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

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.

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.

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

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

"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

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

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

Wouldn't want one of those things within 10 feet of a location that
might have petrol vapours. ( hope I spelled it right for our Canadian
friends)

"Wizard of Woodstock" wrote in message
...
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

A knife switch is just a straight piece of copper that looks like a knife.
On one end it is bolted to two strips of copper so it rotates. On the other
it fits BETWEEN two strips of copper. It is usually bolted on a board or
base. You've probably seen them in electrical panels. Not real common, yet
still used.


http://shop.vetcosurplus.com/catalog...78442453c10a7d

As you can see, this one is much more complicated than the one you
suggested.

Steve

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