Can anyone make me an electrical diagram?

[The Doc]

I'm about to wire up some of the stuff in my tin. When I got the boat, all the electronics were attached to the batteries via alligator clips. I don't think I want to go that route. It looked really sloppy, and didn't look really safe either. I want to add a wiring distribution block to clean it up, and where do I need fuses? Big motor's battery is going back to the rear of the boat into a separate hatch. Does it need to be vented? I'm gonna mount the TM/accessory battery in the front under the deck (with access of course) does it need to be vented? Can you post either links of pictures of what distribution block I need? Also, could anyone post a picture or email me a picture of a wiring diagram for these things? I really suck at electrical work. What size wiring do I need to get? Here's whats going back into the boat:

2 Batteries, one for the big motor, one for accessories
1 Trolling motor on the front
2 lights, one on the front, one on the back
1 depthfinder on the front
1 bilge pump
aerator for livewell.
Bluewater LED's in the near future.

Thanks you guys in advance for the help.

 

[linehand]

Here is a simple scematic. Just ignore the instrumentation. after the switches to your components.
As far as the motor circuit just use the key as a momentary switch to close the starter relay. then the starter motor on load side of relay. You can inline fuse the control voltage side "key side" of relay. but keep a spare fuse on hand tape it to something under motor cover. Wire size depends on load, add up current on the circuit and size accordingly. Use fine stranded copper and dielectric grease at all connections. Any splices made should be soldered and heat shrinked instead of butt spliced.

 

[bobberboy]

I'm not sure if this adds any thing to the earlier post by linehand or not. It helps me to see the destination in addition to the actual switching and wiring schematic. I decided to have a dedicated battery for the tm. It is a deep cycle that I have to charge before every trip but that's the way it goes. The other battery is a starting battery and just as in a car, it is used for starting the outboard and running the accessories. I think I used #6 wire for the tm and from the battery to the buss bar. I believe I used #12 or #14 wire for the lights. All accessories have an in-line fuse. The motor of course already has the wires for the starter attached. You do need to vent the batteries. I am by no means an expert at the wiring - my brother who used to restore old cars and make wiring harnesses helped me. The alligator clips were completely lame. You need to solder your connections and heat shrink the splices if you want to be sure to have good connections. This is just bits and pieces of answers to your questions. I'm sure others with more experience will chime in. Good luck.

 

[Merlin]

I'm not sure if this adds any thing to the earlier post by linehand or not. It helps me to see the destination in addition to the actual switching and wiring schematic. I decided to have a dedicated battery for the tm. It is a deep cycle that I have to charge before every trip but that's the way it goes. The other battery is a starting battery and just as in a car, it is used for starting the outboard and running the accessories. I think I used #6 wire for the tm and from the battery to the buss bar. I believe I used #12 or #14 wire for the lights. All accessories have an in-line fuse. The motor of course already has the wires for the starter attached. You do need to vent the batteries. I am by no means an expert at the wiring - my brother who used to restore old cars and make wiring harnesses helped me. The alligator clips were completely lame. You need to solder your connections and heat shrink the splices if you want to be sure to have good connections. This is just bits and pieces of answers to your questions. I'm sure others with more experience will chime in. Good luck.

And make sure that your wire to the TM and buss bars is protected by a fuse

 

[Merlin]

The chance of a short to ground on a boat is realitively low since boats aren't chassis grounded, but since there is a chance, I always protect my power circuits with fuses or circuit breakers. Especially if the power and ground wires are running in the same conduit

 

[The Doc]

Man, I wish one of you guys lived closer! That's exactly what I was looking for. As far as the buss bar, do I have to get one specifically for marine applications, or can I pick one up from Lowes and use that ? Thanks guys! That was a big help!

 

[redbug]

Man, I wish one of you guys lived closer! That's exactly what I was looking for. As far as the buss bar, do I have to get one specifically for marine applications, or can I pick one up from Lowes and use that ? Thanks guys! That was a big help!

Take some time to fill out your profile with a general location (state,city) I am sure someone is close to you that may be willing to help

 

[The Doc]

done and done!

 

[linehand]

As far as the buss bar question goes. Assuming you are not referring to a isolation block. You can make or buy a buss bar. It is just a conductive plate with holes in it that has the same potential at any point. I'd use copper or brass with dielectric grease on the connections. In my opinion it doesn't matter where you buy your components as long as you suit them to the enviornment. I grease all of my connections including fuse connections.
Don't over think this stuff. DC is very simple; current flows neg to pos through your "load" light or motor or whatever. Switch on one leg breaks the circuit. Fuse inline protects it. buss bars and isolation blocks are just ways to clean up your work.
Good luck.

 

[rusty.hook]

I use my trolling motor battery for all electrical items, GPS, dept finder, navigation lights, bilge pump. My trolling motor battery is in the front of my center console and the longest run of 14 ga. wire is the the anchor light on the transom area and the bilge pump. I only use the back battery for the big motor.
Below is a diagram for a pull pull switch for my navigation lights.

 

[Oldgeek]

Doc, I made my own busebar for the negative leads from a piece of copper tubing I had laying around. I smashed it flat and drilled 5 holes in it. I ran small machine screws in from the back and then screwed it to a piece of old wood flooring I had. Then I ran all the negative component leads to it and ran one from there to the negative terminal on the battery. It was small enough I mounted the busebar on the bottom of a project box I bought from Radio Shack for $6. I mounted my switch panel in the project box and much to my surprise, everything works. :LOL2: I have fuses on the switch panel for each component.