Boat wiring questions
 

I am about to rewire my Lund. A simple thing, with only a few circuits.
Some wires need to be deleted, others replaced, and some I'm not sure. I
was wondering if it is advisable to just put a knife switch on the hot.
Right now, I have the screw on battery terminals, and it's just another step
before launch. The wiring is generally half birdsnest and half done right.

Is a knife switch a good thing? Should I put a mondo fuse in line, too?
Just in case.

Steve

Boat wiring questions
 

On Mon, 25 May 2009 19:31:59 -0600, "SteveB"
wrote:

I am about to rewire my Lund. A simple thing, with only a few circuits.
Some wires need to be deleted, others replaced, and some I'm not sure. I
was wondering if it is advisable to just put a knife switch on the hot.
Right now, I have the screw on battery terminals, and it's just another step
before launch. The wiring is generally half birdsnest and half done right.

Is a knife switch a good thing? Should I put a mondo fuse in line, too?
Just in case.

No - simpler to use a circuit breaker panel - you can get one at West
Marine for $20 - water proof, simple and easy to install.

http://tinyurl.com/pvl22j

There are others around - Defender sells one that's good, but it's a
little more pricey.

Don White's boat (which was mine at one time) has a open type fused
circuit panel that isn't water proof, but is protected from the
weather - I don't think that's what you are looking for.

Boat wiring questions
 

wrote in message
...
On Mon, 25 May 2009 19:31:59 -0600, "SteveB"
wrote:

I am about to rewire my Lund. A simple thing, with only a few circuits.
Some wires need to be deleted, others replaced, and some I'm not sure. I
was wondering if it is advisable to just put a knife switch on the hot.
Right now, I have the screw on battery terminals, and it's just another
step
before launch. The wiring is generally half birdsnest and half done
right.

Is a knife switch a good thing? Should I put a mondo fuse in line, too?
Just in case.

Steve


If you can really keep it dry, use a breaker panel but if it is going
to be damp and maintenance is a sometimes thing a good brass fuse
block may be a better choice. It is something you can fix on the
water. Use a good silicone grease on everything (Dow/Corning 111 works
for me).
I have all the wiring on my boat in RNC (the gray plastic conduit)
terminating in a 3R electrical box under the console or up into the
control part of the console.
The 3R box has a good cover so I went with breakers
The places where conduit was impractical to fish I used ENT (Smurf
tube).
19 years of salt water later my wiring is still doing fine.
I avoided any splices that were not right at the termination points.
All wires home run to the box under the console or where they go in
the console.
Try to color coordinate which wires go to what so it is easy to fix
later.
My green light is in green wire, red for red, white for white etc. I
maintain the Merc color code for gauges. (tan is water temp, gray is
tach etc) Black is always ground.
http://gfretwell.com/electrical/merc%20color%20code.pdf

The place I differ is orange is +12v and the only red other than the
red light is the battery cable and that is easy to differentiate.

Doing a system like this makes sorting the mess out behind the console
panel pretty easy, I could tywrap the stuff up into a neat cable but
that can sometimes actually make it harder to work on.

I

I feel like I live on another planet. Our climate here is such that
corrosion and a lot of factors are not applicable. Yes, I know it is good
to have everything fused. My question was the ease at which the whole
system can be turned off versus the now thing of clamping three terminals on
a battery lug with a wing nut.

Steve

Boat wiring questions
 

On Tue, 26 May 2009 16:35:27 -0600, "SteveB"
wrote:

I feel like I live on another planet. Our climate here is such that
corrosion and a lot of factors are not applicable. Yes, I know it is good
to have everything fused. My question was the ease at which the whole
system can be turned off versus the now thing of clamping three terminals on
a battery lug with a wing nut.

http://tinyurl.com/pclp2f

Boat wiring questions
 

On May 25, 9:47*pm, Wizard of Woodstock wrote:
On Mon, 25 May 2009 19:31:59 -0600, "SteveB"
wrote:

I am about to rewire my Lund. *A simple thing, with only a few circuits.
Some wires need to be deleted, others replaced, and some I'm not sure. *I
was wondering if it is advisable to just put a knife switch on the hot.
Right now, I have the screw on battery terminals, and it's just another step
before launch. *The wiring is generally half birdsnest and half done right.

Is a knife switch a good thing? *Should I put a mondo fuse in line, too?
Just in case.

No - simpler to use a circuit breaker panel - you can get one at West
Marine for $20 - water proof, simple and easy to install.

http://tinyurl.com/pvl22j

There are others around - Defender sells one that's good, but it's a
little more pricey.

Don White's boat (which was mine at one time) has a open type fused
circuit panel that isn't water proof, but is protected from the
weather - I don't think that's what you are looking for.

Exactly. That's what I did from a glass Bar Fuse right to a Blade Type
Marine Panel. 10 stops any amp rating. Placed it near, and switched
wires. If in doubt, do a ground-out test with a light. Last thing on
will be the blower, but it's supposed to rain here for next 3 days.

Boat wiring questions
 

"Wizard of Woodstock" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 26 May 2009 16:35:27 -0600, "SteveB"
wrote:

I feel like I live on another planet. Our climate here is such that
corrosion and a lot of factors are not applicable. Yes, I know it is good
to have everything fused. My question was the ease at which the whole
system can be turned off versus the now thing of clamping three terminals
on
a battery lug with a wing nut.

http://tinyurl.com/pclp2f

TYVM. The big copper knife switch clonker which had a clamp, then a knife
switch, then another battery post was $38 at NAPA.

Steve

Boat wiring questions
 

On Tue, 26 May 2009 20:06:51 -0600, "SteveB"
wrote:


"Wizard of Woodstock" wrote in message
.. .
On Tue, 26 May 2009 16:35:27 -0600, "SteveB"
wrote:

I feel like I live on another planet. Our climate here is such that
corrosion and a lot of factors are not applicable. Yes, I know it is good
to have everything fused. My question was the ease at which the whole
system can be turned off versus the now thing of clamping three terminals
on
a battery lug with a wing nut.

http://tinyurl.com/pclp2f

TYVM. The big copper knife switch clonker which had a clamp, then a knife
switch, then another battery post was $38 at NAPA.

Maye I don't fully grasp your definition of "knife" switch.

Are you talking about something like this?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knife_switch

Boat wiring questions
 

On Tue, 26 May 2009 22:57:16 -0400, wrote:

On Tue, 26 May 2009 22:28:46 -0400, Wizard of Woodstock
wrote:

On Tue, 26 May 2009 20:06:51 -0600, "SteveB"
wrote:


"Wizard of Woodstock" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 26 May 2009 16:35:27 -0600, "SteveB"
wrote:

I feel like I live on another planet. Our climate here is such that
corrosion and a lot of factors are not applicable. Yes, I know it is good
to have everything fused. My question was the ease at which the whole
system can be turned off versus the now thing of clamping three terminals
on
a battery lug with a wing nut.

http://tinyurl.com/pclp2f

TYVM. The big copper knife switch clonker which had a clamp, then a knife
switch, then another battery post was $38 at NAPA.

Maye I don't fully grasp your definition of "knife" switch.

Are you talking about something like this?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knife_switch


More like this
http://tinyurl.com/q6l5dt

I would think this would be a better choice.

http://www.utopiatools.com/-strse-41...ect/Detail.bok

Boat wiring questions
 

wrote:
On Tue, 26 May 2009 22:28:46 -0400, Wizard of Woodstock
wrote:

On Tue, 26 May 2009 20:06:51 -0600, "SteveB"
wrote:

"Wizard of Woodstock" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 26 May 2009 16:35:27 -0600, "SteveB"
wrote:

I feel like I live on another planet. Our climate here is such that
corrosion and a lot of factors are not applicable. Yes, I know it is good
to have everything fused. My question was the ease at which the whole
system can be turned off versus the now thing of clamping three terminals
on
a battery lug with a wing nut.
http://tinyurl.com/pclp2f
TYVM. The big copper knife switch clonker which had a clamp, then a knife
switch, then another battery post was $38 at NAPA.
Maye I don't fully grasp your definition of "knife" switch.

Are you talking about something like this?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knife_switch


More like this
http://tinyurl.com/q6l5dt

Make you get a stick to operate that switch.

Boat wiring questions
 

wrote in message
...
On Tue, 26 May 2009 23:03:13 -0400, Wizard of Woodstock
wrote:

On Tue, 26 May 2009 22:57:16 -0400, wrote:

On Tue, 26 May 2009 22:28:46 -0400, Wizard of Woodstock
wrote:

On Tue, 26 May 2009 20:06:51 -0600, "SteveB"
wrote:


"Wizard of Woodstock" wrote in message
om...
On Tue, 26 May 2009 16:35:27 -0600, "SteveB"
wrote:

I feel like I live on another planet. Our climate here is such that
corrosion and a lot of factors are not applicable. Yes, I know it is
good
to have everything fused. My question was the ease at which the
whole
system can be turned off versus the now thing of clamping three
terminals
on
a battery lug with a wing nut.

http://tinyurl.com/pclp2f

TYVM. The big copper knife switch clonker which had a clamp, then a
knife
switch, then another battery post was $38 at NAPA.

Maye I don't fully grasp your definition of "knife" switch.

Are you talking about something like this?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knife_switch


More like this
http://tinyurl.com/q6l5dt

I would think this would be a better choice.

http://www.utopiatools.com/-strse-41...ect/Detail.bok


Personally I think these things are just one more thing to fail.
... but I don't store my boat.
I trust the ignition switch and the lamp switch to disconnect my
battery from the load,

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs...9&classNum=297