Neat wiring even a simple little boat is as much art as tech

Re-wiring our family recreation boat these days. It was a basket case when I got it a few years ago, so I did a hasty wiring job to get it all running, and stuffed all the rat's nest of wires out of the way. Finally, it's been beginning to bug me that it's like that even though I can't see it.

So I pulled it all out, disconnecting as little as possible. Man'o'live. Getting it all loomed and looking tight is an art. Sometimes you thought you had it then you have to pull it out again because you found a way to make it neater.

I'm pretty good with a wrench. But neat wiring is part art, and I am having to learn as I go.

-Peter

I completely rewired and re powered my old Penn Yan. Like you said it quite an art and learning process. My mistake in the beginning was making runs permanent when it looked neat only to either add more wire or find a better route. Started to do runs more temporary and no p clips or clamps until I was sure it was going to be permanent. If you ever need, these guys offer complete harnesses.https://bpi.ebasicpower.com/wiringharness/

I know mine was a twin inboard application but being able to get the engine harness plus the harness that runs to the station/gauges was a big time saver.

I have cleaned up a few 'bird nests' in my time working on boats. For the average size boat, run 6 gauge black and red cables from the battery to the helm (dash). Under the dash, install a negative and a positive terminal strip for the cables to connect to. Anything that needs grounds or power is fed off of the strips. At the rear of the boat near the battery, install another pair of terminal strips. Anything at the rear of the boat that needs (-) and (+) such as bilge and float switches are fed off the strips. This keeps the install clean and without a half dozen wires connecting to the battery. In a fishing boat with electronics, run a second set of black and red 8 gauge to another set of terminal strips. Power the electronics from these independently wired strips to prevent voltage draws and interference.

Oh, in salt water nothing other than pre tinned wire will do.

I have a tried and true process. I use tinned duplex wire and run everything fwd to a central location usually near the controls. Power and ground bars fed by larger wire distributes power to carling brand breakers that double as switches. All the grounds and feeds are in one location also making things simple to check, connect and protect. I make my own switch panels and they have a common power bar on the feed side. Minimal connection load feeds go to all the parts. I solder and double heat shrink the connections. Some have lasted 15 yrs or more in a salty bilge environment. I also add a loop of wire for any future replacement of pumps etc. The x-tra length makes connecting new parts easier moved out of the bilge. I hate working in the bilge or any tight space. Being a charter boat Capt I had to have absolutely dead reliable stuff. Redundant bilge pumps and live well pumps are a part of that also. Can't tell you how many times it saved my azz. Just my way of doing it.

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Originally Posted by XstreamVking

I have a tried and true process. I use tinned duplex wire and run everything fwd to a central location usually near the controls. Power and ground bars fed by larger wire distributes power to carling brand breakers that double as switches. All the grounds and feeds are in one location also making things simple to check, connect and protect. I make my own switch panels and they have a common power bar on the feed side. Minimal connection load feeds go to all the parts. I solder and double heat shrink the connections. Some have lasted 15 yrs or more in a salty bilge environment. I also add a loop of wire for any future replacement of pumps etc. The x-tra length makes connecting new parts easier moved out of the bilge. I hate working in the bilge or any tight space. Being a charter boat Capt I had to have absolutely dead reliable stuff. Redundant bilge pumps and live well pumps are a part of that also. Can't tell you how many times it saved my azz. Just my way of doing it.

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Many a bar fight and brawl have broken out over two flavors of wiring..............crimped connections vs soldered connections. Soldered connections are not allowed on aircraft except for circuit boards, etc. Crimped can be re-squeezed where soldering cannot. Heat shrink tubing is the only way to go vs electrical tape. Liquid neoprene (liquid electrical tape) is a good waterproof sealant. I've had electrical circuits work just fine submerged under water. Problem is with salt water. It will penetrate copper wire runs and corrode over time. Better to yank the runs and start over.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by XstreamVking

I have a tried and true process. I use tinned duplex wire and run everything fwd to a central location usually near the controls. Power and ground bars fed by larger wire distributes power to carling brand breakers that double as switches. All the grounds and feeds are in one location also making things simple to check, connect and protect.

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This is precisely what I ended up doing too. Thanks for the affirmation. ;)
-Peter

Zebra, I do use the non insulated crimp connectors (ring and sleeve) and then solder them. I left that out. My bad... I believe the non soldering policy on aircraft and some other applications, (hi load parts like starters etc) is that in the event of a hot spot, or short occurs, the solder could melt and drip causing other problems. (I'm not aircraft certified) I believe everyone should use the procedure they are confident in. Insulated, crimped type connections are fine. I use them on a lot of stuff. The way I described is just MY way. Not the only way. The old western union connection and liquid tape works too. I was a bilge monkey for many years on big and small boats and saw the failure points. Built new boats too. This refined my wiring procedures that I use. And, I prefer sitting back drinking whiskey and just watching fights in bars, ( I'm old now) to being the bouncer and having to get bloody. :D Did not like working the door :nonod:

Air craft don't have to deal with salt water, everything changes when you add salt,

I like the liquid rubber chit also,

At 18 I started checking ID at the largest live rock music nightclub in Buffalo NY, I figured It would be good for my sex life, It was.

These 4 owners owned 2 very large nightclubs, 600 + people on a good night, and a big problem they had was law suits,

You see they hired body builders that were taking steroids and were getting their kicks beating the **** out of people,

I lifted back then and had friends in serious competition and taking steroids, I took a few my self, but quit early on because of the side effects,

They make you mean, I knew guys with scrips from doctors, they got pills to mellow them out because of the personality changes,

Anyhow in a short period of time I was floor manager, I hired ex Mr NYS in powerlifting and then MR. NYS in Bodybuilding

also 4 degree black belt in Karate, We broke fights up, we NEVER hit anyone, we talked to people, always being reasonable and It worked.

I didn't charge an entrance fee for regulars, those regulars would come to my aid If chit developed