Basic wiring

[dvl2700]

Old Smoker Craft that I replaced the floor several years ago. Need to move the battery for the outboard, stern mount trolling motor and sonar to the front of the boat for balance. Wiring will be exposed but attached so it is not laying on the floor. Any suggestions ? Have ideas but would like to hear from those who have done it before and pro's and con's.

 

[FuzzyGrub]

I've used pvc conduit under the rail or like in the picture below.

 

[MrGiggles]

You can buy self adhesive wire hangers. JMO but I think it's better strung along the gunnel up high.

There are a lot of different options for conduit. Kinda comes down to personal preference. Flexible PVC conduit provides the best protection but it's expensive and a pain to fish through. You could also use corrugated plastic or split braided loom.

 

[Ironhorse2022]

Just make sure to increase the wire gage to compensate for the longer distance between battery and starter or the voltage drop could be significant. I would guess 2 gage sizes larger than what you have now but there are free wire calculators on the internet that will tell you for sure. Also, I crimp and solder all my battery cables to keep resistance low.

 

[Douglasdzaster]

Ironhorse is correct. There are several charts on line that can show you what gage to use.

 

[DearJon]

You can buy self adhesive wire hangers. JMO but I think it's better strung along the gunnel up high.

There are a lot of different options for conduit. Kinda comes down to personal preference. Flexible PVC conduit provides the best protection but it's expensive and a pain to fish through. You could also use corrugated plastic or split braided loom.

I always use the gray schedule 80 pipe for conduit. It seems to hold up well after exposure to UV from the sun and "blends in" better than the white. It can cost a little more, but I think the protection it offers is worth it. As for the difficulty of fishing the wire through, there is a simple fix for that. Tie a small plastic baggie (like a Ziploc) onto a piece of strong string (like 550 cord/paracord). Cut off the excess. Stuff the little plastic wad into one end of the PVC. It should go in easily and fit loosely. Then, use a shop vac to suck the bundle out the other side. Now, tape your wires to the running end of the string and manually pull them through the pipe. I learned this from an old electrician.

 

[Ronbedard57]

I moved my battery forward for the same reason. Ran extra heavy gauge wire, and installed a block with + and - posts for the trolling motor I use as a kicker. Its that trolling motor that will heat up wires that are too light for the job. That heat will drain the battery.