Side console wiring

[targetpanic]

I m fairly new to this and was reading through lots of posts but really can't find the right one so...
I just picked up a boat that needs some work and I have some Questions.
Background...the boat is a 16ft 2000 Sylvan Expedition SC. It was purchased in 2001 by the original owner. He repowered it w/an Evinrude E-tec in 2006. He Sold it to a guy who bought it just for the E-tec. I bought the boat (w/ no motor), trailer, trolling motor, fishfinder. It had minor damage to one of the strakes I fixed that. I replaced the plywood where the trolling motor mounts etc. I need to find a motor and have it installed (20hp 2stroke or 25hp 4 stroke). Now to the questions. The guy had a short and melted most of the console wiring. I want to redo all the wiring but am unsure what I should or should not cut out. I want to start from scratch with a new switch panel probably this one http://bluesea.com/category/7/27/products/8053
On the console now there is a speedometer, gas guage, light switch, bilge switch, livewell switch. There is no tach or ignition, the guy who took the motor took those. Behind the switch panel there is a rats nest of wires including a factory wire harness that is in rough shape some melted wires here too. I really don't need any of this stuff right????????? The new panel will be wired up w/10 ga from the starting battery to the panel w/ an inline fuse. The bilge pump, livewell, and lights and fishfinder will all get wired w/16ga to the new panel. I don't care about the gas and speedometer gauges at all. (the speedometer doesn't register until 20mph which is about top speed for a this boat anyways and the gas gauge is very inaccurate. The new motor will need it's own wiring but that's the marine mechanics thing, the ignition switch can be on the control box and he'll run his own wires for that...Is my thinking right here???? I'm new to marine electrical. I have a couple friends who will help if need be but I'm confident I can get this done by asking a few questions of knowledgeable people.
THanks for any tips and suggestions

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Side console wiring

You are on the right track. Since wiring melted from some sort of wiring issue, rather than trying to sort it out, strip it bare and start from scratch since will use a new panel anyway. At the very top of this forum is a "sticky" that has a "Generic Boat Wiring Diagram". It can be used for nearly any recreational boat console. Just omit whatever options you don't have or need. I question the choice of a 20/25 HP motor on that size boat as I am familiar with it. If the boat had an E-tec on it originally, it would have been a 40HP or larger. I would certainly not install install anything smaller than that as you will likely be unsatisfied with the performance. A 20 HP 2-stroke and certainly a 25 4-stroke working hard all the time.

 

[targetpanic]

Re: Side console wiring

Silvertip, thanks for the reply. I certainly would not choose that for a motor but the reservoir I will be fishing on has a hp limit of 20hp 2stroke, 25hp 4-stroke and the boat must be rated for at least 2x the motor size. It will be used mostly trolling for trout/salmon and doing some bass fishing with the electric.
I just wanted to be sure that a marine mechanic wasn't going to flip out when he goes to install a motor and finds no harness. It's amazing how many wires can be in such a small boat. The original owner didn't do me any favors either, when he got the short he did a lot of cutting...I just figured it was better to start from scratch for all the electrical and whatever they need to do for the motor (ignition, alternator etc.) was better left to whomever installs the motor for me.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Side console wiring

When you buy your motor, make sure you get the controls and the engine harness with it. It will contain all the wires it needs. The controls must match the engine so make sure you know what you are getting.

The 10 gauge wires you run from the stern to the console is all part of the "boat" electrical system. The engine harness running from the engine to the control box is the entire electrical system for the engine. The two systems are essentially separate. The only connections at the console between your new panel and gauges are a +12V connection that is active when the key is on. That line powers the gauges. If you have a tach, that line is already in the engine harness and if you look below the key switch on the control box, there will likely be a connector there for the tach. The fuel gauge wiring is a separate wire that can be run along with your 10 gauge power feed. It is not part of the engine harness. If you had a trim gauge, that wiring is also part of the engine harness.

 

[fdmsiv]

Re: Side console wiring

I would also wire you bilge pump with 10 or 12 GA wire, bilge pumps can really pull some amps and I assume that the pump will be in the back of the boat, so you will probably have a 10' or so run of wires.

Just my .02