Wire gauge size livewell,,,,lights.....etc

[schemmy]

Recently bought used 2010 lund rebel 1625 and been having wire issues. I got into the wires behind the ignition and shifter and found a wire fried. Notice the wires before the harness are 16 gauge and the wires on the other side of the harness are 18 gauge. Was under the impression that 16 gauge wires (or larger if required) were standard.
I have to replace the bad wire should I replace with 16 gauge? Should I upgrade the other wires to 16ga?
Very helpful site since I bought this boat on craiglist. One of my worse purchases. Feel the seller knew there were wiring issues but with the help of this site will get it running. Thank you

 

[alldodge]

Suggest getting a larger wire to feed the fuse panel, of at lest 12 or even 10 AWG. Feed from the bat thru a main fuse and then to the panel. Size the wires going to each feed by how many amps it draws

 

[schemmy]

Found out those 18ga wires go to tach. The gray tack wire was fried both under the dash (metled into the pink gas wire and pressure hose) and just after the harness coming from the ignition. Cut out the gray wire since it was pretty shot and thought I would just not use the tachometer. Now when I started to hook up the battery the engine started smoking. Is this because I didn't disconnect all the wires from the tachometer. Do I have to also discount anything from the engine to delete the tach....

 

[alldodge]

Don't see enough power going thru the tach wire. You have another short somewhere

 

[schemmy]

Thanks AllDodge will keep looking.