Archive for the ‘Navigation Lights’ 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

Boat Wiring Colors

February 6th, 2012 by Marine Ac/Dc

Hello Kevin,

I am looking to find a boat wiring diagram to rewire my 1996 17 foot Key West boat. EzAcDc offers a full selection of boat wiring for your marine electrical project.

I will need the complete wiring schematics for this model. Do you have this information or can you tell me where I can find it online and print in order to start my repairs tomorrow?

Thanks for your help, I look forward to hearing back from you

Marco

Hi Marco,

I’m sorry, but we do not have a boat wiring diagram available for your boat and you will probably not find one.

But, this list of standard boat wiring colors for marine electrical should get you close. Most boat builders have been using this code or one very similar for over twenty years.

Kevin

Posted in ABYC, AC Wiring, Air Conditioning, Anchor Lights, Battery cables, Battery Charger, Bilge Pumps, Blower, Boat Lift, Boat Wiring, Bow Light, Bow Thruster, Compass, Courtesy Lights, Fuel Gauge, Fuel Sender, Galley, Harnesses, Ignition Switch, LED Lights, Marine Electrical, Masthead Lights, Mood Lights, Navigation Lights, Pontoons, Refrigerator, Rope Lights, Sailboats, Shore Power, Shore Station, Signaling Devices | Comments Off

Glen-L Wiring

January 30th, 2012 by Marine Ac/Dc

Kevin,

I am building a 16′ wooden bass boat using the Glen-L design and it is about 80% complete. I am now getting ready to outfit the interior, build the helm, purchase my motor, etc.

I have visited your sister boat wiring site and it looks like just what I will need due to its simplified “plug and play ” approach. What I am looking for is advice on everything I will need to wire my boat using EzAcDc marine electrical.

My boat wiring needs include:

In summary, I need everything and look to your recommendation to help me get what I need to fully wire my boat from the boat wiring harness to fuses, circuit breakers, switches, etc.

Thank you.

Kelly

Hi Kelly,

Your boat sounds great! Thank you for your interest in the products at our sister site.

Here is the boat wiring that I would recommend.

  • Fully wired eight switch marine electrical panel. This comes with one panel mounted 12 volt receptacle and you will want to add a second remote outlet.
  • Boat wiring harness that quickly snaps together with the panel above.
  • Smart Battery Switch system for two batteries. This includes cables, ground bus, and you will want to add a couple of battery boxes.
  • Navigation lights are controlled by the nav/anc switch in your new switch panel. Wiring for split red and green lights and a single white stern light is included with the boat wiring harness. The site has a variety of Attwood LED navigation light kits that may suite your needs. All come with connectors so that they will snap right onto the new harness.
  • I would run 8 AWG tinned wire for your trolling motor.
  • Please send me the specs and length of total wire run for the power winch to determine the cable size requirements.
  • Currently we do not stock a trolling motor connection. My preference in the Marinco Connect Pro System.
  • You can use one of the switches on the new panel for the stereo. The new panel will even include a pre-printed “STEREO” switch cap. There is a ground, constant power (memory), and switched power coming off of the back of the switch for a stereo. We do not include speaker wire.
  • The boat wiring harness has two breakouts for courtesy lights. The switch panel kit also includes a “COURTESY LIGHTS” switch cap.
  • We do not have fish finders, but you can get power for your fish finder from one of the breakers on your new switch panel.
  • The switch panel comes pre-wired with a horn button and the boat harness includes wiring for a horn.
  • We also have boat horns that will attach easily onto the new harness.
  • We do not have gauges. Most of the gauge wiring will be included with your engine harness.
  • Our harness comes with one bilge pump and auto float switch connection. You can either run a second pump from one of the switch panel accessory wire breakouts or you can use the livewell pump breakout for a second pump.
  • No additional fuse panel is needed. The switches have circuit breakers mounted directly below them on the panel. The main harness battery connection has an in-line circuit breaker for harness protection.

Thank you again for your consideration. I hope this helps,

Kevin

Kevin,

My boat anchor winch is the Deck Mate 19 Small Boat Anchor Windlass from West Marine. The draw is 15 amps @ 12 volts and the winch includes a built in 15A circuit breaker. The length of wire from the helm to the power winch at the bow is roughly 9 feet. Please advise cable size requirement.

Thank you.

Kelly

Hi Kelly,

18′ run total @ 15 amps with 3% drop, I would run 10 AWG wire.

Kevin

Posted in Anchor Lights, Battery cables, Battery Switch, Bilge Pumps, Boat Batteries, Boat Wiring, Bow Light, Circuit Protection, Courtesy Lights, Engine Harness, Fuel Gauge, Gauge Panels, Harnesses, Harnesses-DC, Horn, LED Lights, Marine Electrical, Masthead Lights, Navigation Lights, Rope Lights, Smart Battery Switch, Switch Panels, Trolling Motors, VSR | Comments Off

Masthead Wiring

December 12th, 2011 by Marine Ac/Dc

KevinAttwood is the world's top source for LED navigation lights

My boat wiring question relates to 12 volt LED navigation lights on top of mast that is 75 feet tall.

The power draw on the navigation lights is less than 0.5 amps each for the white LED anchor light and red and green combo light.

What size boat wiring should be used?

Is there a four conductor tinned wire in the US that is appropriate? In Europe there is an Italian brand tecnikabel. Does your partner marine electrical site offer something like that?

Thanks,

Mary

Hi Mary,

Attwood LED navigation lights are a great addition to any boat, but are especially suited for sailboats.

If you are trying to maintain a 3% drop or less, you can be up to 156 feet total wire (source of power to light and back to ground) if the light draws 0.5 amps and still use 16 AWG wire. At 0.4 amps this goes up to 195 feet.

Here is a link to my wire size calculator for future reference.

Ancor makes a great 16-4 jacketed, tinned cable that would work well for your application.

Hope this helps,

Kevin

Posted in ABYC, Anchor Lights, Boat Wiring, LED Lights, Marine Electrical, Masthead Lights, Navigation Lights | 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

Nav Light Switch

September 19th, 2011 by Marine Ac/Dc

Hi,

I’m wondering if you could help me with a boat wiring question related to my boat navigation lights?

On my boat, the white, all-round masthead light was installed on the windshield, which meant no vision at night because the whole bow lights up. I would like to move it to my radar arch where I already have a dedicated, 2 wire LED light.

I pulled the switched 12 volt wire from the windshield that powered the mast light in the “NAV” position up to my radar arch. I can’t figure out how to wire everything so it’ll work the way I would like.

Under the arch I now have two switched leads: one in the “Nav” position and the other in the “Anc” position. My all around light has two leads, + and -.

With the switch facing the same way it’s installed in the dash, here’s what I get on each of the 6 switch terminals in each of the 3 possible positions (—– is a terminal)Attwood is the world's top supplier of navigation lighting

Switch OFF (in the middle)

( ) — —- ( )
(+) — —- (+)
( ) — —- (-)

Switch “NAV” (Up)

( ) — —- (+)
(+) — —- (+)
(+) — —- (+)

Switch “Anc” (down)

(+) — —- (+)
(+) — —- (+)
(+) — —- ( -)

Do you know how I set up the boat wiring so the all-around lights switches on by itself in the “ANC” position and goes on with my other running lights (port/stb and stern) in the “NAV” position?

I would appreciate any ideas!

Thanks,

Byron

Hi Bob,

If you want your all-round white light to illuminate by itself in the anc position and with the red/green bow lights in the nav position, connect the + lead of the all round light to the lower left hand terminal on your switch. Keep any jumper wires intact that may run from the top to the bottom of the switch.

Per your schematic, this terminal has power in the up (nav) and the down (anc) position. Your red/green navigation lights should be connected to the lower right terminal on the switch.

Good luck,

Kevin

Posted in Boat Wiring, LED Lights, Marine Electrical, Masthead Lights, Navigation Lights | Comments Off

There she blows

August 29th, 2011 by Marine Ac/Dc

Kevin

I have a 2002 Rinker Captiva 232 BR.

My transom light assembly blew and popped the breaker on the dash navigation light switch.

I reset the breaker and have nothing. In fact, nothing on that panel works including the radio! I still have the bilge blower and ignition. The rules of navigation lights for your boat wiring project.

Are there fuses somewhere or a main breaker that I could be missing?

Thanks!!

Justin

Hi Justin,

Your boat wiring should have a main feed breaker at the battery switch panel that provides the main power.

It is possible that your transom light tripped this breaker also. Some Rinkers used the ignition feed to power the blower. This would explain when the blower and ignition work, but nothing else does.

Hope this helps,

Kevin

Posted in Anchor Lights, Boat Wiring, Circuit Protection, Marine Electrical, Navigation Lights, Pontoons, Runabouts | Comments Off

Both fore and aft

August 1st, 2011 by Marine Ac/Dc

Kevin,Attwood is the world leader in navigation lighting

I have a three-wire Attwood masthead light.

With a bit of manipulation of the boat wiring I can get the front bulb to work or the back bulb to work but not both front and back together despite any combination I try?

Please help.

Thanks
Pete

Hi Pete,

Turning the front and back on at the same time is controlled by the switch on your helm.

The black wire on the light is the ground and the other two wires provide power to the forward and aft bulbs in the light. If you want both the light together all the time, simply connect them together at the light and supply 12v to both at the same time.

Hope this helps,

Kevin

Posted in Anchor Lights, Boat Wiring, Marine Electrical, Masthead Lights, Navigation Lights, Signaling Devices | Comments Off
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