Basic wiring help needed

[tripleup05]

I have read through some threads to try and get some info, but I am still a little confused on what I should do for my wiring.

I plan on running a transom mount trolling motor (no gas motor...electric only), bow mount trolling motor occasionally, and an aerator for the livewell from the get-go. Down the road I would like to add some navi lights, fish finder, and perhaps a radio or other small electrical device.

I think it would be cool to have some sort of terminal at the bow that has power to it that I could attach the bow mount motor leads to. That seems simpler than having really long leads from the motor going to the back of the boat. Is something like that possible? Ofcourse, I wouldn't want a hot terminal out in the open, so maybe I could put in on some sort of on/off switch for when its not in use?

Another thing I don't know about is how accesories affect battery life. Will the aerator, fish finder, etc pull down the battery fast? Especially when I am running a motor at the front and back. I was thinking about running two batteries in parallel. Is that a popular solution?

Thanks for any input! I know these are some uninformed, noobish questions. If anybody has any good links for me to read post those up as well!

 

[jixer]

For next summer, Im doing 30 amp female twistlocks on the bow and transom, then Im going to have a male end on the electric motor for moving it around.

 

[BassChasin]

I rewired my boat adding quite a few accessories and used toggle switches to each one so they only have power when I want to use them without draining my battery (lights fish finder radio 12V ac power etc) they do make a switch panel I have seen a few of those on here as well.I mounted my toggles right in the top bracket that connects from the seat to the boat 1/2" hole and they are mounted pretty neatly. also ran all of those leads right to the battery connector and done no fumbling around in the dark to hook them up just flip the switch

 

[tripleup05]

I rewired my boat adding quite a few accessories and used toggle switches to each one so they only have power when I want to use them without draining my battery (lights fish finder radio 12V ac power etc) they do make a switch panel I have seen a few of those on here as well.I mounted my toggles right in the top bracket that connects from the seat to the boat 1/2" hole and they are mounted pretty neatly. also ran all of those leads right to the battery connector and done no fumbling around in the dark to hook them up just flip the switch

Do you have any pictures of your set-up? So you have an individual positive wire running from the positive battery terminal, to the toggle switch, to the device and an individual negative wire returning to the battery for each device?

 

[BassChasin]

I dont have pics of it but I will do my best to explain it. I used 4 prong toggles 2 hots, 2 grounds.I ran the wires from my accessories to the top of the switch and wires from the bottom of the switch over to where my battery is located then grabbed a set of marine grade battery terminals from the car battery section at walmart a couple of bucks I think (I got the ones that have a bolt in the back for connecting the wires.Twisted all my hots together as well as the grounds together connected them to the battery terminals and wrapped the wires with heat shrink to sort of protect them it made them look nice and neat only having 2 big wires that way and eliminated wires hanging everywhere hope this helps you

 

[tripleup05]

It does. Thank you!

Jixxer, can you post up a link to those "twistlocks" you are talking about?

 

[jixer]

Sorry I missed your post. These are what I have planned, I dont have them on hand yet. I was thinking of taking a hole saw and recessing the flip cover plug in the deck and one by the transom bench.

https://www.hubbellnet.com/max_htm/tech_stuff/NEMA/l6_30ps.htm

 

[gmoney]

Sorry I missed your post. These are what I have planned, I dont have them on hand yet. I was thinking of taking a hole saw and recessing the flip cover plug in the deck and one by the transom bench.

https://www.hubbellnet.com/max_htm/tech_stuff/NEMA/l6_30ps.htm

You could also use trolling motor plugs that are made for your exact purpose of easily attaching a trolling motor to the electrical power. The link shows a bunch of different options for the different plugs
https://www.basspro.com/Boating-Tro...ype-Electrical/_/N-1z11d5oZ1z0xea6/Ne-7i#Type

 

[tripleup05]

Sorry I missed your post. These are what I have planned, I dont have them on hand yet. I was thinking of taking a hole saw and recessing the flip cover plug in the deck and one by the transom bench.

https://www.hubbellnet.com/max_htm/tech_stuff/NEMA/l6_30ps.htm

You could also use trolling motor plugs that are made for your exact purpose of easily attaching a trolling motor to the electrical power. The link shows a bunch of different options for the different plugs
https://www.basspro.com/Boating-Tro...ype-Electrical/_/N-1z11d5oZ1z0xea6/Ne-7i#Type

I found those at Bass Pro a couple of weeks ago. They are exactly what I was talking about in my original post!

 

[BaitCaster]

Yeah, I am doing the same thing. I got started last fall but am now waiting for warmer weather to finish the wiring. My battery is in the stern and I ran 6 gauge wire to the bow where I installed a plug for my trolling motor. I got the aerator installed in my live and a bilge pump in the stern. The wires are all there for the two pumps but the next step I have to do is install the switch panel to connect them all up. After that I am installing the nav lights. Finally, I am installnig a fish finder, but I have a small separate battery for that, so it will be easy to wire up.

I found that the schmatics that came with my bilge pump and switch panel were pretty easy to follow, so the wiring is pretty easy. One thing I did which helped me to understand what needed to be done was wiring my switch, small battery and aerator pump up in my kitchen. It really helped me to conceptulaize what I need to do in the boat (it was fun too)!

I'll be posting mu progress when I get back to work.

 

[screwballl]

The more accessories you add, the more drain is put on the battery. Typically if there is anything more than just a single light or small fishfinder being used, it is better to pick up a second battery and wire it in parallel (POS to POS, NEG to NEG) thus doubling your Amp hours.
For an aerator or livewell pump, it may also help to get a timer for it, typically they are on for 5 minutes, off for 5 minutes. This should save on battery usage as well.

 

[tripleup05]

What kind of switch panel are you going to go with, BaitCaster? Bass Pro carries two kinds. This one https://www.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-Rocker-Switch-Panels/product/861/-503531 has built in fuses, but it gets awful reviews. This one by Seasense https://www.iboats.com/Seasense-Led...2420059--session_id.005430245--view_id.237563 costs more, and looks really great, but has no reviews. I've also noticed Bassboy recommends Contura switches and panels from genuinedealz https://shop.genuinedealz.com/Contura Panel Switches/. These have no built in breakers or fuses, so you have to wire in your own.

Just curious what route you were going with. I will probably buy the individual components from Genuinedealz.

 

[BaitCaster]

What kind of switch panel are you going to go with, BaitCaster? Bass Pro carries two kinds. This one https://www.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-Rocker-Switch-Panels/product/861/-503531 has built in fuses, but it gets awful reviews. This one by Seasense https://www.iboats.com/Seasense-Led...2420059--session_id.005430245--view_id.237563 costs more, and looks really great, but has no reviews. I've also noticed Bassboy recommends Contura switches and panels from genuinedealz https://shop.genuinedealz.com/Contura Panel Switches/. These have no built in breakers or fuses, so you have to wire in your own.

Just curious what route you were going with. I will probably buy the individual components from Genuinedealz.

I have a four-switch panel from Cabelas. Fuses are already attached. As you will see from the website there are 3 different models of this panel.

https://www.cabelas.com/product/Marine-Grade-Switch-Panels/738018.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dswitch%2Bpanel%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts&Ntt=switch+panel&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products

 

[Oldgeek]

I bought a Seasense 3 way with power socket and just got it yesterday. It seems to be built pretty well and comes with a fuse and a spare. It also looks like it might fit on a standard plastic 4 outlet construction box. I think it was about $35. They had a 6 way for around $50.

 

[tripleup05]

Alright, I am finally getting around to ordering my electrical supplies. The first tool hit the boat back in October or November, and here it is April, and I still have a loooong way to go. Oh well. A little progress is better than none.

Money is tight at the moment, so I am going to skip on the front mount trolling motor idea I mentioned in the first post in this thread. I can always install it later. As of right now, and I don't think it will change, I am going to have a transom mount trolling motor, two bilge pumps, and one livewell pump to run when the boat hits the water in a few months. I eventually want a fish finder and nav lights, so I need 6-7 switches even though I will only be using three for now. The trolling motor will be run off of a 27 series deep cycle, and the pumps (and future accesories) will be run off of a smaller deep cycle.

Here are my questions:

(Please note...I am an electrical moron. I will probably ask some stupid questions that most of yall knew by the time you were 10. Please answer with this in mind, and don't laugh at me too much )

1. What sort of circuit breaker should I use between the trolling motor and battery? I have been hooking the wires up directly to the battery since I was a kid, but everyone here suggests using a circuit breaker, so I will. I just don't know what to buy.

2. I am going to buy 7 contura single pole, single throw switches from genuinedealz.com and the corresponding mounting panels. The three pumps I have will draw about 6amps total, and Attwood recommends a 4amp fuse for one, and 2.5amp fuses for the other two. Although I am going to skip on buying the fish finder and nav stuff for the time being, I would still like all of my electrical hardware to be installed and ready so that I can simply install and wire up when the time comes. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find any amp draw info on Attwood's nav lights. With all of that said...what do I need to buy? I know I can run a positive wire from the battery, to the switch, to the accessory, and then a negative wire back to the switch, and back to the battery. I would prefer to use a common ground system, though. I think they are called terminal buses? How about a common hot wire? I have heard of a "terminal block." Would that allow me to run a single positive wire from the battery to a common hot lead, where each switch could be wired to?

3. And what about fuses? I see "fuse blocks" for sale on genuinedealz's website. I would definitely prefer to keep all of the fuses in one place instead of having them inline randomly on each circuit. But how, and where, would the fuse block be wired in?

Like I said...silly questions. But I'm fairly confused and need some guidance. Thanks!

 

[Oldgeek]

Triple,
I'll answer what I know for sure and hopefully others will join in with answers on the rest. See answers in your questions below.

Alright, I am finally getting around to ordering my electrical supplies. The first tool hit the boat back in October or November, and here it is April, and I still have a loooong way to go. Oh well. A little progress is better than none.

Money is tight at the moment, so I am going to skip on the front mount trolling motor idea I mentioned in the first post in this thread. I can always install it later. As of right now, and I don't think it will change, I am going to have a transom mount trolling motor, two bilge pumps, and one livewell pump to run when the boat hits the water in a few months. I eventually want a fish finder and nav lights, so I need 6-7 switches even though I will only be using three for now. The trolling motor will be run off of a 27 series deep cycle, and the pumps (and future accesories) will be run off of a smaller deep cycle.

Here are my questions:

(Please note...I am an electrical moron. I will probably ask some stupid questions that most of yall knew by the time you were 10. Please answer with this in mind, and don't laugh at me too much )

1. What sort of circuit breaker should I use between the trolling motor and battery? I have been hooking the wires up directly to the battery since I was a kid, but everyone here suggests using a circuit breaker, so I will. I just don't know what to buy.

* On the positive lead near the battery, solder in a 50AMP inline fuse. Attwood makes one for about $6.

2. I am going to buy 7 contura single pole, single throw switches from genuinedealz.com and the corresponding mounting panels. The three pumps I have will draw about 6amps total, and Attwood recommends a 4amp fuse for one, and 2.5amp fuses for the other two. Although I am going to skip on buying the fish finder and nav stuff for the time being, I would still like all of my electrical hardware to be installed and ready so that I can simply install and wire up when the time comes. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find any amp draw info on Attwood's nav lights. With all of that said...what do I need to buy? I know I can run a positive wire from the battery, to the switch, to the accessory, and then a negative wire back to the switch, and back to the battery. I would prefer to use a common ground system, though. I think they are called terminal buses? How about a common hot wire? I have heard of a "terminal block." Would that allow me to run a single positive wire from the battery to a common hot lead, where each switch could be wired to?

* You can use a buse bar for the negative leads and run one lead from it to the negative post on the battery, not ground to the boat. I've been told to NOT do this with the positive connections, so the terminal block may be a good idea.

3. And what about fuses? I see "fuse blocks" for sale on genuinedealz's website. I would definitely prefer to keep all of the fuses in one place instead of having them inline randomly on each circuit. But how, and where, would the fuse block be wired in?

* Some of the switch panels have fuses built into them and might be a good way to go on the positive leads, but I'll differ this to one of our electrical gurus.

Like I said...silly questions. But I'm fairly confused and need some guidance. Thanks!

 

[tripleup05]

* On the positive lead near the battery, solder in a 50AMP inline fuse. Attwood makes one for about $6.

This? https://www.attwoodmarine.com/store/product/Fuse-Holder-With-Wire-Loop



* You can use a buse bar for the negative leads and run one lead from it to the negative post on the battery, not ground to the boat. I've been told to NOT do this with the positive connections, so the terminal block may be a good idea.

I was going to make my own switch panel and fuses because the 6-way gang switch panel from Bass Pro gets terrible, terrible reviews. But I found this on iboats.com from Seasense https://www.iboats.com/Seasense-Led-Switch-Panel/dm/cart_id.765250969--session_id.032745269--view_id.237563 . Apparently it uses breakers instead of fuses, and it looks better too. Would using a panel such as this eliminate the need for a terminal block? I guess my question is are the positive side of the switches already wired up, and all I have to do is hook the positive from the battery to a terminal on the panel?

 

[Oldgeek]

=D> That's the switch panel I wish I'd have bought. I'm using inline fuses on mine and circuit breakers would be nice. Maybe someone else on here can help you with how to spread the load on that as I don't know what the breaker amp ratings are. Good luck.

 

[Kimber.45]

I used positive and negative bus bars for my set up with a switch panel. Why is a bus bar for the positive side bad? I havent had any issues with mine. One line from the battery + supplies power to the bus bar, the bar powers my switch panel. One line from the battery - grounds the negative bus bar which grounds everything. The switch panel completes the circuit. I have a terminal fuse block on the battery + with a 50amp fuse that protects the switch panel and a 60amp that protects my trolling motor. Here is a pic of my switch panel with breakers and a pic of what my terminal fuse block looks like.

 

[Oldgeek]

Kimber,
Someone on here with more electrical knowledge than me said that if it shorted, you lose everything. So, I'm running all my positive connection separately to the switch and using a bus bar for the ground only.