SoCal Jet Boats

Tech Talk => Engine Mechanical / Electrical => Topic started by: 78centurian on July 12, 2009, 10:38:37 PM

Title: boat wiring
Post by: 78centurian on July 12, 2009, 10:38:37 PM

where could i get all new wiring for the boat?

Title: Re: boat wiring
Post by: OC2Vegas on July 12, 2009, 10:56:49 PM

cpperformance.com has complete engine and complete boat harnesses. A little $$$ though  :thumbdown: Almost $250 when you get both and it may have more then or less then your application might need.

Title: Re: boat wiring
Post by: 78centurian on July 12, 2009, 11:01:03 PM

damn yea thats a littlte up there money wise but i kinda figured it would be

damn i need something cheap and easy for this boat

Title: Re: boat wiring
Post by: beerjet on July 13, 2009, 04:24:44 AM

If you think about how long a well taken care of wiring harness will last, $250 is a drop in the bucket.
If your planning on offing the thing.
See if someone on here will do it for you or maybe someone knows someone.

-beerjet-

Title: Re: boat wiring
Post by: povertyjet on July 13, 2009, 04:34:02 AM

78,
when it comes to wiring, do not skimp.  It is not that hard to make the harnesses yourself, but it takes time.  Use marine grade wire and good crimped or soldered terminals and shrink tubing.

p-jet

Title: Re: boat wiring
Post by: 2savage4you on July 13, 2009, 06:13:42 AM

This is what i used .

http://www.jegs.com/p/JEGS/JEGS-Premium-Automotive-Wire/758464/10002/-1

My boat will never see salt water so "Marine grade" wasn't neccesary......... besides it's fukin pricey..

this way you can pick exactly what you need and what colors you want.  All my ends were crimped and heat shrinked ;)

Good luck........

Title: Re: boat wiring
Post by: gregb on July 13, 2009, 08:51:33 AM

My boat never saw any salt water and all the automotive grade wiring I used way back when had corrosion on the ends where the connections were.  It is a little more pricey, although I bought all my wiring from a guy on Ebay when I redid mine and it wasn't any more expensive than if I had gone to the auto parts store and bought regular automotive wiring.   Copper will corrode after time in the presence of moisture, especially if it's touching another metal.  X2 on the shrink tubing over all connectors. 

Title: Re: boat wiring
Post by: 78centurian on July 13, 2009, 11:54:18 AM

so if i was gunna do the wiring myself how many different colors of wiring would i need?
im running a 445 olds with a tach, oil pressure, temp and amp guage and a bilge and possibly a radio

Title: Re: boat wiring
Post by: Stevecat on July 13, 2009, 12:23:20 PM

One day I was at MPD and saw someone's race boat in there. They had used 2 sets of 4-wire trailer wire + flat connectors for the engine sensor harness and from there up to a term block near the dash. That gave them 8 wires from block to dash. They made sure to alternate the sex of the connectors so it was idiot proof. When the engine comes out they just grab the connectors and pull apart. No messing with screws and term blocks.

I thought at the time that this was a damn clean way to do it and yet keep the cost down. This winter I am going to do the same. The trailer wires come in long lengths pre-connected to the flat connectors which are water/element proof. On the engine side you need about 6'-8' and on the run to the dash about 20'.

Title: Re: boat wiring
Post by: povertyjet on July 13, 2009, 05:35:04 PM

Once and for all, It does not matter if the boat is in SALT WATER!!!!  It is a WET environment, and the water will penetrate connections and will start corrosion.  Corrosion=resistance.  Resistance=heat.  Heat=bad things...

Marine grade wire is tinned, and will not corrode.  AWG wire is up to twelve percent larger than the equivalent SAE wire sizes. AWG wire provides a greater current capacity when compared to SAE gauge wire.  It is pricier than automotive, buy it on eBay...it's cheap!! 

US Coast Guard (CFR title 46) and ABYC standard colors are:

Red                  DC Positive Conductor             Positive Mains
Black              DC Negative Conductor            Negative Mains
Light Blue         Oil Pressure                            Oil Pressure Sender to Gauge
Tan                 Water Temperature                    Water Temperature Sender to Gauge
Dark Blue         Cabin & Instrument Lights    Fuse or Switch to Lights
Brown         Bilge pump                            Fuse or Switch to Pumps
Grey                 Navigation Lights                    Fuse or Switch to Lights
Grey                 Tachometer                            Tachometer Sender to Gauge
Orange         Accessory Feed                    Ammeter to Alternator
Orange         Common Feed                    Distribution Panel to Accessory Switch
Pink                 Fuel Gauge                            Fuel Sender to Gauge
Purple         Ignition                                    Ignition Switch to Coil
Purple         Instrument Feed                    Distribution Panel Electrical Instruments
Brown w/          Bilge Blowers                            Fuse or Switch to Blower
Yellow Stripe
Yellow w/        Starting Circuit                    Starting Switch to Solenoid
Red Stripe

I would replace the amp gauge with a voltmeter, and if you have an enclosed engine, you need a blower.

I'm tired now...

p-jet

Title: Re: boat wiring
Post by: Stevecat on July 13, 2009, 05:54:02 PM

Somebody is very passionate about their wiring, huh!?  ::) ::)

(I'm just trying to see if I can get p-jet to blow a gasket!!  >:D  >:D)

Soooo. There's always outdoor Christmas light extension cords. They are really, really cheap this time of year and you get 3 wires inside a nice, green outer jacket. And then use those snap connectors that cut through the insulation. If you keep these under water, they won't corrode as fast because the air can't get at them. Then use masking tape and a pencil to label each wire because you will get confused with just 3 colors.

 ;D   ;D   ;D   ;D   ;D   ;D   ;D   ;D

Title: Re: boat wiring
Post by: povertyjet on July 13, 2009, 06:03:54 PM

I guess I did have a case of "wire"rhea...hehhooo ha

Title: Re: boat wiring
Post by: 78centurian on July 13, 2009, 10:46:58 PM

thanks p-jet

alot of good info and very much appericated

Title: Re: boat wiring
Post by: nathan72 on July 13, 2009, 11:23:30 PM

i hate wiring all my gauges stoped working so i have some work to do  :banghead: i need to get some new gaudes to!

Title: Re: boat wiring
Post by: 78centurian on July 13, 2009, 11:37:53 PM

where did you get that wiring at bro?

Title: Re: boat wiring
Post by: nathan72 on July 13, 2009, 11:50:37 PM

i ordered 50' of it frum one of the books at our shop i will dig up the info for you! its made for o.b. boats but it has (8)16 gauge and (4)12 gauge wires

Title: Re: boat wiring
Post by: GT Jets on July 14, 2009, 12:13:07 AM

Quote from: povertyjet on July 13, 2009, 05:35:04 PM

Once and for all, It does not matter if the boat is in SALT WATER!!!!  It is a WET environment, and the water will penetrate connections and will start corrosion.  Corrosion=resistance.  Resistance=heat.  Heat=bad things...

Marine grade wire is tinned, and will not corrode.  AWG wire is up to twelve percent larger than the equivalent SAE wire sizes. AWG wire provides a greater current capacity when compared to SAE gauge wire.  It is pricier than automotive, buy it on eBay...it's cheap!! 

US Coast Guard (CFR title 46) and ABYC standard colors are:

Red                  DC Positive Conductor             Positive Mains
Black              DC Negative Conductor            Negative Mains
Light Blue         Oil Pressure                            Oil Pressure Sender to Gauge
Tan                 Water Temperature                    Water Temperature Sender to Gauge
Dark Blue         Cabin & Instrument Lights    Fuse or Switch to Lights
Brown         Bilge pump                            Fuse or Switch to Pumps
Grey                 Navigation Lights                    Fuse or Switch to Lights
Grey                 Tachometer                            Tachometer Sender to Gauge
Orange         Accessory Feed                    Ammeter to Alternator
Orange         Common Feed                    Distribution Panel to Accessory Switch
Pink                 Fuel Gauge                            Fuel Sender to Gauge
Purple         Ignition                                    Ignition Switch to Coil
Purple         Instrument Feed                    Distribution Panel Electrical Instruments
Brown w/          Bilge Blowers                            Fuse or Switch to Blower
Yellow Stripe
Yellow w/        Starting Circuit                    Starting Switch to Solenoid
Red Stripe

I would replace the amp gauge with a voltmeter, and if you have an enclosed engine, you need a blower.
I'm tired now...

p-jet

Holy shit! I thought I was bad  :screwy:

To add to this, more often than not, white (blanco) can be used in place of black (negro) for grounds...Also, sometimes the start circuit wire will be yellow only before and yellow with a red tracer after the safety switch... ;)

Definately ditch the ammeter, but, there is a wiring change that needs to be made at the engine if you go that way. the orange wire and the red wire get tied together at the engine/alternator, which gives you two "hot" wires to the dash :thumbup:

Sometimes you need more than one bilge blower............My old boat had four :screwy:

Bilge blowers are needed for "air changes" the bigger the bilge, the more CFM needed.... :thumbup:

GT

Title: Re: boat wiring
Post by: IRRebel on July 14, 2009, 12:21:06 AM

Quote from: povertyjet on July 13, 2009, 06:03:54 PM

I guess I did have a case of "wire"rhea...hehhooo ha

Quote from: GT Jets on July 14, 2009, 12:13:07 AM

Holy shit! I thought I was bad  :screwy:

To add to this, more often than not, white (blanco) can be used in place of black (negro) for grounds...Also, sometimes the start circuit wire will be yellow only before and yellow with a red tracer after the safety switch... ;)

Definately ditch the ammeter, but, there is a wiring change that needs to be made at the engine if you go that way. the orange wire and the red wire get tied together at the engine/alternator, which gives you two "hot" wires to the dash :thumbup:

Sometimes you need more than one bilge blower............My old boat had four :screwy:

Bilge blowers are needed for "air changes" the bigger the bilge, the more CFM needed.... :thumbup:

GT

I would Agree with these guys and LISTEN!, but then, I've been on the bad side of piss poor wiring (Possibly). Don't make me post the pic again as an illustration of the potential results of skimping here!

Ray

Title: Re: boat wiring
Post by: 78centurian on July 14, 2009, 12:29:45 AM

yea i deffiently appericate the advice fellas

and nathan72 i would be stoked to get that info...looks to be exactly what i am lookin for
how much did it set you back?

Title: Re: boat wiring
Post by: nathan72 on July 14, 2009, 01:19:14 AM

$1.25. A foot I only needed about 15" I don't know what I was thinking wen I ordered 50"! I can make a big jump rope! Wen I get it all wired up ill pm you and we can work something out on the leftovers. That's if I don't mess it up. And ill get the info to you tomorrow anyways!

Title: Re: boat wiring
Post by: 78centurian on July 14, 2009, 01:22:27 AM

so you'll have 35 feet of it left?

Title: Re: boat wiring
Post by: nathan72 on July 14, 2009, 03:12:50 AM

Something like that! I will put a tape on it tomorrow and let you know!