad is busy with work this week so he cant help that much until the evenings. My mom, well I dont think she could connect 2 wires together
Can anyone help me? I have the fuse box and already have my ground wire and positive wire going to the battery in the back of the boat. now how do I connect everything from the lights to the switch to the fuse panel and so on with the other stuff i have to attach...
Oregon,
well lets start with the basic strategies.
1. fuses: believe it or not, they are there to protect your boat and you, not the electronics. How? they prevent the wire from shorting out and creating a fire.
That being said the rule is: Fuse as close to the battery as possible.
What fuse to use: The smallest one needed, or the max capable for the wire. take a look at
this page. As a rule of thumb 16 guage wire, use 10Amp fuse.
(NOTE: if you are using only marine wire, you
can go higher, but I am assuming you are getting your wire at a local auto parts or hardware store)
2. Generic wiring I recommend
silvertip's wiring diagram for the basics.
3. Where to mount fuse box: It sounds like your plan is to mount the fuse box up front since you said "
have my ground wire and positive wire going to the battery in the back of the boat That is fine. See my note 1. Put a fuse within a foot or so of the battery on the positive line.
4. Switchs don't know if you are adding a Master kill switch, or little switches to control your bilge etc up front, I will assume switches up front.
Ok. So the basics out of the way...
Run your wires from the battery to the front, and mount your fuse box. Install a fuse within 1 foot of the battery on the positive line to protect the line from the battery to the fuse box.
Coming off of the fuses in your fuse box, run separate lines to your switches, one fuse per line, one switch per: Lights, Bilge, radio, Fish Finder, accessories etc)
off of the switch, go to the designated equipment.
From the equipment, use a black wire to return to the battery. You can come back to your common line going back to the negative on the battery.
Please don't use the same wire for everything, especially the return lines. At LEAST, buy some red and some black. Use markers and mark the red wires along the lenght of them so when you are fishing under the dash, you will be able to tell what it is. It does not save any time now, but it will in 3 years when something is not working....
Also, if this is a metal boat... DO NOT think you can use the metal in the boat as you do in a car and ground stuff to the metal. ALWAYS use a return line/ground line to the ground/negative on the battery.
Hope this helps. Ask specific questions if needed.
