Conduit

[proaudioguy]

I'm considering running electrical conduit from the dash to the back of the boat to run all the wires through. It will be much easier to use a fish tape as I add features to the boat, and I figured it would add a level of protection against the elements. I'd like to run all the power, engine related, sonar, aux electrical, etc through this. There will be no 120V AC on this boat. What concerns me is that certain signals may need to be separated by some distance. Is there any issue with running all these wires through the same piece of conduit? I will probably put the shift cables through there too. I would leave out fuel lines and steering cable. I don't think fuel lines have any business being in electrical conduit with live wires, particularly if there is any leak or leaching of gas fumes. The steering cable is just way to much to be putting through conduit and I don't think I'll be replacing it anyway. The current wiring on this boat is a MESS. My only other option is to plan with a lot of detail and pull a lot of wire at one time which will still mean a bundle of unrelated wires and so I'd have to ask the same question. The conduit will not be exposed to direct sunlight.

 

[rwidman]

Re: Conduit

I don't know if you've seen this, but type ENT non-metalic flexible conduit would be ideal for this application. Your home center should have it.

I would not put the shift cables in the same conduit as the electrical wires.

Ususally, any difficulties with different circuits in close proximity are related to the cable to the depth sounder transducer. You might want to leave this out of the conduit or run a seperate conduit for it, just large enough so the connector can be pulled through.

Here's a photo of ENT conduit on my previous boat being used to protect battery cables:

I also used it to protect the brake hoses on the trailer.

 

[wired1236]

Re: Conduit

That's a good idea except I would be careful of running your stereo and sonar cables close to other power cables prone to bleed such as tachometer cables, (as rwidman have suggested). They WILL bleed over when close to each other. The only other way is to install sheilded cable for any high current cables and then ground the sheild.

 

[RicMic]

Re: Conduit

I wouldn't worry much about electrical noise, you're running 12 volts dc. Generally anything that needs a shielded cable, comes with a shielded cable. For the most part noise problems comes from running AC lines parallel to dc signal lines.

 

[NYBo]

Re: Conduit

I would be concerned about water collecting in the low spots of the conduit. Drain holes would be a good idea.

 

[fish_on_the_deck]

Re: Conduit

+1 on the last two posts... you need an alternating current to produce any substantial magnetic field that could cross talk with your sonar or other raw data cables.

The water collecting issue too... regardless of how well the ends of the conduit is protected from spray and rainwater, somhow water will get in it... even through condensation. And you dont want cables that arnt meant to be submerged sitting in water... I'd drill holes on the bottom at the low points.

 

[proaudioguy]

Re: Conduit

Thanks guys, all good info! That flexible stuff looks so much easier to use for this application than the grey stuff I was considering.