1998 245 Explorer wiring in transom compartment

[flycaster1]

Recently bought a 1999 245 Explorer and as you probably know this boat has a three circuit fuse box back there with some sort of indicator light it appears. I don't know if its actually an indicator light or just a red plastic plug.
Corrosion and fuse holder failure is making it imperative a rip all that junk out this Winter and rework it. Its a real bad place for corrosion.
I see products available from West Marine and other suppliers listed as "Marine" fuse blocks but it looks like they would leave me worse off than I am now in a few short years.
Has anyone got suggestions or part numbers to replace all that junk that's back there so I can re-wire and have a more reliable system in place when I'm done?
Thanks in advance for your replies. 8)

[flounderpounder225]

That device is a 40 AMP circuit breaker style disconnect, I think it also runs the bilge pump circuit, I forget exactly, but tear it out and throw it away, put a positive and negative buss back there get a blues seas 6 or 8 circuit fuse block and mount it up fwd out of the corrosion prone area, mine is under my center console, all your doing is moving your circuit protection from the stern up fwd.

[seabob4]

What Marc said.  If you choose to just swap out the old black fuse box, use the Blue Seas 6-gang fuse block, and keep it sprayed with Boeshield T-9, CRC, even WD-40.  It will last if properly protected...

[flycaster1]

That device is a 40 AMP circuit breaker style disconnect, I think it also runs the bilge pump circuit, I forget exactly, but tear it out and throw it away, put a positive and negative buss back there get a blues seas 6 or 8 circuit fuse block and mount it up fwd out of the corrosion prone area, mine is under my center console, all your doing is moving your circuit protection from the stern up fwd.

Is there a block on the market which isn't open on the sides where wire entry is?
I would love to find one where the wire entries are sealable.
Blue seas stuff is real nice but still puts AGC type fuses or blade fuses into clips which eventually will loose integrity.
 

[wingtime]

The big 40 amp circuit breaker is the main power feed for your helm panel.  The other three fuses are for fwd bilge pump float, aft bilge pump float, and stereo memory.  The  bilge and memory circuits are constant power feed.  The power feed for the 40 amp breaker is switched on and off by your battery switch.  At least that is how it should be.  I'm sure Bob has a wiring diagram.

Here is what mine looks like now:

[seabob4]

Bruce is correct, it's a bit "confusing" in that the 40A main has nothing to do with the other 3 fuses in that box.  The main is wired "switched", whereas the remaining 3 are wired "constant hot".  They are fed coming off either batt 1 or batt 2 on the batt switch (or straight from the batt if no switch).  The main is fed from the COMMON post on the batt switch.  The labels for the bilge fuses should REALLY read BILGE FLOAT SWITCH...

[flycaster1]

The big 40 amp circuit breaker is the main power feed for your helm panel.  The other three fuses are for fwd bilge pump float, aft bilge pump float, and stereo memory.  The  bilge and memory circuits are constant power feed.  The power feed for the 40 amp breaker is switched on and off by your battery switch.  At least that is how it should be.  I'm sure Bob has a wiring diagram.

Here is what mine looks like now:

Wow !  Mine would be considered unrecognizable compared to that.
I guess that explains why the completely rotten fuse holder I have on the bottom right doesn't seem to do anything. Because I haven't looked into getting the radio working yet. My speakers were cut into the two inspection covers on the left and right walkways and completely rotten too.

Now I have an idea just what to do with that whole mess back there.