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Thought these might serve as a helpful way to understand a boat's wiring, as well as aid in some trouble-shooting matters.

The Nav Lght switch diagram is geared more towards the post-Classic Whalers...

[img]http://www.whalercentral.com/images/articles/wiring_diagrams/ProlineBilgeWiring-1.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.whalercentral.com/images/articles/wiring_diagrams/ProlineHelmWiring-1.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.whalercentral.com/images/articles/wiring_diagrams/NavSwitchWiring.jpg[/img]

Once again, hope you find these diagrams useful...

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Thanks...........that's worthy of the archives in my opinion

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I did these a couple of weeks ago on another forum in hopes that I could get people to understand their small boat DC electrical system is not that hard to understand...In other words, they CAN do it, instead of paying the Marina $120/hr, or trying to get it from another BW site where you can't figure out diddly from what the guy is saying...if you get my drift.

So I figured I'd share.

A mind is like a parachute, it only works when it's open...

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Thanks for the diagrams, I saved it for future reference.

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I would like to understand a couple of things.

The first drawing says it is for bilge wiring... The only wire running somewhere that resembles a bilge pump that I can see is titled "Auto Float"...
This wire comes off of the number 1 battery switch terminal which is always "HOT" even if the battery switch is turned Off....
To me, this means there is no manual bilge pump switch for operation. Is this correct?
Or am I missing something here?

This also means that battery number 2 could not be used to operate the Auto Float unless it is physically rewired?

I have my Auto Float (bilge pump) directly wired to battery number 1 with an inline fuse but then I only have one battery anyway even though I do have a battery switch.
I see no fuse setup for the "Auto Float" in this diagram.. Again, am I missing something?

Just trying to clarify exactly how this diagram is wiring up "My" boat, or any members here were to wire their boat, in this fashion.

PS. I added these photos to the WhalerCentral database so they can never be lost by photobucket.

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OK, I see now that drawing number 2 which is titled "Helm Wiring" does show a manual bilge pump switch. Although not shown except connecting to a "Main Accessory Harness Plug", this appears to connect to the manual side of the bilge pump somewhere down the harness of the newer boat models.

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Joe,
Always good to have several sets of eyes look at any drawing.

First, my decision to call the first diagram "Bilge Wiring" was because this equipment lives in the bilge...on most boats. Now on many older Whalers, much of this equipment actually is located on the cockpit sole. But for the majority of boats out there, Bilge means a location, not the bilge pump per se.

Second, the "auto float", or float switch, has one lead that goes directly to a constant hot source, in this case batt 1. To operate off batt 2, simply turn the switch to "all". I mean, after all, isn't this how you combine batts when one goes dead? When you place a batt switch on "all", there is a direct connection between batt 1, common, and batt 2. Therefore, batt 2 will provide power to the float should batt 1 go dead. Also, if you look at the second diagram, "Helm Wiring", you will see a switch labeled "Bilge Pump", which takes care of the manual operation...

Third, you are correct, the constant hot float switch lead should have an in-line fuse in it, 10A I believe.

I am in the process of doing another drawing that more clearly depicts how a conventional bilge, along with it's hardware, is wired both in relation to the batts and also how the wiring runs forward to the helm. I'll post later on.

Is there a way I can post in the form of PDFs?

Thanks, Bob

PS ...and thanks for the critique!

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Bob,

The way I see it is that you show the red "Auto Float" wire leading directly to terminal #1 on the switch. This is directly wired to battery number 1 and cannot be used for Off, or Both.... The red wire would need to be attached to the "C" terminal for the switch to be able to direct current using the #1, #2, and Both switching.
Nothing should be connected to terminal #1 or #2 unless it is bypassing the switch which is how the drawing shows it. This is how I see it.

The best way to submit .pdf's or any type of image etc., is to create an article and submit it using the link on the left sidebar... The written article would be submitted and then the images, .pdf's etc. would be emailed to me to include in the article.
We have had quite a few members submit their articles here:
http://www.whalercentral.com/infusion...ticles.php

Doing it this way enables WhalerCentral to host the photos and articles rather than an outside source like photobucket etc...
Too many hosting services have gone the wayside and every photo has been lost. This is just one reason we prefer not to show any images here from photobucket, imageshack or any other outside photo hosting service. Plus they have way too many advertisements unrelated to Boston Whaler boats...........

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bob,

One other thing is to show wire gauges for the different sets of wire runs.

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Kamie,
You are absolutely correct, my friend...

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Joe,
Does the second drawing show you how the start batt will power the constant hot circuits via the internal jumpers of the switch should the house batt die?

[img]http://s259.photobucket.com/albums/hh301/seabob4/BattSwitch2andAll.jpg[/img]

Broken link fixed...

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Bob,

It looks as though the manual bilge switch would work. The auto might also probably work too but can't tell as the wires end at the Main Accessory harness plug. But, only if the battery switch is either in the #1 or #2 position or both.
If the battery switch is Off, then nothing will work except the auto float (and the stereo memory) as they are directly connected to battery #1 before the switch function.

This might be how they want to wire these two accessories... This way battery #1 could die using the auto float but leave battery #2 for starting....

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Joe,
Note, in this drawing...

[img]http://s259.photobucket.com/albums/hh301/seabob4/FullBilgeWiring.jpg[/img]

The termination of one side of the float switch to the batt switch, the other side spliced to the bilge pump feed running forward to the helm.

This configuration is what you will see in virtually all new boats, be they Whalers or otherwise. If one is really concerned about the float killing one batt without the other batt being able to power it due to the batt switch being "OFF", one can always bridge the float lead between the 2 batt studs. Of course you run the risk of having the drawn down batt drain the other batt through that connection, but if the float comes on that much, there are more problems going on with the boat than just batts being drawn down...