Wiring Diagram

[hoaglandr]

Below is a diagram I've been working on to help me with my rewiring mod. Could some of you electrical experts out there check it over to make sure I got it right? I've also included a few notes explaining (primarily to myself) how I think this stuff works. Your input would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Russell

Notes: The Battery Charger is a Prosport 12 with dual bank charging. The dual bank feature is really unnecessary due to the ACR, which combines banks while recharging, ensuring that the charge, regardless of the source - solar, battery charger or alternator - is sent to the batteries. The ACR isolates the batteries when no charge is found or when the batteries are fully charged.

The Battery Switch has three settings.
o Off - batteries are disconnected from the engine (start battery) and the DC panel (house batteries). Normal setting when boat is not in use. (Solar Panel will still charge batteries)
o On – both banks are on but isolated. Normal setting when boat is in use.
o Combined – Used only when the start battery is insufficiently charged to start engine. Hopefully this never happens.
o The Neutral Wire for the AC is really white but black was used for diagram purposes.
o The Bilge Pump is hard wired to the start battery.

[Divecoz]

I dont use my starter battery for the bilge pump . The Rest appears fine by me.. Why do you desire to run the bilge off the starter battery?
No doubt personal preference . I have a Battery selector switch and an ACR as well . ( all are man made) I still have my starter battery as stand alone.
I can / could with the use of the selector run bilges etc , I just , when wiring, said to myself... SELF.....if all else fails and everything G.T.S. I want to be able to start the motor.. Thats just me..

[hoaglandr]

Thanks Divecoz! I appreciate you looking this over!

Regarding the bilge pump (which I don't have yet) it was kind of an afterthought. Upon further reflection I think I will put it on the house side. That kind of load would better suit my Deep Marine batteries. I guess I was thinking about not running it through the panel (same as the start battery) as I always want it to be "on".

Any problems wiring it directly to the battery as long as it is fused?

Russell

[Divecoz]

No Problem Hoag.. I am far from The Expert here however...
Where do you intend to mount your 12V. distribution Busse. Mine? My system? I have two batteries under the ladder ( 05-M) and one aft under the starboard dinette seat. Everything is close by for short runs. I have my selector cluster under the ladder as well. I have my busse / panel bolted as high as possible inside that seat on the wall towards the area between seats. Think lift the cushion then the cover. Now you see my battery snugly between the ballast rail and seat housing..to your left and as high as I could mount it is the Distro / fuses.. I have as well an over ride switch to 1 bilge pump in that area I have never had issues with it being in the way of my legs its a butterfly switch. I on the side of the seat that is the walkway facing you as your looking into the seat is a test switch and a Volt meter . DPDT switch allows me to check either house battery or with use of the selector switch any of the batteries. I have wires run all through my boats and numerous lights here and there and switches as well and meters and You Name it... I left most that was wired from the factory right where it was, and most anything new is into my new panel.. easy to get to, easy to service etc. I have a laundry basket under that seat with part of the top lip removed for easy in and out.. holds My Food.. Guy stuff .. I have a switch mounted in the over head portion of the front dinette seat along with my CD payer and both speakers . That switch and an LED single light are for my anchor light. I still over time mounted 5.. of those little hockey Puck LED battery lights. 3 over the sink ooppss I Mean Galley 1 over and in front of the fridge or Square Cube Ice chest which ever I am using at the time and 1 in the head.. I have several LED lights hard wired in, for reading in the aft berth and the dinette. I have the cheapies for night lights ( head /wife / ) and when out alone , and leaving the boat at anchor, while I'm sitting in a bar and having a few. I leave those cheapies on for additional security .. I .. also have 5 or 6 S.S. Yard Solar Yard lights mounted on stanchions and the mast crutch in rod holders .. I spent 5 weeks total time living on the hook by myself and added "stuff" as found the need. Not Continuous time . I was in and out of my brothers pier dock whatever on occasion and thats when we addressed numerous issues I found along the way..
Sorry If am just rattleing on.......

[hoaglandr]

Dive - Sounds like we have the same boat... I have an 05M with a Yamaha F50 which I understand is the same as the merc bigfoot. The important question: white or blue? Mine is white!

The plan is to put the new panel where the factory panel was and reuse the factory wiring, adding additional wire for the new circuits. I think I need to upgrade the battery wire to the new panel and will probably run a wire chase up the port side to the overhead panel to keep the runs short. Batteries are going where yours are but I am still debating placement of the charger. Any problems securing the battery in the aft dinette seat? Battery switch and combiner are probably going there as well.

We're adding lights, Edgestar, fan, GPS, VHF, as well as 12V outlets for cell phones, laptop, and CPAP. At the rate I'm going I should be done in a couple of years!

Thanks again,
Russell

[Divecoz]

Mine is the Fast White Also
OK I am a retired Electrician.. I have more Commercial and Industrial than residential knowledge however I do know a lot of tricks and have a lot of special tools ..4 different types of Fish Tapes and Fiberglass Push rods...I have a real knack for getting from here to there..
I still didn't end up running new stuff above the liner between the deck too much..

[Hamin' X]

First thing out of the gate from the AC panel, GFCI outlet for each breaker. You may have planned this and just not included it in the diagram. It will protect the entire boat from that position. Be sure to leave the AC ground and neutral separated inside the boat. Dive's idea for the bilge pump is spot on.

~Rich

[Divecoz]

Yes Rich is correct and I have one too.. By Law ???? Its not really a Law , its an ordnance at best.. All Exterior outlets are to be GFIC and My Marina is compliant.. But how many are not?? I have no idea..Yep add GFIC to the very front of that A/C system.. Some things I miss, by taking them for granted for so long ..

[Russ]

The diagram looks correct. I'm not good reading those things however.
I wired my solar panel/controller into the switch panel main hot and ground leads. The main supply to the panel has an inline fuse at the battery also.

So where are you going to put a bilge pump? I can't figure out where the bilge is and why I would need a pump.





--Russ

[Divecoz]

Many of us add a bilge pump or pumps Just In Case..
I did have issues with the bilges getting wet.. It was at the Loose hose clamp for the sink drain
Then I complicated it with a bilge pump without a back flow / check valve I have 3 pumps just in case.. A Pump will not, pump out more water than its outlet size and I figured if......I had an issue it might well exceed? 3/4 of an inch... All toll it was about?? $100 for that Insurance.
All 3 On Sale.. I have a sail boat... so I always look for Sales

[Russ]

Many of us add a bilge pump or pumps Just In Case..

In case of what?

As I see it, most of our boats have no through hull fittings or shafts to leak. If we get a hole we're in serious trouble that a little bilge pump isn't gonna save us from.
If you have a through hull fitting, it should have a valve to shut off any flow if a hose breaks.

Nothing wrong with being prepared just in case though. Better to have one then wish you did.
I guess my biggest problem is where to put it. A "portable" bilge pump would seem to make more sense than a fixed one hoping to have it in the correct compartment.



--Russ

[Divecoz]

Russ I think your probably correct...
But I do have 3 of them ..one each side aft , under the dinette seat and the galley and 1 between the two batteries under the rear berth by the ladder. My boat shouldn't be used as an example ....I was getting HUGE discounts for several years. Among numerous other outlets and suppliers, if Coleman made it I could have it for 50% off the Internet price. I spent 4 months in Florida but only 5+ weeks sailing.
During bad weather my brother and I did something on my boat every single day..
He realllllly wanted me to come back down again this year and I thought I might ,but some medical issues came up and that is off the board.. But Don offered to help me build an all new interior and hes an Incredible Craftsman.. two of his homes have been in Major Publications because of his craftsmanship and ingenuity.. So We two brothers played ..... When I came home ( to his house) one day with Home Depot S.S. Yard Lights and Plastic rod holders ...I heard about what a shlock I am.... for weeks..... Why with just a few days of drilling and cutting and heli-arcing grinding and buffing and running a couple hundred feet of wire here to there and back again hahahaha...Yea sure ... I have.. the Yard Lights and PVC Rod Holders.. !!

[hoaglandr]

Yes, I am placing a GFCI in each line after it leaves the AC Panel. The diagram stops at the panels. I needed a picture to make sure I had all those connections in the right places. After we leave the panels it much more straightforward. Just have to make sure I get the loads on each circuit, run length and wire gauge figured correctly. That was the topic of this post.

As for the bilge pump, I don't have one yet, but...

Nothing wrong with being prepared just in case though. Better to have one then wish you did.
I guess my biggest problem is where to put it. A "portable" bilge pump would seem to make more sense than a fixed one hoping to have it in the correct compartment.

I agree!

Russell

[Divecoz]

IMHO......... The GFCI is where I would start.. That protects IMHO the entire A/C system.. When I am in my slip I can have my Cruise Air a small 110 Fridge my pro 20 charger CD player numerous lights above and below decks all running and I have never tripped The House / Pier mounted breaker.. I have had the GFCI out for numerous reasons and it shows no issues of over loading..
Heads UP!! Sears Now carries a Clamp On Amp Probe for...........drum roll Please.......... D/C!!http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1260 ... 000P?mv=rr
Its on my Christmas list

[Catigale]

There are limited through hulls on stock Macs, but this still doesnt obviate the need for a bilge pump imho.

Simply leaving off the ballast plug can put a lot of water in your boat, and bailing it out isnt fun.

On my my compression post failed due to poor build quality, and this left me with a hull breach and 2 feet of water below decks at 3 am in the morning. bilge pump was useful that day.

My kicker motor mount has one screw that flirts with the water line - if that screw sealant ages and leaks, it will let water in of course.

..and so on...

Water is desperately trying to enter your boat - in theory it can even quantum mechanically tunnel through your blue hull without a hole, leaving your ships' cat half dead/half alive...