boneheaded move of the century

prepare to laugh..

I pulled 4 wires, all white from battery compartment to bow... I did pair them up... but I didn't mark pos/neg...

I've installed side panels... no access to wires now without pulling boat all back apart... need to hook up my bow light and my fish finder ASAP.. I'm ready to go fishing..

what's the best way to check?? I know electricians use battery operated phones to map out wires.. I don't have anything like that, and nobody to help...

suggestions??

Multimeter and check for resistance from end to end of each wire.
Make sure you disconnect wires from the battery first.

Run a temporary lead from the negative on your battery to the negative on your bow light.. touch the ends of the wire on question to the positive on the light and see which one makes it light up.. If you don't have extra wire, use jumper cables or whatever you have that's long enough..

Take a small jumper wire and connect the end of one wire to the hull of the boat if it is an aluminium boat. Then take a multimeter and check for continuity on the wires on the opposite end by touching one probe to the end of the wire and the other probe to the hull.

Another way is to tie two of the wires together on one end and checking for continuity on the wires on the other end. When you find continuity you will then take one of those wires and connect it to another wire and check again. Through process of elimination you will be able to tell which is which.

thanks.. I guess I didn't complete my thoughts on here...

I hooked up the wires on the bow end.. bow light, and fish finder... I'm now at the battery compartment with 2sets of wires... not sure which go to light, or fish finder... and not sure which is pos/neg...

50/50 chance guessing... I think the light will either work or not work if hooked up backwards or correctly.. worried about my fish finder... not sure if it will just not work if hooked up wrong , or blow up...

I'm going fishing tomorrow.. this will be figured out today.. I'll do it redneck style.. lol I ain't puling everything all back apart..

I got it sorted out... much more simple than I thought.. nothing blew up!!

I'm sorry, but we've reviewed your application, and your behavior doesn't even begin to approach the minimum standards for "bone-headed moves--introductory" consideration.

boneheaded move of the century

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While we are required by law to discourage such behaviors, we are allowed to state that if, in the future, you feel you may have conducted a behavior that qualifies you for consideration, we will welcome your entry.

Thank you very much,

Administrator
B-h M of A.

haha.., yeah so maybe it wasn't that bad.. but it's boneheaded for me... I'm usually pretty well thought out before I do something.. I thought to pair the wires up, just didn't think to mark a pos/neg...

still had a little trouble with my bow light, but I swapped it for a new one-- all fine now... I either blew it or something.. that 3rd wire threw me for a loop.. not too worried about it now.. I'm rigging up a bilge pump now and I'll be going to the boat ramp for a shakedown cruise this evening!!

I'm still not 100% complete with my electrical but good enough to launch..

I still need to wire in a switch/fuse panel, a few interior lights, and my second fish finder...I'm rigging stuf with ring terminals and alligator clips for now..but that all can be easily fixed in the battery compartment next week..

Use different colored wires. It makes thinks much easier in the future.

If you have already bought the wire, at least take a look at a couple of different color rolls of electrical tape to mark them with. (Red+and Black-)
Flintcreek

For lights Pos and Neg do not matter anyway (unless you went with LED)

Century?

Nah, just a daily winner!

Use a multi meter to ohm resistance.

Multimeter.

10-4 on using different colored wire.. I will next time for sure..

10-4 on colored tape... that was my plan, just forgot..

I can't justify the cost of buying any sort of meter for one time use..

problem is resolved, everything is hooked up..

I still have to wire in my switch/ fuse panel.. but I'm using the boat now..I just put ring terminals and alligator clamps for now..

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=365085#p365085 said:

marshman » Mon Sep 01, 2014 12:56 pm[/url]"]I can't justify the cost of buying any sort of meter for one time use..

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You need a multi-meter even if it is one of those that you get from Harbor Freight for less than $5.00. They come in very handy for all sorts of jobs. You will find there is more than one time you will need it. The more you use use it the more you will use it.

A continuity tester will your too.

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=365098#p365098 said:

KMixson » 01 Sep 2014, 13:28[/url]"]

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=365085#p365085 said:

marshman » Mon Sep 01, 2014 12:56 pm[/url]"]I can't justify the cost of buying any sort of meter for one time use..

Click to expand...

You need a multi-meter even if it is one of those that you get from Harbor Freight for less than $5.00. They come in very handy for all sorts of jobs. You will find there is more than one time you will need it. The more you use use it the more you will use it.

Click to expand...

Sometimes they even coupon it for free. (I thought everyone had at least one meter :shock: :LOL2: )

not sure how to use one if I had one... so, again I'll say I'm ok without..

very simple test. put one lead on one end, put the other on the other end, if it beeps you have found wire one. if it does not beep move one lead to the other wire it should beep. the beep means that it is completing the "loop" giving continuity through the wire. you can get a cheap multimeter with continuity for $10 at radio shack. no its not a fluke meter but my radio shack one has been working great for 10 years. I bought it because I thought I was only going to use it once. I use that thing all the time now.

this problem has been resolved ... but for conversation--how
do clip one lead of said meter to a wire in the front of the boat, and one lead of said meter to a wire in the back of the boat?? does said meter have leads that are 15 feet long??