# Wiring ?????



## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

If you have no experience with wiring or calculating circuit loads
I'm going to recommend you pay someone to do it for you. But if you
really want to do it yourself, then you need to learn the basics of
matching wire size to amperage load, circuit length, making secure
solid connections, color coding and battery basics. Otherwise you'll
probably end up in trouble that could put you in danger on the water.


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## Gramps (Nov 1, 2007)

This is my favorite bus fuse block and ground block: http://www.iboats.com/Screw-Termina...8398330--session_id.623654350--view_id.163740

And then to switches: http://www.iboats.com/BEP-SWITCH-PA...8398330--session_id.623654350--view_id.930947

Brett your link forwards me to something else?


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## Morgan_Duett (Jan 12, 2013)

Should I have a seperate battery for my trolling motor?


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## Gramps (Nov 1, 2007)

It isn't required to have a dedicated battery, all of my boats have used a dual purpose battery for motor & TM. Some like a separate tm battery for weight placement or to prevent running down the starting battery.


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## Morgan_Duett (Jan 12, 2013)

Interstate makes a deep cycle/starting is it worth it to pick one of these up? Are they good dual purpose batts. ?


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## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

Yeah Gramps, there's a url redirect imbedded in the newboatbuilders.com forum software.
Latest in a long line of hacks directed at forums hosted on poorly maintained servers.
Serious problem lately on the cheaper hosting services with no budget for website support.

I deleted the link.


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

> I'm not sure what I should do, I have one battery runing my electric start motor and trolling motor I'm gonna have a bilge, nav lights, cockpit lights, and stereo all ran to it too. How should I do the wiring? Should I have a switch panel for the lights and bilge? Do I need fuses what's the easiest, safest way to do this thanks.


Engine wiring is typically self-contained in the wiring harness.

The bilge should have a fused feed direct to the automatic float switch from the battery and a manual feed through a manual switch with preferably a circuit breaker.

Trolling motor should have a breaker right on the battery for that circuit.

I prefer to have one large power feed daisy chained to individual dash mounted circuit breakers that then feed individual dash mounted switches for anchor light, nav light, bilge, bait well, cockpit lights, etc all mounted on one front removable panel. This eliminates the need for a power distribution panel. (The panel is replaced by the wiring that daisy chains to each breaker.) Breakers are better because you can reset them. It is also much easier to maintain and/or repair down the road.

The main concern is providing a large enough wire to provide the main feed to all the breakers. Add up the actual load for all your electronics and size the main feed wire and breaker for 25% over that. (NOT the breaker sizes) For reliability and extra short circuit protection, feed both ends of the daisy chain. Then if for some reason you have a bad connection in the chain, power will still feed from the other side.

Actual loads and recommended short circuit protection is typically included in product specifications.

For things like trim tabs and the stereo I would put them on circuit breakers too. Fit them in with your other switches if you have room, else wire tie the breakers under the console with enough slack to work on if you have problems.

The place that gets ugly quick is where you connect all the negatives. These are NOT on the breaker/switch panel. Distribution panels make this easier, but you can accomplish the same with ring lugs stacked on one nut and bolt. Then wire tie that into your wiring bundle and you don't have to mount a bus bar that will be a pain to get to forever.

Look at the pictures of switch panels on Maverick's websites and you can see how they did it.

All they have is a battery switch and the main fuses under the console. Everything else is on the back of the switch panel that removes from the outside. 

http://www.maverickboats.com/boats/mirage-17-hpx-v/#gallery

There are many that like power distribution panels, and there are many that are sold. I'm just not a fan of them because I feel they put too many eggs in one basket that is usually hard to get to and impossible to repair.

I fished with one battery for TM and starting for quite a while. Then I went to Flamingo and realized that was too risky on multi-day, backwater trips.


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## Dillusion (May 21, 2012)

Everyone in here is making it way too complicated.

Buy a 100ft roll of 14ga tinned red and black wire, buy a fuse panel with toggles or a fused switch panel, then wire everything up and place the correct size fuse for each item whever you hook it up to.

No real science to it. Things like a TM require a thermal breaker near the 12V QD plug, and if you want to wire up your setup super-dooper-correctly you can do Battery -> Switch -> Thermal breaker -> fuse panel -> toggles. That's it.


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## Morgan_Duett (Jan 12, 2013)

Ok what are some good battery switches and fuse panels to buy?


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## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

> Everyone in here is making it way too complicated.
> 
> Buy a 100ft roll of 14ga tinned red and black wire, buy a fuse panel with toggles or a fused switch panel, then wire everything up and place the correct size fuse for each item whever you hook it up to.
> 
> No real science to it. Things like a TM require a thermal breaker near the 12V QD plug, and if you want to wire up your setup super-dooper-correctly you can do Battery -> Switch -> Thermal breaker -> fuse panel -> toggles. That's it.


While it may be that easy for you now, I still remember some of your first posts asking about wiring questions.
Don't forget what it was like not knowing anything.
We took our time and explained it to you and now look what your capable of


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## Morgan_Duett (Jan 12, 2013)

Would this be a fused switch panel that I would run to my thermal breaker then battery switch then battery?
http://m.academy.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_10051_802965_-1__true?color=Multi&N=635908473


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

Can't say I looked real hard, nor have personal experience with it, but this one looks better for less

http://www.walmart.com/ip/16651512?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=3&adid=22222222227000841539&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=39887223790&wl4=&wl5=pla&wl6=34450541350&veh=sem#Product+Reviews


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

Not to offend anyone, but I would stay away from a lot of those types of toggle panels and switches. I've used them over the years and they always failed me. 

If you want a super simple fused switch panel to wire up then check out the blue sea ones. I love mine!

http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sea-Systems-WeatherDeck-Resistant/dp/B000K2MBM8/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1385044224&sr=8-9&keywords=blue+sea+boat+switch+panel


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## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

> Not to offend anyone, but I would stay away from a lot of those types of toggle panels and switches. I've used them over the years and they always failed me.
> 
> If you want a super simple fused switch panel to wire up then check out the blue sea ones. I love mine!
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sea-Systems-WeatherDeck-Resistant/dp/B000K2MBM8/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1385044224&sr=8-9&keywords=blue+sea+boat+switch+panel


X2


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

> Not to offend anyone, but I would stay away from a lot of those types of toggle panels and switches. I've used them over the years and they always failed me.
> 
> If you want a super simple fused switch panel to wire up then check out the blue sea ones. I love mine!
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sea-Systems-WeatherDeck-Resistant/dp/B000K2MBM8/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1385044224&sr=8-9&keywords=blue+sea+boat+switch+panel



Those are sweet. That guard keeps the toggles from poking you in the knee caps.

Have you or cut runner ever tried the ones with breakers? Not sure how I feel about that backlighting though.

http://shop.pkys.com/Blue-Sea-Systems-4378-Waterproof-WeatherDeck-Circuit-Breaker-Panel-12-Volt-DC-_p_1167.html


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

No, at the time when I bought mine the breakered ones were much more money, and really I don't mind the fuses. The one with fuses even houses an extra fuse inside in case of a blow out. I think mine is backlit, but it's not very bright. I have the white 4 switch version currently.


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## Morgan_Duett (Jan 12, 2013)

I've ran my motor, trolling motor, and nav lights all on one battery before with no fuses or breaker. Just adding a bilge and stereo I need fuses/breaker?


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## Morgan_Duett (Jan 12, 2013)

Ok forget my last post I'm gonna get the blue sea fuse box and a blue sea breaker, question? What size amp breaker do I need?


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

> Ok forget my last post I'm gonna get the blue sea fuse box and a blue sea breaker, question? What size amp breaker do I need?


Depends on what the breaker is used to supply power to.

If you're thinking you need it to feed the fuse panel, that is not necessary. Just make sure you keep the wire from the battery switch to the fuse panel protected from damage.


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## Morgan_Duett (Jan 12, 2013)

How do I keep the wire from the switch to the fuse box protected?


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

> How do I keep the wire from the switch to the fuse box protected?


Tie wrap it behind and/or above other things where it can't get damaged, pull it inside a piece of hose, or just use marine romex that has a protective layer over the wires.

Look at those Maverick pictures...


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## Morgan_Duett (Jan 12, 2013)

Ok is there any pictures I can see that illustrate battery>switch>fuse>panel? Does all the positive and negative from my switches go to the fuse box? What if I buy the panel from academy? It says there fused switches, do I still need a fuse panel?


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## Dillusion (May 21, 2012)

See this photo, replicate it, but in your case if you want an ON/OFF (that I'm not using on this build) you put it between the battery and thermal fuse:


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## Morgan_Duett (Jan 12, 2013)

Thanks matty


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## Snookdaddy (Jan 5, 2008)

I used the following when I wired up my Gordon Waterman 16.

Odyssey Battery connected to a thermal breaker (this was my on/off switch for the battery.










Then I used a Blue Sea 4 bank panel with the fuse box attached:


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## blondmonkey777 (Oct 18, 2012)

If u need help let me know I have my boat set up the same way all on one battery me and joe knocked it out in like 2 hours


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## 8loco (Feb 12, 2012)

So if you have a toggle panel with fuses you don't need a fuse box?


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

No the fuses are already built in. Adding a box wouldn't do much.


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