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ok so i started wiring the old whaler but now i have a question, when conecting the wires to the fuse block and more than one is to be conected to the block should i splice the wires togeather and use only one lug on the block or should i give each wire its own lug. for example when i wire the nav lights i would have the wires from the bow light and the wires from the compas, do i put lugs on all of them or splice them all into one?
I generally keep like items together on one lug. For example...all dash lights would tie to one lug/fuse....bow & stern light on on lug/fuse. I would try to avoid splicing any wires together. Run each device back to the fuse panel and where each one attaches to a lug (sometimes several on one lug), use a "spade lug" or similar to attach it to the fuse block.
As David said, ring terminals are the proper way to go. They are better than spade shaped connectors and will not slip.
Ring connectors are sized by both wire size and screw size (i.e. #10 -16 is a #10 screw accepting a 16 gauge wire). Like David's West link, you need to look at the size screw on the terminal block (I think it is a 8 or 10) and the wire you are using.
I don't think a single terminal block screw can take more than 3 ring connectors. If you have more than three wires, splice 2 wires into 1 ring connector. In this case this one ring connector should have a larger wire size to accept the two wires.
If you can't find heat shrink ring connectors, get the nylon crimp kind and dab liquid electrical tape on both ends of the crimp. Comes in black or red.
Edited by Phil T on 04/26/08 - 7:19 PM
1992 Outrage 17 I
2019 E-TEC 90, Viper 17 2+
2018 Load Rite Elite 18280096VT
One thing to think of when wiring the lights. If you ever use an anchor light, which in most smaller boats is the stern light alone, you want to make sure that your instrument, compass, dash lights don't come on along with it. Most boats have a 3 position light switch...off.....bow & stern and then stern only.........connect your instrument lights to the bow light connection on the switch and that way whenever you are running you will have all lit, but when at anchor or stern light only position you aren't draining your battery with dash lights....
All Great advice, It would be nice if we could get one ring connector for ea. fuse on the block however, "Real estate" under the console on "Whaler's" is at a premium, so sometimes you need to find way's around that (ya never have enough outlet's). You also don't want to make too many things on one curcuit, that way if you do go "POOF" with a fuse, you won't lose a ton of thing's running the boat. What I did was run a few circuits ea. with it's own "In-line" fuse with a ring terminal from the "Hot" lead that bolt's up to the fuse block, hook up accessory, then just ground to the neg side of the fuse block. You can also run wire and "Direct connect" to the battery with an "In-line" fuse. I prefer this set up for the "Bilge pump", and VHF Radio. It really does not matter if it is "Neat" (although it is desireable), what matter's is that all circuit's are Fuse Protected, out of the way, and good connections are made, that YOU can find if needed. I solder only, ( just my way, NOT a law) I don't crimp connect, solder may corrode on the outside but, it WON'T corrode on the inside, I feel that mashing down on the copper wire with a crimp connect weakens the connection at the crimp, then again the wire will just corrode eventually where it meet's the solder joint (so choose your poison). I then coat with "Liquid lectric tape", let dry, come back and melt the heat shrink tubing (that was put on earlier over the wire), then coat the end's again with "liquid lectric tape". My boat is small, and getting sprayed and wet with salt water is part of the deal in an open boat. What I did was to run the wire through some plastic hose (Homey Depot) with a shot of silicone spray in it so the wires slip through easily. This makes them VERY "water resistant" and U.V. from the Sun is shielded further as well (see my P.P.). An even larger diameter piece of hose in a short length can be used to run the new wire( in the hose) to other area's, or to secure a turn. You can also split the hose and slide the wire in the through the side of it instead of fishing it through the hose, then add cable ties, this work's better on a long run through the hose when their is too much resistance to fish the wire through (two people work's better for fishing wire through the rolled hose to keep it straight). Another advantage to the hose is that nylon "Clip's" or "Cable ties" can be used anywhere along the hose to easily secure it just about any point on the boat... I am NOT a marine electrical expert, this is NOT boating electrical code or law, it's just something that I thought up while in the garage, that work's well for me. Good Luck, you'll be doing this again, (and you'll get really good at it) you're just buying some time against "Corrosion", it ALWAY'S WIN'S in the end.
mw
The most important thing is to plan, plan, plan.
My preference is to run a 10 gauge lead from the battery to a master breaker and then to a fuse block. That way I have one switch to turn everything off except the engine. Run 16 gauge wire to everthing from the fuse block, even bilge pumps using ring terminals at one end and disconnects to plug in equipment. BlueSea fuse blocks and bus bars use #8 screws, some other things use #10 like your switches. I standardized on #10 so I only had to purchase 1 kind, they work for the fuse blocks just fine.
Keeping the wiring as neat as possible, makes it easier to check when things go wrong. It's not a requirement, but I have in the past shoved something into the console pulled out a wire.
if your planning a total rewire and haven't purchased supplied, check out Best Boat Wire great service, not super expensive and fairly fast as well.
