Boat Wiring

Hello All,

I picked up a 93 16.5ft Sylvan boat last year. It currently has four batteries current on it right now with no fuse box or master kill switch.
Two (24v) in the front for the trolling motor.
One (12v) to start the motor.
One (12v) for all the electronic such as lights, USB charger, live well pump, and depth finder.

I would like to re-wire my boat properly with a fuse box, master kill switch and whatever that it is require making this as safe as possible for the electronics.

Also, would like to see if we I do anything to charge four batteries with one plug.

Thanks in advance.
Gumby

You’ll need a Dual Circuit battery switch, so you can kill both the starting & house battery, a 4-bank charger will charge all 4 with one plug, and a good Blue Sea fuse panel to wire everything to.

Drop it off, it’ll be done in 2 weeks,,,,,,,

HRG

You can get a 4 bank minnkota on board charger, I use a 2 bank for my trolling motor batteries and it’s awesome, just plug it in and go. I recently did a complete over haul of my boat (flooring, wiring and plumbing). If I were you I would replace all of the current wiring and run the new wires in PVC pipe (Grey electrical conduit works also) to protect them , and to simplify adding new circuits in the future. I found a 6 gang illuminated switch cluster with a digital battery gauge and twin USP charging ports, for like $36 with free shipping. Then I added a master kill switch to a fuse block to kill power to everything.

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broth82 wrote:

You can get a 4 bank minnkota on board charger,

These will work good until a bank fries. I’m working on my 2nd bad charger in 4 years. If they won’t replace this one under warranty I’m looking elsewhere.

But yes, buy a 4 bank charger. You may have to extend the leads if your batteries are all located next to each other.

One could go with a 3 bank charger to save on cost and weight. Connect the the house and the motor batteries in parallel and connect leads from one bank to the post of one of the bateries, may take longer to charge but those 2 batteries have less of a draw than the trolling batteries. The other two bank connect separately to each battery.

Biggill remember this when your minkota fries again.

I use a dualpro pro 3 bank charger. Been good for me for 12 years.

1hl&sinker wrote:

I use a dualpro pro 3 bank charger.

I’ve had 3 bank and 4 bank DualPro’s, I love em. They are great chargers.

Just sent in a dual pro never worked from start. had 3 go bad in 6 years. going minn-kota next time

1hl&sinker wrote:

Biggill remember this when your minkota fries again.

It was already on my radar. I put a post up about 6 months ago looking for advice. One bank is fried again on my Minnkota.

I have to ask the question, do you really need separate starting and accessory batteries on a rig this size? I can’t see many situations where this would be necessary and IMO it’s adding complexity, weight, and expense to your rig. I’ve never had the slightest problem using a good starting battery start and run accessories with.

A couple of other thoughts:

– Undersized wire is an issue on almost every boat I’ve worked on. Factories use cheap wire and it’s almost always undersized for the appliance its powering.

As long as you are rebuilding, take the time to calculate loads and rip out the junk factory wire and put in proper sized wire. This is especially critical on safty items like bilge pumps and also so electronics perform well.

– Oversize the new master panel so you have extra spaces available and to more easily isolate loads. Future troubleshooting is much easier as well if you don’t have a pile of stuff running on each circuit.

-Absolutely eliminate all pinch on connecters, they are junk. Every connection should be marine crimped and heat shrinked. Grommit all pass through holes especially ones through metal. Label everything well, and bundle wires carefully.

Grouse

Bad luck? Ive heard good things about Minkota chargers and a
few bad. I’ve also heard the same about dualpro. I sure don’t discount the bad. I wonder if its the nature of the beast. They do get pounded an awfull lot and I know there supposed to be water proof but there must be some moisture in there from condensation especialy on hot humid days.

I want to do the best join there is to it. My budget is $600 to rewire my boat with 3 or 4 bank charger. I’ll need two new battery as the electronics might go bad soon as well as the motor battery.
I’ll more then happy to pay someone with cash or beer or take them out fishing if you help me rewire my boat correct with all the stuff.

All I’m saying is that I one to do this once and do it correctly.

Again, on a 165 size boat, which I’d guess has a 60 hp outboard or less, you shouldn’t need separate batteries for starting and accesories. (Unless you’re running a 1993 2-stroke that won’t start worth a darn.) Get one group 29 or 31 battery for starting and accessories, and then you can get a 3-bank onboard charger. You can get all the components here: https://www.bluesea.com/

And if you’re hoping to find someone here to help you, put your location in your profile.

Yes, I have a 98 60HP Evinrude Outboard Motor.
Sorry completely a noob at this forum thing but i can’t find the setting to put my location. I set it to visibly for all member.
I’m in the Saint Paul, MN.
Any help is better then no help.

Ron wrote:

Unless you’re running a 1993 2-stroke that won’t start worth a darn.)

I’m sure you were joking but sometimes people take things literally.

Great post, I’ll be in same process as you shortly here with my rig.

My 94 120hp carbed has been a beast to start cold mornings but the group 24 starter that came with it never died. You’ll for sure want a bigger battery as eluded to already but just saying one battery will be fine.

What size wire you guys recommend for just accessories? No TM.

nhamm & BiteMeGumby- it all depends on what you’re running on that circuit. I ended up running most 16 gauge and some 14 gauge, I used the stranded marine wire that had both the black and red wires connected together. Then I used colored electrical tape on both ends to mark what circuit the wire was ran to. These are the circuits I ran in my 17′ tiller boat.
Bilge pump – 3 amp fuse (16ga. wire)
Aerator pump – 3 amp fuse (16ga. wire)
Recirculating pump – 3 amp fuse (16ga. wire)
Running lights (bow and stern) – 3 amp fuse (16ga. wire)
Interior lights – 3 amp fuse (16ga. wire)
Electronics – (14ga. wire) I have one at the bow and one at the stern both are fused next to the unit head.
USB charger socket 1.5amp/3amp (16ga. wire) – directly from the battery
Cigarette socket 5 amps. (16ga. wire) – directly to the battery

For my ground I ran 1 12ga. wire from my battery to a terminal block, as well as a 12ga. hot wire to a terminal block for the power to my switch panel. I really like keeping the number of wires connected to my battery to a minimum. I also add in a main disconnect to the switch panel.

I completely replaced all of my wiring including the trolling motor and a new gauge cluster with all new switches, I used marine terminals with heatshrink on all of my connections. All said and done I had $78.50 in materials.

If you have more questions about my build PM me.

I have a 1985 90hp Evinrude and only use one battery for the starting and electronics. I have never had a problem doing this. You should be able to easily go down to 3 batteries.

Broth82 is spot on with the wiring. The only thing I would do different is instead of using colored electrical tape to mark the wires, I would use colored zip ties. I have had the adhesive in cheap color electrical give out and fall off in the heat.

broth82 wrote:

nhamm & BiteMeGumby- it all depends on what you’re running on that circuit. I ended up running most 16 gauge and some 14 gauge, I used the stranded marine wire that had both the black and red wires connected together. Then I used colored electrical tape on both ends to mark what circuit the wire was ran to. These are the circuits I ran in my 17′ tiller boat.
Bilge pump – 3 amp fuse (16ga. wire)
Aerator pump – 3 amp fuse (16ga. wire)
Recirculating pump – 3 amp fuse (16ga. wire)
Running lights (bow and stern) – 3 amp fuse (16ga. wire)
Interior lights – 3 amp fuse (16ga. wire)
Electronics – (14ga. wire) I have one at the bow and one at the stern both are fused next to the unit head.
USB charger socket 1.5amp/3amp (16ga. wire) – directly from the battery
Cigarette socket 5 amps. (16ga. wire) – directly to the battery

For my ground I ran 1 12ga. wire from my battery to a terminal block, as well as a 12ga. hot wire to a terminal block for the power to my switch panel. I really like keeping the number of wires connected to my battery to a minimum. I also add in a main disconnect to the switch panel.

I completely replaced all of my wiring including the trolling motor and a new gauge cluster with all new switches, I used marine terminals with heatshrink on all of my connections. All said and done I had $78.50 in materials.

If you have more questions about my build PM me.

Thank you, this is what I was looking for. I’ll pM you.

16 gauge wire is too small for pumps unless the pumps are very small or the run is very short. I wouldn’t use anything less than 14, this assures max capacity at the bilge and makes the livewell pump run cooler and not strain the wire or the fuse during extended use.

If pumps are small, now’s a great time to upsize the bilge for safety. Most freshwater boats have totally inadequate pumping capacity from the factory.

Now would also be a great time to upgrade interior lighting and running/anchor lights to LED if you haven’t already. I personally love to have a lot of interior lights and to me the best thing is having some nice red lights for night use inside the boat. LEDs are so great now because finally, you can have all the lights you want without fearing battery drain.

Grouse

TheFamousGrouse wrote:

-Absolutely eliminate all pinch on connecters, they are junk. Every connection should be marine crimped and heat shrinked. Grommit all pass through holes especially ones through metal. Label everything well, and bundle wires carefully.

Grouse

Grouse,
What do you define as “marine crimp” vs “pinch on”? Just trying to understand.

Thanks, HRG