Suggestions for Re-Wiring

[l008com]

Re: Suggestions for Re-Wiring

Here's the blocks I made today. Cut them with my brand new mitre saw, and then sanded ALL the edges of every piece. 26 blocks total. Each one is about .75" thick, and 1.5" x 1.75". It is pressure treated wood. I haven't gotten any hook/clamps/connectors yet. I need to find some of those next.



If they seem small, keep in mind that I'm going to use a lot of them, especially along the 'main' wire route from the "cabin" to the battery where there are a ton of wires. No more than 12" between each block. Then for the rest, I'll just place them as needed. I have another piece of wood I can make about 26 more blocks out of if I need to. Hopefully I won't need to though

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Suggestions for Re-Wiring

Before you 5200 those blocks to the boat, soak them in water a bit. 5200 is moisture cure and the extra water will help kick the cure. With blocks that small, you will probably need to pre-drill the screw holes or you might have some splitting.

Here's a good source for the SS clamps you are looking for, probably help with your wiring too.

SS clamps

Another thought here (I know you spent some time on those wood blocks), how about getting a cheap plastic cutting board from WalMart and cutting that into small blocks. It won't rot or split and is thinner than the wood. I think the cutting boards are 7/16" thick so you would have to use short screws, but they would really bite into that plastic.

 

[l008com]

Re: Suggestions for Re-Wiring

I did plan on predrilling all the holes. My buddy has a drill press I was going to use for that.

When you say pre-soak the wood, are you talking about a quick dunk in water then apply the 5200? Or do you mean like let them all float in a bucket of water for an hour? Does it cure "better" when wet, or just faster? Because I don't mind waiting a week. I usually only boat once a week anyway so that wouldn't be a problem.

And YES YES i do like those clamps! Thats the stuff I was looking for! Thanks

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Suggestions for Re-Wiring

I added another comment to my other post, see the bottom.

Yeah, just dunk the blocks or wipe them with a soaked rag to get them moist. Allow it to soak in a bit so the surface isn't soaking wet them apply the 5200. With the added moisture the 5200 will be cured in a day. I live in the desert and 5200 can take 1-2 weeks to dry with the low humidity, with the water trick it's cured in a day. Oh yeah, it just cures faster with added moisture. Heck, I've just taped a moist paper towel on top of things that were 5200'ed and they cured in a day, or placed them in a bucket with a bit of water in the bottom.

 

[l008com]

Re: Suggestions for Re-Wiring

I'm going to stick with the wood. Partly because I spent so much time making the blocks But also I feel like I'm going to have a lot easier time working with the wood vs working with solid chunks of plastic. If I can get 10 years out of this wood, I'll be happy. And I should be able to as long as my boat doesn't sink again :-/

 

[l008com]

Re: Suggestions for Re-Wiring

So it seems to have worked out pretty good. I always use too much 5200, but in this case it didn't matter. It squeezed out of each block, but all the blocks are out of site so no big deal. These pics don't even show you under the dash. I used a LOT of blocks I have more left over for next year. It is preassure treated wood, I just hope that it doesn't rot anyway. It was kind of soft when I got it. It hardend up good once I let it dry out, but still it makes me nervous. I want to get at least 10 years out of every project. I kind of wish I stained them or sealed them or SOMETHING before I glued them in. Oh well.

 

[fish_on_the_deck]

Re: Suggestions for Re-Wiring

I kind of wish I stained them or sealed them or SOMETHING before I glued them in. Oh well.

yeah they will hopefully last pretty well being pressure treated, but any wood I put on my boat I paint a couple layers of fiberglass resin on them. If exposed to water I fully encapsulate them in 6oz glass. For typically dry spots letting a couple coats of resin soak in couldnt hurt... for next time.

 

[l008com]

Re: Suggestions for Re-Wiring

Follow-up: Finally got around to taming the wires up under the bow too:

 

[l008com]

Re: Suggestions for Re-Wiring

Note that the clips are mounted "up" instead of hanging down. That was on purpose under there. That compartment, and the one on the other side, are where I keep the life jackets. With the hooks upside down like that, they're way out of the way, and none of the life jackets or life jacket straps should ever catch on my wires or my hooks.

 

[ve3rpm]

Re: Suggestions for Re-Wiring

If it's pressure treated wood, once you cut it you have to apply liquid pressure treatment where it's been cut or it rots as fast as regular wood. This includes the screw holes... Take care when applying, as it's highly carcinogenic.

 

[l008com]

Re: Suggestions for Re-Wiring

If it's pressure treated wood, once you cut it you have to apply liquid pressure treatment where it's been cut or it rots as fast as regular wood. This includes the screw holes... Take care when applying, as it's highly carcinogenic.

Hmm, I wish you had told me that before I had completely finished. Although the wood was so thin, it sure looked like the treatment had soaked all the way through. But all of these blocks are underneath stuff so I think I'll be ok. There is still one original piece of wood in this boat, a 2x2 that goes across the front of the splash-well. It's totally covered by fiberglass and it is completely not-rotted. I was shocked that this wood wasn't soft at all, not even a little. It was in such good shape, I just drilled some holes in it for my wire clips instead of gluing my own blocks along that stretch.

 

[NYBo]

Re: Suggestions for Re-Wiring

Don't worry about it. The treatment goes all the way through the plywood. Even if it didn't, you have those blocks mounted in a very well-protected area so they shouldn't be exposed to a lot of water anyway.

 

[Grandad]

Re: Suggestions for Re-Wiring

I just happened upon the pictures you posted yesterday and noticed something unusual. It looks as if you have used solid conductor house wire (NMD-90 perhaps?). Stranded wire is usually used in boats as it is in cars or anything else that tends to vibrate or shake. Stresses when solid conductors move or rattle can cause premature failure of terminations. - Grandad

 

[l008com]

Re: Suggestions for Re-Wiring

They are stranded marine grade wire. I purchased a 100 foot spool of - i think 14 gauge - from genuinedealz.com, which sounds like a sketchy website, but actually has really good prices. I got all of my wire and my wire clips from there.

 

[Grandad]

Re: Suggestions for Re-Wiring

They are stranded marine grade wire.

That's good to hear. The cable looks stiff and of course the labelling is too small to read. I almost didn't post cuz I didn't want to throw water on your parade, but decided I should. I checked that website. Looks good. Glad I did post cuz now I learned something. - Grandad

 

[l008com]

Re: Suggestions for Re-Wiring

The wire probably looks stiff because it's duplex 14 gauge wire, with the pair wrapped in another layer of white insulation. Plus my clips are relatively close together. So they stay pretty straight and don't move around much, which is just how I want them to be.

 

[zopperman]

Re: Suggestions for Re-Wiring

Wow! they do have some "genuine dealz" I'm starting my rewire tomorrow. Looks like your went really well

 

[l008com]

Re: Suggestions for Re-Wiring

Wow! they do have some "genuine dealz" I'm starting my rewire tomorrow. Looks like your went really well

Yes I'm very happy with the way mine came out. The only "glitch" is that the only screws I could find that were the right size, were flat heads. Which makes screwing them in a bit of a pain. But I used a chop saw to cut all my blocks nice and straight, a drill press to perfectly pre-drill every block, and I even sanded them all down nice and smooth after cutting. It's gone very well and I'm not done yet. I still have speaker wire for 4 speakers to run. And some day I still want to put some LED's on the floor, and some bright LEDs around the engine and gas tank. I have an 8 switch panel, I might as well use em

 

[boaterinsd]

Re: Suggestions for Re-Wiring

Like the pics , so what lake do you have in the avatar?

 

[l008com]

Re: Suggestions for Re-Wiring

Like the pics , so what lake do you have in the avatar?

The avatar pic is Beaver Lake in Derry NH. But my boat hasn't been there in years. Nowadays I boat around Boston Harbor and the rivers around Boston. Good times.