Archive for the ‘Cruisers’ Category

Marine electrical questions?

June 28th, 2010 by Kevin Hannula

Marine Ac/Dc attempts to answer your questions about boat wiring and marine electrical techniques, concepts, and products. We get lots of mail from folks in mid-project or who are just curious about their boat’s electrical setup.

There are loads of post already on the site which we hope you will browse through. If you’re trying to track down info about a more specific category, please use the search box in the upper right of this page or check out the list of various subjects farther down on this page.

If you aren’t able to find the info that you need to complete your particular boat wiring project, please send us an email at boatwiring@gmail.com.

Thank you for visiting. We look forward to hearing from you and hope that you will be able to come back often.

Posted in Battery Charger, Battery Switch, Boat Wiring, Bow Thruster, Circuit Protection, Corrosion, Cruisers, Gauge Panels, Harnesses, Marine Electrical, Navigation Lights, Pontoons, Runabouts, Signaling Devices, Switch Panels, Testing, Trolling Motors, Uncategorized, VSR, Wipers | Comments Off

Drinks are cold. Wires are hot.

February 22nd, 2012 by Marine Ac/Dc

Kevin,

I’d like to take my portable icemaker with me to the coast. I have a 22 foot cabin cruiser with a 90 hp Honda and two series 24 batteries – and need your help figuring out the boat wiring.

The icemaker draws 2 amps at 230 watts, so it won’t be suitable for a small inverter plugged into my cigarette lighter….will it? I thought about just adding a larger wire to the cigarette lighter, but that wouldn’t help the plug itself. Dometic Ice Maker

The inverter says it should be wired straight to the batteries if the appliance is over 180 watts. Wouldn’t it be better just to put in another circuit on my circuit board with size 12 or so wire and a 5 amp fuse/breaker?

Thanks,

Henry

Hi Henry,

I would recommend running the new inverter wires directly to the battery.

Your existing DC system was not designed to carry the additional current that your inverter will draw. You may have excessive voltage drop or even wires overheating.

Please send pictures of your final install,

Kevin

Posted in Battery, Battery cables, Boat Wiring, Cruisers, Galley, Ice Maker, Invertor, Marine Electrical, Runabouts, Sailboats, Voltage Drop | No Comments »

Bigger Breaker

February 13th, 2012 by Marine Ac/Dc

Kevin,

When replacing my factory installed circuit breakers, I noticed the breaker for the bilge pump is only rated at 4 amps.

My Rule bilge pump, (also factory installed) is labeled “12 Volt 6 amp fuse”. The specifications I found on line say this pump draws 3.3A at 12 volts and 5.0 amps at 13.6 volts. I assume the boat wiring size used is typical for bilge pump installation. (appears to be 14-16 Ga.?) Carling breaker

Should I install a larger circuit breaker with this set-up? I am thinking a 7 Amp would be sufficient?

The boat is a 2002 Sea Pro 235 WA with two batteries.

Thank You

Shonna

Hi Shonna,

I would go with the 7 amp breaker.

7 amps will not exceed the current carrying capacity of your wire, will help reduce nuisance tripping of the breaker under full load, but will trip under a locked rotar condition.

Thanks

Kevin

Posted in Bilge Pumps, Boat Wiring, Breakers, Circuit Protection, Cruisers, Marine Electrical, Pontoons, Runabouts, Sailboats | Comments Off

Wipe Out

January 23rd, 2012 by Marine Ac/Dc

Kevin,

I have to replace a wiper motor which has only two wires and an “on and off” switch.

I’m going to replace with a AFI MRV #34000 which states I need a three-position switch. This would be very difficult to rewire though the windshield.

The vessel is a 1991 SeaRay 350. Is it possible to us the existing switch and boat wiring??

Gary

AFI wiper motor

Hi Gary,

If your current wiper has two wires, power and ground, connect the ground to the case on the MRV 34000 and the power to either speed 1 or speed 2 on wiper motor.

If your current wiper has three wires, power, park, and ground, connect the ground to the case, park (constant power from fuse or breaker) to the park wire on the wiper motor, and the switched power to either speed 1 or speed 2. Even though your new wiper motor has two speeds, you will only be able to control one.

Hope this helps,

Kevin

Posted in Boat Wiring, Cruisers, Electrician's Log, Marine Electrical, Wipers | Comments Off

Sailboat Rewire

January 2nd, 2012 by Marine Ac/Dc

Hello Kevin,

I’m beginning a large boat wiring project on my 38 foot sailboat.

I have purchased new marine electrical panels and switches, and am beginning the wiring plan.

I need to know how to properly support the wires. For example, is conduit to be used…wrap around protective sheathing? The existing boat wiring (which was automotive wiring), had large lengths of wrap around plastic protective sheathing that looked to be flammable.

Please advise.

Thank you,

Earl

Hi Earl,

Per the ABYC, American Boat and Yacht Council, boat wiring must be supported every 18″ and any loom must be self extinguishing.

My preference self-extinguishing, split loom with cable ties every 12-15″. Make sure to add cable ties on each side of marine electrical bus bars and modular connectors. Even though these terminals are required to resist a 6 lb. pull test, it is better to take the extra time in installation than waste your time troubleshooting.

FYI, usually a blue tracer line on the split loom signifies self extinguishing.

Happy wiring.

Please send pictures of your project.

Kevin

Posted in ABYC, AC Wiring, Battery cables, Boat Wiring, Cruisers, Harnesses, Marine Electrical, Marine Engines | Comments Off

AC System Ground

December 19th, 2011 by Marine Ac/Dc

Kevin,

Your Easy Add AC – Marine Shore Power looks fantastic. Just what I need to plug and play!

I need some advice on the green ground wire. I have a DC system. No engine on my sailboat. Want to add your AC shore power system.

Your instructions state to connect to my DC negative which in turn on most boats is connected to the engine which provides ground. How do I accomplish grounding without an engine? Seacock, ground plate?

Thank you,

JR

Hi JR,

I’m glad that you like our system. As you said, we designed it to be truly “plug and play”.

As for your question…

The green AC ground wiring should be connected to the negative side of your DC system. This provides a low resistant path to ground in the event of an AC to DC fault. Even though the 5 mA GFCI on the panel will trip long before the 30 dock main, we still need to have the green AC grounding wire to keep our friends at the USCG happy.

Hope this helps,Shock Warning Sign

Kevin

Hi Kevin,

Thank you for the prompt reply.

I’m still confused. Is it ok that the DC is not connected to an engine (no engine on my sailboat)? Do I need to connect my DC bus to a seacock or external ground plate?

Thanks,

JR

Hi JR,

If you have a grounding system on your boat wiring (ground plate, seacock, etc), it should be connected to the DC negative system. The AC grounding wire from your AC system should connect here as well.

This will help prevent your seacock from being energized by 110v AC with no low resistance path to ground.

Kevin

Kevin,

Just to get it straight —the seacock and the AC green and the DC negative all connected to the DC neg bus? The seacock which is is on the water side provides the low resistance path ?

Thanks in advance for your tolerance. BTW you make it an easy choice to purchase from your boat wiring store with such great tech advice!!

JR

Hi John,

The wire that connects the AC grounding wire between the AC panel and your boat’s grounding system provides the low resistance path to ground that will trip the breaker on the dock. Without this, in theory, an AC wire can accidentally come in contact with the seacock on your boat. Since there is so much resistance the water, the dock breaker will not trip due to the low current the seacock path to ground (through the water) is inducing.

If a swimmer comes near the seacock, they become a lower resistance path to ground (the bottom of the marina) and then become paralyzed by AC voltage present in the water.

The main GFCI on our panel protects far beyond what the main dock breaker can do.

Hope this helps,

Kevin

Posted in ABYC, AC Wiring, Boat Wiring, Cruisers, Galvanic Corrosion, Ground Issues, Marine Electrical, Runabouts, Sailboats, Shore Power, Shore Station | Comments Off

Columbia Rewire

December 5th, 2011 by Marine Ac/Dc

Hello Kevin,

I’ve recently became the owner of a Columbia 22 sailboat built in 1969. I’ve gutted the boat wiring from her and need to rewire.

I need bow port and starboard navigation lights and some minor interior lights she currently has a white masthead light at the cross tree and a transom light. Both of them seem to look fine however I would like to convert to LED for all the lighting.Attwood is the world's top supplier of navigation lights for boats

She also has in place a Guest battery switch

I’m considering buying everything that I need from your snap-together boat wiring site.  But, before I do, can you tell me everything that I will need?

I think I need to control three separate lighting systems

  1. The red and green bow lights
  2. Masthead and stern
  3. Interior lights
  4. Perhaps nav/GPS and cell phone charger?

Any help would be appreciated. Your snap together wiring system seems like a real timesaver, but I didn’t want to get the wrong parts.

Finally, do you also furnish instructions on how it all hooks up to everything including battery?

Thanks again

Peter

Hi Peter,

I would start with our smaller boat wiring harness. This will provide wiring for your red/green boat lights, your white, all-round light, and interior lights.

On your boat, I would combine this harness with our five switch marine electrical panel. This panel will provide switches for your nav/anc and stern lights along with your cockpit courtesy lights.

We have several navigation light kits that plug directly into our wiring harness. Simply choose the mounting configuration for your boat.

The installation is easy and instructions are provided.

I would keep the Guest battery switch in the system. The main power connection from your new boat wiring harness will connect to the battery switch to allow you to completely turn the power off when you leave your boat.

Hope this helps,

Kevin

Posted in ABYC, Anchor Lights, Battery Switch, Boat Wiring, Bow Light, Circuit Protection, Courtesy Lights, Cruisers, Horn, Marine Electrical, Masthead Lights, Mood Lights, Navigation Lights, Sailboats | Comments Off

Custom Marine Electrical Panels?

November 28th, 2011 by Marine Ac/Dc

Hi Kevin,

I found your sister operation, EzAcDc boat wiring on Ed Sherman’s site.

I am about to rewire my 42 foot ketch with new boat wiring and distribution/breaker panel.EzAcDc also has a complete kit to rewire you existing switch panels - a big part of any boat wiring project.

I have HF radio (35 A), water pump, sewage treatment (both 15A), VHF radio (8A)fridge (3A), plus the usual internal lights and external nav lights. No power winches or other serous current devices, other than of course the Yanmar 54 bhp starter battery and motor. I have a 300 AHr ships battery bank (3 x 100 AHr) and a 900 CCA starter battery.

Your marine electrical panels look interesting and also the boat wiring harnesses seem well made and should simplify installations.

Can EzAcDc supply panels suitable for larger numbers of circuits? What form do your harnesses take, can I get lengths custom made if I provide lengths?

Johnson

Hi Johnson,

At this time our partner sites, EzAcDc and Boat Wiring Store, do not produce custom switch panels and boat wiring harnesses.

Usually, when expanding an EzAcDc system, our customers purchase a fully wired marine electrical switch panel and then purchase either an unloaded switch panel or an unwired switch panel to install in conjunction with the fully wired system.

This give them the ability to have a second switch panel made from the same material and same switch style. We offer a complete line of tinned boat wiring and marine electrical connectors so they can custom wire the second panel to their needs.

Hope this helps.

Please let us know if you have any questions,

Posted in AC Wiring, Anchor Lights, Battery cables, Bilge Pumps, Boat Batteries, Boat Wiring, Bow Light, Bow Thruster, Courtesy Lights, Cruisers, Gauge Panels, Harnesses-Dash, Harnesses-DC, Horn, Marine Electrical, Masthead Lights, Navigation Lights, Switch Panels | Comments Off

Bow Light Always On

November 21st, 2011 by Marine Ac/Dc

Kevin,

I recently built a new marine dash panel for a used Invader Boat. I bought all new gauges and switches, but I’m having a problem with the new Attwood navigation lights. The bow light comes on when the switch is in both the anchor position and the navigation position.Attwood is the world's top manufacturer of navigation lights for recreational marine.

I used a Contura rocker switch, an on-off-on. Do I need to change to a double pole/double throw switch?

Thanks,

Seymore

Hi Seymore,

Please check out this post on navigation light wiring from our sister boat wiring site, Easy Ac/Dc. It will explain how to correctly wire both the switch that you purchased as well as a double pole/double throw.

Happy boat wiring,

Kevin

Posted in Anchor Lights, Boat Wiring, Bow Light, Cruisers, Gauge Panels, Marine Electrical, Navigation Lights, Switch Panels | Comments Off

O’Day Dilemma

November 14th, 2011 by Marine Ac/Dc

Hello Kevin,

My boat wiring question is:

I have a 1979 37′ O’Day sailboat, with an Aft Cabin with the original 4 breaker terminal mounted on the locker.

When I bought the boat in 2000, I replaced the existing Loran with radar and wired it into the panel where the Loran had been and added a VHF radio to the back of the panel. Both have individual fuse protection. O'day Sailboat

Everything has worked fine until a few weeks ago when I noticed I have no power to the panel – cabin lights, engine room light, radar, radio, and autopilot do not work.

Both the positive and negative lines from the main power source in the forward part of the boat were tested by me and tested good.

I was told that it could be a ground problem. I looked at the negative marine electrical bus bar inside the locker and what is there are the negative wires from the accessories and the negative wire from the main bank in the forward part of the boat. There was also another 10 gauge wire but not attached to anything.

Should there be a ground wire attached to the buss bar to the engine and could this wire be my problem in that it somehow become disconnected?

I installed a new six breaker panel replacing the original; I installed a new 30 amp terminal (6 terminals) inside the locker and ran each accessory positive to it and then from there to the panel; Each accessory negative goes directly to the to the bus bar along with the 10 gauge negative wire from the main power source. The new panel has a negative bar which I also attached to the bus bar.

I then turned on each switch and they all light up meaning power is there. But when I turn on any of the accessories at the actual device they do not work and all the panel lights go off. When I turn off the individual accessory the panel lights will go back on. This happens with each item- cabin lights, engine room light, radio, radar, auto pilot.

Can you help me?

Confused

Jordan

Hi Jordan,

The problem is either in the feed wire or the ground wire.

The best way to find your problem is to test voltage levels when the system is under a load.

The panel indicator lights will initially turn on because the low current draw of the lights induces a small voltage drop in the wire. When you turn on a higher draw device, the voltage drop increases and the light turns off.

You will probably find a bad cable connection or hidden splice.

Hope this helps,

Kevin

Thank you for your response.

While waiting to hear back from you, I continued to investigate the problem.

Although I found numerous other problems as the O’Day has the original wiring, the cause for the failure was due to corrosion inside the positive wire where it entered into the front panel for power. As I tried to pull the wire to locate it, it broke off and was corroded inside the insulation. The joys of an old boat.

I have rewired the entire aft by replacing all the wires and panel and everything is back in order.

Regards,

Jordan

Posted in Anchor Lights, Battery cables, Boat Batteries, Boat Wiring, Circuit Protection, Corrosion, Cruisers, Galley, Gauge Panels, Ground Issues, Harnesses-Dash, Harnesses-DC, Marine Electrical, Masthead Lights, Sailboats, Switch Panels, Testing, Voltmeter | Comments Off
« Older Entries