Switch question(s) need some help

[completetech]

I have a couple of questions about switches all wrapped into one post.

Sorry for the super long post. I am new and thought it best to put as much detail as possible in the post to show what I have and what I am hoping to accomplish with my new(er) boat.

The details (of the boat):

Procraft Maiden Craft 1700 (I think 1978).
Johnson 150HP Outboard.
OMC Remote Control.

Gauges(currently onboard):

Tilt
SurTemp
Speed
Tach
Fuel
Battery gauge(front Deck).


Wiring:
Motor to remote -
red
purple with white stripe
black
black with yellow stripe
yellow with red stripe
purple
brown (goes to absolutely nothing).
Gray (cant seem to find where this actually ends, but its going somewhere).

Remote Control out to main switch area:

red with white stripe
blue with white stripe
green with white stripe.


Switches:

Drivers area Switches:

Lights – up/middle/down – labeled as up equals both. (4 terminals)
ACC – up/down – (2 terminals).
Master – up/middle/down. (6 terminals).
Aerator – up/down. - (2 terminals).
Bilge – NO SWITCH present.
LED Light (not sure. Maybe to indicate power? 2 wire but one is broke off.
Horn – no switch present.


Front Deck Switches:

Lights(broken switch) – up = nav| down = stern. (4 terminals).
Aerator(broken switch) – up=aerator| down=bilge (3 terminals).
Tilt – up=up | down=down (3 terminals).
Batt Check(broken) – up=batt 1 | down=batt 2 (6 terminals).


So there are the details above. Now I will get into the question(s).

The short is I would like to have everything working.

I currently have a huge mess of wires / wire harnesses. I am looking to clean it up some. I do low voltage wiring for a living and love labeling everything and having it organized to make things easier to troubleshot if ever a problem. The big issue I have is that there is a mess (based on the attached pictures https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Wuf7S_AA1lg7pb8m4bgaLY2EPq7RJzIADC7KsembYek?feat=directlink). But yet the wires / harness seems to go all throughout the entire boat. i.e. from the main gauge set near drivers seat, it goes up to the front of the boat to the gauges etc.

So I am looking to figure out the best way to wire up the above gauges / switches as I am not that familiar with 12volt / boats.

I can obviously figure out which wires to use my self (i.e. brown and brown with black stipe to switch 1, etc). But I am kind of lost as to where to start.

Issues:

Now to the front of the boat. The Deck. I have a total of 3 batteries. Two batteries, on what I'll call the “other side” and one behind drivers seat. The batter behind drivers seat goes to the motor to start. The other two on “the other side” appears to go to the front of the boat to the funny connector to the trolling motor plug. However I am pretty positive the two batteries I'll call ACC batteries that run to the front are not hooked up properly (look at the picture https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/3jcuVHiihZeytpP7c8QVMI2EPq7RJzIADC7KsembYek?feat=directlink) as only one negative wire is all that is hooked up at the deck, near the battery check gauge, but as you can see the gauge isn't hooked up either, which I really feel like it should be.

I also have some super old tube style fuse holder. That reminds me almost of something you'd use as a temporary thing to test items. Basically I have no fuse block or grounding block. Looking for some suggestions.

Wish List:


Everything working one the boat. All current switches / gauges.
Add maybe 1 or 2 Cigarette lighter charging ports for phones etc.
Add a battery gauge that I can check all three batteries from drivers seat.
Add maybe a stereo.
New fuse block (looking for suggestions as I currently don't really have one)
New Grounding block (also looking for suggestions.
Have everything wired the way it is supposed to be (i.e. ACC items going to whatever battery it is supposed to be going to, whether the ACC batteries going to trolling motor plug or wherever).
Ability to charge ACC batteries while motor running and also charge / condition batteries when I get home (saw something, somewhere along the line of a device that is wired up and you plug an extension cord into it and it does this for you).
To get both Live well's working as the only switch or anything on the boat for it is on the front deck. But I have one on the front deck and one in the rear of the boat. But there is no wiring that I see running there.
And of course wire me up a fish finder. But once I figure out some of the basics should be easy enough.

So that I think covers it all. I hope.

Thanks for reading all of this.
Nathan

 

[glenn property of pam]

Re: Switch question(s) need some help

basics:

there are 3 wiring looms on most boats

1/ motor to remote which also may contain additional wiring that either come from the remote to the dash or plugs into the remote underneath the key on a omc controller this will work the motor, trim and tilt if on the remote, safety switch if installed on the controller, tac, temp and dash acc power and lighting.
you can search for a basic omc wiring color guide for that year as they are all basically the same red plug model.

2/ this is the boat wiring
before starting boat wiring decied on battery set up. all accessorys will be on your starting battery. run one main wire via a fuse or breaker to a new 12 point fuse holder with ground bar already built in. 8 gauge wiring to the fuse block most people mount this near the steering wheel. all pumps etc run from this fuse block. most of the front wiring will be in parrallel to the drivers switchs to save wire

3/ trolling motor wiring either 12 or 24 or both

all the wiring diagrams are at the top of the ele forum under stick notes. most have nice diagrams. the only question is can you repair what you have or would it be better to cut out the boat wiring (2) and replace that.

 

[completetech]

Re: Switch question(s) need some help

thanks for the reply. I am trying hard to decide on whether to replace all of it or use everything already in place. but my biggest thing is how to I tell what type of switches I have. as for instance. the front deck switch for the trim will let you hold upwards and it is suppose to raise the motor up, but if you let go and it goes back to the "middle" position to be "off" (this is the best way I can explain it). There are many other switches and things dealing with the switches that I could go into but that'd be another long post

 

[glenn property of pam]

Re: Switch question(s) need some help

a switch that returns to a at rest position is called a "non maintained". the trim switch is a single pole double throw center off non-maintained switch (some times in auto parts called a return to centre on/off/on switch) power goes to center terminal then wires to relays goes on the outside two terminals.
the light switchs are the harder ones to work out as lights ref to all sorts of lights. sticky shows the anchor/nav normally on one switch by the driver.