Newb to wiring

[mherndon]

I have read post and used "search" but I still need help. After searching posts, I have found some good ideas but really don't know where to start. I just bought the boat and none of my guages work so I have decided to just redo all the wiring. It is an 82' Galaxy with an open bow and a 115 hp Johnson. I need to be pushed in the general direction on wiring. I know some basics but could use some advice, tips, etc.

1) Is marine grade cable completely tinned from one end to the other? I have seen people use standard cable instead of marine grade and it be just fine. What is the life expectancy of standard wire? What are some drawbacks of using it instead of marine grade? I have access to standard cables and connectors free so should I invest in marine grade?

2) Do I need special connectors and terminals? I have seen terminal kits that have a mini torch with heat shrink and waterproof terminals. Why couldn't I use insulated terminals (or non-insulated) and place heat shrink over them?

3) Is liquid electrical tape good? Would it be better than heat shrink or standard electrical tape?

4) When running the electrical down the boat, should I connect each individual ground to a single ground that runs the length of the boat? Should I have everything connected to a fuse box?

5) I have a speedometer, fuel gauge, and a tilt/trim gauge. What other gauges would you recommend?

Like I said, these are just general questions to get me going in the right direction. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
mike

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Newb to wiring

The first step is to stop thinking that just because the gauges don't work that a total rewire is necessary. That is generally unnecessary. Wiring needs replacement only if it has been damaged, cut or is in such bad shape that it presents safety issues. A 1982 vintage boat should have perfectly adequate wiring. The gauges are powered from the engine harness (the "A" terminal on the ignition switch) when the key is on. If none of the gauges work, it simply means the +12 volt or ground is missing at the first gauge in the string. (Look at the generic boat wiring diagram at the top of the page),

Yes -- you can get by with standard stranded (automotive style) wiring but to follow your logic, why would you bother to replace what you consider inadequate wiring with what is not marine grade wiring.

If you don't know where to start, then you need to do more research. You also need to understand that there are two electrical systems on a boat. The first is the engine system. This system is fed by the large cables from the battery to the engine. The engine harness then runs to the helm and control box to control the engine (start, stop, choke/primer, kill, and the instruments). The second system generally has a pair of #8 or #10 wires that run from the battery via a fuse or breaker, to the fuse/breaker panel at the helm. That panel feeds the various switches and attached accessories. There is a generic boat wiring diagram at the top of this forum. The engine wiring system is covered in the service manual for your engine.

Wire terminations are available with a gel filling. Those are best, but you can also use standard insulated terminals and add heat shrink. Same for uninsulated. As for ground. You do not run all device grounds back to the battery. The fuse or breaker panel will have a ground bus which connects to battery NEG via the black #8 or #10 wire in the boat harness. All accessory grounds located at the helm or forward would connect to the ground buss. Those toward the stern would connect directly to battery NEG or to a ground buss at the stern.

Liquid electrical tape is not a good substitute for quality terminations.

 

[mherndon]

Re: Newb to wiring

The wiring that I was going to replace looks like a rats nest and is not marine grade. I thought it was possible to use standard wire, I just wanted to make sure. All of the wire's that were there ran the lenght of the boat. I thought maybe mine was different or couldn't be wired to the ignition switch. I have seen that diagram before but it makes a lot more sense now!!

I haven't seen any fuse panels or anything like that but I did find out that my motor has a fuse so really, I wouldn't need a fuse panel unless I had other things, like a radio or something, right?

So, according to the diagram, I can run all of my gauges in a daisy chain and connect them all to the ignition switch and then the same with the ground... but actually ground the grounds. None of the gauges have lights.

Am I on the right track?

 

[reddogg]

Re: Newb to wiring

With reguards to marine grade or not, if you boat in salt water go with the marine grade as it's a much harsher/corrosive environment than freshwater.

red

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Newb to wiring

we can't answer your questions until you tell us what accessories you have on this boat. It must have lights which are NOT wired to the ignition switch "A" terminal (or at least they shouldn't be). If it has a radio or similar accessories they too should have either in-line fuses and powered from the battery directly. Some older boats had fuse panels and some didn't. The advantage of adding a panel is that you then have only two wires heavier wires going to the battery. The accessories get wired to the fuse panel thus eliminating those long runs. Ground is ground. That is either the engine block or the NEG terminal of the battery or the ground buss on a fuse panel.

 

[sw33ttooth]

Re: Newb to wiring

well seems other people have coverd differnt stuff i will try to answer your questions the best i can.

1. marine wire is not needed if you run in freash water. just make sure there are no copper ends showing or they will be green in a month or 2 give it a few years and they will come loose no biggy.

2. you do not need any special barrel connecters, UNLESS, you are running connections where they may get wet then it would be a good idea to get grease filled barrel connecters and/or shink wrap connecters.

3. heat shrink would be better then standard electrical tape. however see number 2 to answer that.

4. how its done from factory, you run 1 wire from each gauge to the next and ect.. then you run 1 ground wire back to the fuse box.

5. you CAN add more but adding mroe gauages means you have to buy the senders and wire them in, ideally you have: tach, speedo, oil, temp, fuel, tilt, and one more but i forgot it...

hopefully that helps you out.

 

[mherndon]

Re: Newb to wiring

I have lights, fuel, speed, tilt/trim gauge, and a bilge pump. None of that is currently hooked up.

The horn and electric for the motor (starter, tilt/trim, throttle) is hooked up.

I do plan on adding a radio and some accessories but that is in the (near) future.

I was going to try and add a fuse block. I was going to ground everything to the neg. terminal on the battery. How should I wire the lights? They have a switch but no power.

So all in all, you are saying that I need to wire the electronics to a fuse panel using like 20awg (or whatever) then run one long 10awg (or whatever) to the battery, right?

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Newb to wiring

Once again, look at the "Generic Boat Wiring Diagram" at the top of the page. You do not need everything run back to the battery. It is a waste of wire. Run a #8 or #10 red and black from the battery to the fuse panel. Fuse panel feeds the switches. Switches feed the devices. Devices are grounded back at the ground buss on the fuse panel. The ONLY thing you might wire directly to the battery is an automatic bilge pump. You DO NOT wire anything in the boat with 20 gauge wire because it is simply too fragile. 16 gauge is adequate for nearly everything except perhaps a 12 volt accessory socket.

 

[mherndon]

Re: Newb to wiring

So, I have most of the wiring done now. But, still messing with the tilt/trim gauge. When the key is on and the motor all the way up, it registers all the way down. When I adjust it, it doesn't move. I seen a picture of what I think is the sender and was moving it and it didn't move the gauge at all.

Any help?

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Newb to wiring

2. you do not need any special barrel connecters, UNLESS, you are running connections where they may get wet then it would be a good idea to get grease filled barrel connecters

Unless you are doing a sprinkler system, you don't use grease filled connectors. There are adhesive based shrink sleeve connectors that can be used.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Newb to wiring

So, I have most of the wiring done now. But, still messing with the tilt/trim gauge. When the key is on and the motor all the way up, it registers all the way down. When I adjust it, it doesn't move. I seen a picture of what I think is the sender and was moving it and it didn't move the gauge at all.

Any help?

Your sender has most likely failed. Very common.