Pimp My Boat! Wiring suggestions....

[striker1211]

Alrighty, I think I am all set for anything now... My question is, should I even worry about a hard switch for the accessories? I am going to take the faceplate from the radio and the fishfinder inside when I am not using them. My plan is to use the existing wiring for my old cassette deck that was already installed, and for the fish finder use the grounding block under the helm and run power off the front side of the IGN feed (not the switched side, want it to be on when key is out. "If the key is in you don't swim"). Is there any reason I should not use the IGN feed? Also, my boat does not have a fuse/breaker block anywhere, everything looks in-line. Should this be a concern? Thanks.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Pimp My Boat! Wiring suggestions....

I am sure you have a fuse block or sets of fuses somewhere. Where do your nav lights, and horn get their power?

 

[striker1211]

Re: Pimp My Boat! Wiring suggestions....

I am sure you have a fuse block or sets of fuses somewhere. Where do your nav lights, and horn get their power?

It goes like this:

Battery+ --- [2,3,5 AGC fuse accessible from front of dash] --- [rocker switch (for bilge/lights/horn] --- ground block

and

Battery+ --- [10A AGC fuse accessible from front of dash] --- [ignition key switch] --- ground block

The wiring diagram that came in the owners manual says it draws power from "CAP 1", "CAP 2", and "CAP 3". What is a cap? I really wish there was a fush block, or a battery kill switch for that matter... next project...

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Pimp My Boat! Wiring suggestions....

So your fuse panel is basically your dash. There is definitely a big power feed from the battery which then feeds those fuses. I would add a small fuse panel under/behind your dash and connect it to that feed. Then you can connect all your new instruments to it.

Here is a good one:
Amazon.com: Blue Sea Systems Fuse Block Ato 6 Circuit with Ground: Sports & Outdoors

 

[striker1211]

Re: Pimp My Boat! Wiring suggestions....

So your fuse panel is basically your dash. There is definitely a big power feed from the battery which then feeds those fuses. I would add a small fuse panel under/behind your dash and connect it to that feed. Then you can connect all your new instruments to it.

Here is a good one:
Amazon.com: Blue Sea Systems Fuse Block Ato 6 Circuit with Ground: Sports & Outdoors

Update:

The Kenwood head unit dims when bass hits and if I turn the volume up too loud whole unit restarts. I checked with my DMM and it is 12.4V when I have it about half way but unfortunately I only have two hands and cannot turn it up to the point of restart and check the voltage. The battery I have reads "Napa Dual Purpose Marine Battery" with a manufacture date of July 2009. It just hit it's fourth year in operation. I did notice out on the lake last weekend (the first weekend Ive had it out) when I forgot to push-in the key-choke it sounded like it didn't have much starting life left. About 30 seconds of cranking in 5-5-5 intervals, and I don't think it had another 10 seconds in it.... anyways, I have been reading and it looks like AGM batteries would be the way to go, so tomorrow I am going to buy a new battery. Hole in the water that you throw money in

 

[striker1211]

Re: Pimp My Boat! Wiring suggestions....

Alrighty, bought a new wally world Maxx battery instead because I have a jump pack. That didn't fix the problem (I didn't think it would) so I ran a new (fused) positive wire from the battery and it works great now. No dimming.