NEED HELP wiring guages lights pumps to control/fuse panel WHERE DO I START?

[bankbuster]

OK...first off...I have many pictures in photbucket but not sure how to download them here. Please help.

DETAILS ON BOAT AND MOTOR: 1983 Hydra-Sports SX 275 bass boat. Motor=1976 Chysler 75hp. Model 757HC. (THIS WAS NOT THE ORIGINAL MOTOR)

The problem.....Trying to hookup bilge, aerator, lights, and fuel gauge primarily. I assume i first need a main power supply to my panel (panel has 4 toggle switches and fuses) located on the right of console. First switch is main power. 2nd switch is lights. 3rd is bilge and last switch is AER/ACC.

I started with the little red light just avove the main power toggle. 2 wires coming of that light...both black. I tried both ways to a battery and no light...? Maybe its burned out...? Next step...? Do i run a main pos. and neg. line form the power toggle directly to battery? Acc. and not main cranking battery right?

I have all the wire in different colors and sizes that I need. Many are ran from the front of boat to back. I just am trying to figure out how to use the existing panel and have it all work properly.

Heres what I want to run on existing panel....front and rear lights, bilge pump, aerator. After I get the panel straight I want to add a cig. lighter (to charge phone), a 12 V trolling motor (which is already mounted), and a fishfinder (which I have). Oh and the fuel guage would be nice. And maybe the small instrument lights too.

I know the pictures are needed so I will get those up ASAP. And I did "search" and found the simple wiring diagrams but I still need help as this is a little different. The PO used multiple colors on alot of the wires so I want to get this all right before the real problems start......My question is where to start to get all the above correct? Thanks in advance!!!!!!

 

[Georgesalmon]

Re: NEED HELP wiring guages lights pumps to control/fuse panel WHERE DO I START?

Did you really look at the diagrams in the sticky? Everything you are asking about is covered in those wiring diagrams. You will need a fused red to the main switch panel and a black ground #12 or better #10. Marine wire colors are usually pretty standard. Grey and grey/black - NAV lights, purple - Ignition, blue - curt lights, brown and brn w/colors - bilge pumps - other pumps, etc. look at the sticky. You'll need red and black for the trolling motor probably #10 Its your choice which batt you use for "house" power.

The light is bad. 12vdc lights don't matter which is + and -, unless LED.

 

[bankbuster]

Re: NEED HELP wiring guages lights pumps to control/fuse panel WHERE DO I START?

Yes I looked at the diagram....but i dont get it just yet. I think if I can get the main power setup and maybe the 1st toggle leading from main I will have it. My panel is about 6" tall and 3 1/2" wide. The top left is a fuse cap (old school tubes fuses) and just to the right is the main power toggle. Next is lights, then bilge, then aerator. Thats it. So, on the back side of fuse is 2 prongs. 1 prong comes straight out the end and another is more wrapped around the base. The toggles each have 2 prongs. So.....Starting with the main pos coming dirctly from the battery.......does it mount to fuse or toggle.....and which prong? i thought it goes to end prong on fuse? After i figure out intial main power.....I assume the base prong on fuse will jump to main power toggle (does it matter which prong on toggle?) then the other prong on main toggle will lead to twist cap (for now) and serve as a junction to jump other 3 end prongs on fuses...right...? Then do I use jumpers from base prongs on fuses to feed pos to each corresponding toggle? Then run each accessories pos. to corresponding toggle (only prong left)? Hopefully all that is correct and hopefully you can see how the wiring diagram isnt helping much. I sure wish mine looked like that. Again, the very first main positive from battery seems to be my problem. Exactly where does it go....fuse or toggle....which prong? Been at this for hours and still ended up in big NOWHERE land! Another question....very important....is a bus bar and a ground bar the same? I ran a neg. from battery to bus bar but it seems to have a very weak ground. Its a brand new bus bar so ???? I tested each toggle individually and they work. I just cant get the main power toggle setup to control them?????? Please help before I take a long walk off a short pier.....ahhhhhh!

 

[Silvertip]

Re: NEED HELP wiring guages lights pumps to control/fuse panel WHERE DO I START?

1) Red #10 gauge wire from battery POSITIVE through a 30 amp breaker within six inches of the battery, to the FUSE panel.
2) Black #10 gauge wire from the battery NEGATIVE to the ground buss.
3) The red #10 wire goes to the MASTER (you call the MAIN power) switch. Doesn't matter which terminal (there are only two unless it has an indiator light).
4) the other terminal on the MASTER switch feeds one end of ALL the fuses (it doesn't matter which end) but most fuse panels have one end as the positive feed. The other ends of each fuse is NOT common with the others.
5) the other end of each fuse goes to one terminal on a switch.
6) The other terminal on that switch feeds the device it controls.
7) The ground wire on the device connects to the ground buss.
8) Repeat #5, 6, and 7 for each of the other switches.

Now -- if you compare what I just wrote with the Generic Boat Wiring Diagram you will see they are identical. Each line on a diagram is a wire. Do it like the diagram shows. If you still don't get it, here is a diagram that shows how current flows through a complete circuit for one device.

To post pictures from Photobucket copy the IMAGE CODE for the picture and past it in your text.

 

[bankbuster]

Re: NEED HELP wiring guages lights pumps to control/fuse panel WHERE DO I START?

test pic

 

[bankbuster]

Re: NEED HELP wiring guages lights pumps to control/fuse panel WHERE DO I START?

 

[bankbuster]

Re: NEED HELP wiring guages lights pumps to control/fuse panel WHERE DO I START?

So do I need to get rid of all the fuses in my panel and start over?

 

[bankbuster]

Re: NEED HELP wiring guages lights pumps to control/fuse panel WHERE DO I START?

Ok...I originally thought I would need to rewire as the diagram shows so I bought a fuse panel....it doesnt have a ground bus/bar so I bought the 1 in picture. Is that what I need? I will get the breaker tomorrow if I am even headed down the right road.

 

[bankbuster]

Re: NEED HELP wiring guages lights pumps to control/fuse panel WHERE DO I START?

 

[bankbuster]

Re: NEED HELP wiring guages lights pumps to control/fuse panel WHERE DO I START?

Hi Guys.....Let me know if the fuse panel and ground bar in the pic I posted are correct for my application. The package for the strip on right said "terminal strip" and "marine grade bus bar" so Im not sure if that is what I need . IF they are .....I will.....strip my current panel bare. I have to keep it until I can find one of similiar size and shape so I dont have a big hole in the dash. I will add all new toggle switches to current panel. Then I will mount new fuse panel somewhere under console. Mount the ground bar somewhere under console. Then just wire to all this as you posted. Also, I will rarely use front and rear lights but was wondering if I could run both sets of wires to 1 toggle. And what size fuse should I use for lights, Johnson/Mayfair 500GPH livewell pump, Attwood 750GPH bilge pump? Also forgot to mention....The main Chrysler motor has its own battery. The trolling motor has a battery dedicated to it as well....nothing else hooked to either of those. The lights, pumps, cig. lighter and GPS/fishfinder will be on 1 battery. Does all that sound appropriate?

 

[NYBo]

Re: NEED HELP wiring guages lights pumps to control/fuse panel WHERE DO I START?

Your terminal strip looks like it's a, well, terminal strip. It is for connecting two leads to each other; each set is isolated from the rest. A buss connects every lead to a common point. A typical one looks like this:

 

[bankbuster]

Re: NEED HELP wiring guages lights pumps to control/fuse panel WHERE DO I START?

I get it....going to buy a ground bus now. Ill update later. Thanks Guys!

 

[bankbuster]

Re: NEED HELP wiring guages lights pumps to control/fuse panel WHERE DO I START?

OK evreyone...I bought a new fuse panel and ground bus VERY similiar to that in the diagram (for 1 circuit) that Silvertip posted above. So......Do I still need a MASTER switch to run just 4-6 accessories (2 lights, 2 pumps, etc)? Or can I just repeat as individuals like diagram from Silvertip? I ask because the generic diagram from the stickys shows #10 wire directly from battery to SWITCH then to fuse panel. Silvertip said directly from battery to FUSE PANEL then to switch. Not sure if a mistake was made.....I just want to do it right. I have all wires ran.....new fuse panel and ground bus mounted...again that first wire is the key. Id like to skip the master all together if thats possible.....that would free up another toggle on my switch panel at console. Thanks.

 

[Georgesalmon]

Re: NEED HELP wiring guages lights pumps to control/fuse panel WHERE DO I START?

Put your breaker near the battery (8") and run the red wire to the stud on your fuse block. Then each fuse tab to a different switch. Other side of switch to device. Batt neg to the neg buss. Then all the divice neg to the neg buss. You don't have to have a master switch. Size your fuses to each device.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: NEED HELP wiring guages lights pumps to control/fuse panel WHERE DO I START?

I don't understand why you are buying all this stuff when you already had what you need. The panel has switches. It also has a fuse holder for each switch. You didn't need to buy a new fuse panel since eliminating the fuses in the panel would leave you with a nice hole. Just because the diagram I showed has a neat auto style fuse panel didn't mean you needed one since you already have fuse holders. Electrically fuses function the same and things are wired the same. Power goes into one end of the fuse and out the other to the switch. From the switch to the device it controls. The device ground goes to the ground bus. A #8 or #10 black wire connects the ground buss to the negative terminal of the battery.

 

[bankbuster]

Re: NEED HELP wiring guages lights pumps to control/fuse panel WHERE DO I START?

Hi Silvertip.....I totally agree, Howerver......This is was my thought process and actions. I figured my panel only had 4 fuses and toggles and in the future I may want to expand. I figured since I was rewiring all of it I might as well.....well, do it all! Soooo....I bought a fuse panel that holds 10 fuses. I bought 8 new toggles...I used 4 to replace old toggles (they were nasty and I broke the lever of 1) and put the other 4 where the old tube fuses were. Now my panel is full (no holes) and looks ALOT better. All my fuses are in one easy, protected location. I ended up using #8 main wire with a 30AMP breaker 6" from battery. All done, all looks great, all works great, and I am confident (which I wasnt before). Thanks for all the help! So much appreciated!!