Battery Cable/ Electrical Questions
Printed From: CorrectCraftFan.com
Category: Repairs and Maintenance
Forum Name: Boat Maintenance
Forum Discription: Discuss maintenance of your Correct Craft
URL: http://www.CorrectCraftFan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=26646
Printed Date: November-19-2024 at 12:14am
Topic: Battery Cable/ Electrical Questions
Posted By: Big Pappa
Subject: Battery Cable/ Electrical Questions
Date Posted: June-25-2012 at 8:12pm
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Hey guys so it has been about 4 years since I had my battery cables in the boat and connected so I do not remember the exacts about how the batter cables ran and I did not get any pictures of this specifically. I need to order some new cables and am going to have them made up at http://shop.genuinedealz.com/" rel="nofollow - this place. I have the following questions before I make my order though. 1. I do not remember where the ground mounts to the motor. My best guess is starboard side towards the front there is a bolt running from the back to the front that has nothing on it. Is this where it connects? 2. I am looking at 1 AWG cable in the following lengths. Red - Positive battery terminal to starter Relay - 8' Red - Starter Relay to Starter - 2' Black - Battery Negative to engine block - 5' Are these lengths OK, I measured off my existing cables but do not remember exactly how they fit. Should I add some length or take any off? On another note I am also planning on going ahead and running an 8awg wire from the engine ground to the dash and to the tank to upgrade the ground to these locations. Any contact point that is bolt on I will be cleaning up and coating in some dielectric grease. And splices will be made with crimp on heat shrink "water proof" connectors. Are there any other wiring upgrades I should make while I am in the process and have fairly easy access? ------------- http://bit.ly/Mghpvx" rel="nofollow - Big Pappa http://bit.ly/L4zRW0" rel="nofollow - My Project |
Replies:
Posted By: TRBenj
Date Posted: June-25-2012 at 8:29pm
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1. Yes, that is the bolt for the negative terminal. 2. I would go with 0awg instead. Cant help on the lengths, but I would probably opt to match the originals. Cables that are too short are obviously no good, and excessively long ones end up snaking around the bilge- so you want to be as close to the proper length as possible. 3. I would run 3 larger wires from the engine to dash while you have it apart. -ground -battery (red) -ignition (purple) ------------- |
Posted By: Gary S
Date Posted: June-25-2012 at 9:27pm
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4.Solder all connections and not relying on just the crimp. ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1711&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1966&yrend=1970" rel="nofollow - 69 Mustang HM SS 95 Nautique Super Sport |
Posted By: Big Pappa
Date Posted: June-26-2012 at 4:10pm
Thanks for the suggestions. I just made my order and ordered the 0 awg. On 3. What size wire, 8awg for all 3?
The connectors I have, have the heat shrink already on them I can not solder them can I? ------------- http://bit.ly/Mghpvx" rel="nofollow - Big Pappa http://bit.ly/L4zRW0" rel="nofollow - My Project |
TRBenj wrote:Posted By: TRBenj
Date Posted: June-26-2012 at 4:35pm
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8awg would work, yup. ------------- |
Posted By: Bri892001
Date Posted: June-26-2012 at 4:38pm
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If you crimp, it's well worth it to spend a little extra and get a good quality ratcheting crimper. It will help you hold your connections in the jaw while you insert the stripped ends of your wires. It will give a stringer crimper, and the jaws are wider, so it's not just "pinching" it connected in one little spot. I'd also grab a bus bar for your ground. Then you can reinforce the ground from several places on your daisy chain under the dash and tie back to the bar. |
Posted By: Big Pappa
Date Posted: June-26-2012 at 5:03pm
Cool, thanks
Nice tip, Thanks!! ------------- http://bit.ly/Mghpvx" rel="nofollow - Big Pappa http://bit.ly/L4zRW0" rel="nofollow - My Project |
Posted By: Gary S
Date Posted: June-27-2012 at 12:14am
I use connectors that I had Kris and after soldering put on my own shrink wrap. Your way might work out ok, I just don't like it when you rely only on the crimp. ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1711&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1966&yrend=1970" rel="nofollow - 69 Mustang HM SS 95 Nautique Super Sport |
Posted By: 8122pbrainard
Date Posted: June-27-2012 at 9:54am
Dito! What I don't like is the non plated connector per the picture. ------------- /diaries/details.asp?ID=1622" rel="nofollow - 54 Atom /diaries/details.asp?ID=2179" rel="nofollow - 77 Tique 64 X55 Dunphy Keep it original, Pete < |
Posted By: Bri892001
Date Posted: June-27-2012 at 12:43pm
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I totally agree that soldering is superior to crimping. There are just some instances where soldering is a little tricky because of position etc. |
Posted By: Big Pappa
Date Posted: June-27-2012 at 1:09pm
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Thanks guys I will have to go track down some non insulated ends so I can solder them on and then heat shrink. I actually tried this method last night with one of the ends on my 8awg ground wire that I am running to the dash. I think it turned out pretty good. This was Crimped, then soldered then heat shrinked.  It was also mentioned about adding a bus for the ground at the dash. Well I went under the dash last night and found this. I am guessing that it is not stock? I found what looks like some other new wiring (No upgraded + or -) and a few other things that needs to be addressed while I am under there.  So is this Bus good enough if I run my larger ground to it? I have not traced the wires yet but most of the grounds on here look as if they go to the port side of the dash. Since I have another bus that I was going to use for a ground should I use this one for a Positive bus? ------------- http://bit.ly/Mghpvx" rel="nofollow - Big Pappa http://bit.ly/L4zRW0" rel="nofollow - My Project |
Posted By: Jllogan
Date Posted: June-27-2012 at 1:17pm
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my 86 has a bus for both hot and ground wiring. Maybe it isnt stock, I just assumed it was. Yours looks much neater than mine. ------------- http://correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=5792&sort=&pagenum=1" rel="nofollow - 1986 Ski Nautique 2001 |
Posted By: Bri892001
Date Posted: June-27-2012 at 1:28pm
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Hmmm, maybe the buses were stock on the older boats. They should have stayed stock on the newer ones as well. It's funny, the one above initially looked to me like a terminal strip... the type for all separate circuits. When I looked closer, it does look like they are all linked together with metal on the upper portion. As long as you have continuity, and it is indeed all grounds going to it, this should be fine to use. The positive side is just a little bit trickier. You could use the bus, but you can't just have all the positive wires going to it universally the way you can on the ground. You would have to have it tie in after the ignition breaker (or ignition switch) so you wouldn't be changing the logic of the circuit. |
Posted By: Big Pappa
Date Posted: June-27-2012 at 1:39pm
Yes there is a metal strip connecting everything on the top. Good point on the positive bus, I had not thought about that. ------------- http://bit.ly/Mghpvx" rel="nofollow - Big Pappa http://bit.ly/L4zRW0" rel="nofollow - My Project |