I saw another thread about wiring and I am in a similar situation. My
wiring is pretty ramshackle after several owners who did about as
sloppy job as possible. I'd like to tackle the job of doing it all
properly and don't know what the proper way is.

My electronics and accessory powering requirements consist of:

1) Bow/Anchor Light
2) Garmin Fishfinder
3) VHF Radio
4) Auxilliary docking Lights
5) Aerator

I'm envisioning running 12 guage wire from the main battery to a spot
next to the console for two bus bars (pos & neg).

From the positive bus:
Running leads for each accessory to a fuse block. From the fuse box
running leads to the switch panel or directly to the accessory. (I'm
figuring on the lights and aerator as the only things actually needing
to run to the switch panel as the other accessories have their own
switches already. Is this proper?)

From the negative bus: running leads to the negative connection of
each accessory.

One thing I'm not certain is whether or not a positive bus bar is even
needed, i.e. does the fuse block take the place of the bus bar?

"Charlie Brown" wrote in message
...
I saw another thread about wiring and I am in a similar situation. My
wiring is pretty ramshackle after several owners who did about as
sloppy job as possible. I'd like to tackle the job of doing it all
properly and don't know what the proper way is.

My electronics and accessory powering requirements consist of:

1) Bow/Anchor Light
2) Garmin Fishfinder
3) VHF Radio
4) Auxilliary docking Lights
5) Aerator

I'm envisioning running 12 guage wire from the main battery to a spot
next to the console for two bus bars (pos & neg).

From the positive bus:
Running leads for each accessory to a fuse block. From the fuse box
running leads to the switch panel or directly to the accessory. (I'm
figuring on the lights and aerator as the only things actually needing
to run to the switch panel as the other accessories have their own
switches already. Is this proper?)

From the negative bus: running leads to the negative connection of
each accessory.

One thing I'm not certain is whether or not a positive bus bar is even
needed, i.e. does the fuse block take the place of the bus bar?

Need to know length of wire needed to run from battery to fuse block.

A fuse block should suffice. The good ones have a substantial brass bus bar
with a sturdy post to attach your feed to. Some of the better ones even have
a ground bus. Consider adding a stout bilge pump and one or two 12V
receptacles along with some conservative cockpit lighting.
Jim

In article ,
Shortwave Sportfishing wrote:

On Sun, 24 Sep 2006 19:15:18 GMT, Charlie Brown
wrote:

From the negative bus: running leads to the negative connection of
each accessory.

One thing I'm not certain is whether or not a positive bus bar is even
needed, i.e. does the fuse block take the place of the bus bar?

West Marine sells a combination bus bar/fuse/switch panel.

http://tinyurl.com/jw5jc

You shouldn't have to run that much wire for either side - just use a
#10 positive/negative zip cord or house wire to the switch/fuse/bus
panel and leave it at that - that's plenty for what you want to do.

There is also a panel like this http://tinyurl.com/jgmyt that I use in
my Princecraft - same deal, I ran a #10 cable from the battery in the
bow to the fuse block in the stern, then ran the lights, trolling
motor, engine starter leads, fish finder and GPS power from there.

Worked like a champ.

There is a nice wire selection diagram at
http://www.docthrock.com/Electrical.shtml