Best practive for negtive return wires

[gridsid]

I have a the positive and negative bus panels located in the cuddy cabin of my 17' Arima; the battery is in the stern.

What's the best practice for wiring electronics in the stern of the boat (live well, etc)....run the negative wire all the way back to the bus in the cuddy or run it straight to the battery or battery switch in the stern?

I'd rather have everything wired to the negative bus in the panel...just seem inefficient to make multiple round trips from stern to bow, when the electronic device is located next to the battery.

Thanks, Joe

 

[Don S]

Re: Best practive for negtive return wires

I put a bus bar on the transom, with a single wire going to the battery, then all your negative wires at the stern can go to that bus. Things like bilge pump, stern light, your electronics etc. Just make sure the wiring to the bus from the battery is large enough to handle all that is on it at one time.

 

[Auger01]

Re: Best practive for negtive return wires

I would put a negative bus bar anywhere I have four or more negative wires that need to go more than a few feet. It is a cleaner install. I have thee negative bus bars in my boat. The main one under the helm, one under glove box on the passenger side and one near the transom. The only exception to those guidelines that I make is when with two bilge pumps are used. I ground one pump at the transom bus and run a seperate ground wire for the second pump. That way if the ground bus to battery wire breaks, I dont lose both pumps.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Best practive for negtive return wires

You do not run a negative wire to the battery switch as you implied in your initial post. Only POSITIVE wires get connected to the switch.