Possible To Fish These Wires?

[cptmarvel]

Just bought this boat. 17 Ft Lowe fat bottom aluminum. 96 model. None of the accesories work, and the wire harness looks trashed. Wire nuts, Butt splices. Different size and colors all over. Motor runs and bilge pump works, trolling motor works (but seems weak) but thats it. Nav lights, live well, stereo all inop. Nav light sockets have 12 volts to them, and other pin is grounded. But there is a little under a volt coming from the ground pin to ground and lights don't work. I'm going to start with the toggles, under the dash, and then in the battery/fuel tank compartment. But if need be, is there a way to replace the harness under the flooring without ripping out the flooring? THAT little project is planned, but I want to get thru this summer first. You can zoom in to where the harness comes out of the floor.

 

[notlef]

Do the wires move freely where they come out of the deck? Tie a string on to one of the wires you are going to replace and see if you can pull it thru from the other end. Then you will have pull string to pull in new wire.

 

[cptmarvel]

Thinking it through, I'm willing to bet that those conductors are only connected to components forward of where they come out of the deck. That would be the live well (pictured to left) and the front nav light and trolling motor socket. And I'm willing to bet that the flexible conduit that they are in is "branched out" to the left and fore, underneath the decking. So to answer my own question: I don't think it's going to happen.

But! Thank you for taking the time to read and reply!

 

[notlef]

Typically they won't run seal tight to each branch. More than likely the seal tight is only run part of the way then the wires just fan out under the deck. I would give it a shot to see if the wire can be pulled thru.

 

[cptmarvel]

Seal tight? Is that what the plastic conduit is called? If needed, I'll give it a shot. Was going to start working on it today. Checked the battery voltage as a base, then thought I'd start it to see if would change as its running. Primer solenoid started leaking gas so I said "screw it" and went to the dentist instead. Less painful

 

[Woodonglass]

It looks like it's just the typical polypropelene split conduit. If there's not any tight corners you should be able get a fish tape to do the job.

 

[fhhuber]

If conduit is continuous and nothing to catch... you can tie a cotton ball onto light string and pull the string through with a vacuum cleaner. This works drawing from different branches of conduit if you plug the one(s) you aren't pulling the current line through.

 

[Patfromny]

You could also run the new wires under the gunnel...assuming you have one. If you plan on removing the deck soon like you said this might be the easiest solution. All my wires were routed this way from the factory with a hole thru the gunnel and console where it mounts to the gunnel. My bow lights were run the same way. If you don't wish to do this or can't then an electricians fish tape like wood suggested would be my strategy assuming it has conduit underneath. I did the string trick with my trailer wires and it worked well but forgot to run all the ground wires I meant to add. I got my fish tape and it took no time at all.

 

[cptmarvel]

Thank you gentleman.

 

[gm280]

Before removing any wires, the wire in the split plastic conduit, it is highly doubtful that any wire inside is spliced together under the floor. So take a real good look at what the wire coming out of the conduit looks like and your could do some quality splices and save the time running all new wires back though the conduit. Good soldered and cleaned splices with heat shrink over them will give you a quality connection and last as long as the original wire. I like new wires, but some times that can't be accomplished without lots of efforts and even tearing up the floor. JMHO

 

[Patfromny]

Good point Gm. If you have room to make a new connection you should be fine with soldered and heat shrunk.

 

[cptmarvel]

Thanks. I'm figuring out a boat isn't like a car, where different branches of the harness would be tightly bound to another branch running in the same direction. That makes them more compact, saving space (and creating a major PITA). Looks like boat wiring may be just "laid down" in a run?

 

[Patfromny]

Maybe they are zip tied together every few feet. No need for cloth wrap under a deck. Lots less wiring so no need to conserve space either.