Wiring decisions

[Brendanpd28]

Hey everyone,

  I have a couple more wiring questions.  I want to have the most efficient set up I can this time around.  I'm using a six gang rocker switch with built-in circuit breaker's.  I also have a fuse panel from blue seas with a built-in negative bus.   I am also using the add a battery system from blue seas.  I know I can go straight from the battery switch to thee six gang panel because of the built-in breakers and then back to a common bus bar. The fuse panel I plan to use for other add on items in the future.  One of my questions is do I need to run things with on and off switch's built in like the VHF through the switch panel or can I just run them through the fuse panel?  Also, can I run multiple wires off the battery switch to feed different things like the fuse panel, switch panel, Etc..?


Thanks!

[RickK]

There should be a main pos wire (maybe an 8 or 10 ga) coming off the battery switch with a 30-40 Amp fuse inline, to a Positive terminal strip.  From the terminal strip you can connect many things that have fuses/switches built in, like a radio, etc.  You can also connect a wire, maybe a 12-14ga, to the 6-gang. The 6-gang is used for lights, NAV lights, bilge pumps, baitwell pumps. You'll need a neg wire from the battery to a terminal strip near the positive.  Some people have pos and neg buss bars in a couple places on their boat.
Hope that answered your question.

[Brendanpd28]

Thanks Rick....that basically confirmed my thoughts. Here's my plan:

VHF, usb/volt gauge, and the bilge pump switch will all be wired and grounded to the blue seas fuse panel. The bilge switch is a separate unit with a built in breaker but I guess it won't hurt to have it run through the fuse panel And it will also keep things organized. The 6 gang switch panel will be wired directly from the battery switch and all house loads from the switch will be grounded to another bus bar. Both the 6 gang switch and the separate fuse panel will be powered from the same terminal off the battery switch. Something I think is strange is that the "add a battery" diagram shows the system grounded with a 16 awg to the common bus (see picture). Shouldn't the ground wire be the same gauge as the positive? I'm sorry if my description is confusing.....I will
Post one of my diagrams soon. I just wanna have this right and planned out before I start wiring

Thanks

[wingtime]

Most boats have a separate unswitched and fused feed for the bilge pump float switches along with possibly a memory keep alive circuit for the stereo. So you may want to add that into your plans. Most Genmar built aquasports came that way. The fuses were in a separate black box. Here is a basic diagram of how I did my ACR and switch

[Brendanpd28]

Thanks Wingtime!

   I will be using a bilge pump with an auto float switch built in and a 3 way bilge switch with built in circuit protection. I will just have to be sure to leave it switched to AUTO when I am not on the boat. I am not worried about the stereo memory so that will be wired off of the switch panel. My last boat I wired the bow and stern light to separate switches so that I could have just the 360 stern light on while at anchor. Is that something you FL guys do or just wire them all to one switch?

[Capt. Bob]

My last boat I wired the bow and stern light to separate switches so that I could have just the 360 stern light on while at anchor. Is that something you FL guys do or just wire them all to one switch?

I'm not Wing but I am a Fla. guy so....

My anchor/nav lights are wired to one switch, DPDT.

[wingtime]

Single DPDT switch for the lights is the standard.  Keeps it simple.. on position gives you anchor only.  The other Nav lights and anchor.  No thinking required.