Main Electrical Cable Routing

[Moe]

Our 2002 26X was produced in August 2001. The DC panel is on the aft port bulkhead, under the port side winch.

However, the cheesey zip cord main electrical cable runs forward from the battery, under the galley, up above the joint between the upper and lower inner liners and forward from there. I can only guess that it goes to where the electrical panel used to be on earlier models and then back to the new DC panel location from there. That's a lot of voltage drop, especially considering this cord doesn't look to be even as thick as typical 18AWG lamp cord.

I'd like to run heavier cord from the battery more directly up to the DC panel, and possiblly replace it with a 6 switch panel.

Has anyone done this?

Is there a good, short route to follow from the battery compartment up to under the port side winch that has room for heavier wire?

Thanks,
--
Moe

[mike]

The original panel, I believe was a small 3 switch panel located between the front windows (my boat has a blank panel screwed in there). If I'm understanding your question, you're saying that the wire runs (you think) all the way up to that location, then all the way back to your current panel location? Yeah, that is an excessively long run!

My main wiring goes from the aft galley seat battery compartment, through the galley, up through the chainplate "bulge" to the upper liner, aft along the bottom of the upper liner, then (this is the somewhat difficult part) up behind the liner to the panel by the winch. I've made several runs this way, and it's a little tricky to pull the wire (with a fishtape) through some of the tight spots, but this is the most direct route (unless you want to try and drill a hole through the battery compartment to get behind the liner... I considered this, but decided against it for reasons I can't remember).

--Mike

[Moe]

Thanks! Mine definitely runs forward of the chainplate bump, in the U of the upper liner lip above the port side seating, until I can't get my fingers under the lip up near the V berth.

--
Moe

[Tahoe Jack]

Hi Moe....our 2001x should be set up like yours...I chose to cut an access door panel ..about 12x10 or so...as big as possible, into the face of the port jump seat base...facing the head. I then made an acrylic smoked door...SS hinges and latch etc...mounted a couple Perko switches. Our start batt is adjacent. We intalled a wm fuse holder and a 125A on #2 batt cable (wm 551887 and 593301), on reverse of access door panel, installed new primary panel..wm3733490, then routed a #10 marine wire directed up to the old panel..now a sub. Trashed all the lamp cord with any loads. Also did a new shore power, swithable common ground, #2 batt cable to forward second batt, also 1000w inverter etc....have fun. Can do personal email of pics etc. if you are interested. Jack

[craiglaforce]

Just a thought, can you route the wire up through the insie of the compression post to get to the upper liner? Not sure if there is a hollow up there though. Probably not.

[Moe]

I'd imagine the upper liner and deck are pretty close there, but I'll check it out. Thanks, Craig.

--
Moe

[jklightner]

On my 1999 26X, I put both batteries under the seat aft of the galley on the port side and added a dual battery switch also. This keeps the power runs short. My #4 main wires run under the aft berth to the engine. I also added a second breaker panel on the wall where the galley drops down to the seat. I use this one for the bilge pump, water system pump, and 12 vdc outlets. I know lots of people say don't put both batteries back there because of weight/balance, but I have it offset by a 20 gal water tank under the aft dinette seat. I like having both close together, makes it easy to hook up the trickle charger.

[Frank C]

On my 1999 26X, I put both batteries under the seat aft of the galley on the port side and added a dual battery switch also. This keeps the power runs short.
.... I know lots of people say don't put both batteries back there because of weight/balance,

Some "... say don't put both batteries back there ..." but my Mac dealer agrees with you. I asked my dealer to install the house battery forward near the ballast vent, but he convinced me otherwise. His opinion was;

• - The battery is a poor choice for remote ballast. Anchor & chain is better.
  - Besides that, major ballast is best centered in the hull, moving to the ends of the boat induces pitching.
  - Finally, he said the factory adjustment of ballast tank ~'99 makes special ballasting efforts less important.

My 2000 has both batteries under the port jump seat for your reasons, keeping the batteries together and heavy voltage runs short.

[Moe]

That's where the PO's dealer put our second battery, next the original battery, but lower, with its entire weight resting along one edge on the hull. I pulled both batteries out and cut a two battery sized piece of plywood to fit under both. The plywood is supported by the water ballast compartment under the original battery, and by two 4 X 16 boat fenders outboard of that. I also put a 5 X 19 boat fender between the outboard battery and the hull and would like to get another one in there if I can route the wiring around it.

Those 90 lbs of batteries have about 2' of average moment arm from the centerboard, and a water bladder in the deepest part under the aft dinette seat, just to starboard of the centerboard, is only going to have a about 1' average moment. Even 20 gallons of water here will need the help it gets from the 3+ gallons in the Porta-Potta on a roughly 2' arm. Can you get 20 gallons in a bladder there without the cooler liner lifting?

While I really like both batteries under the aft galley seat, I'm also concerned enough about this setup, in a swamped situation, to want extra floatation around the batteries. Water in a bladder will have essentially no opposing weight to them when swamped.

--
Moe

[jklightner]

Moe;
I built a deck up under the seat using the new plastic lumber that's available. I epoxied a 2"x2"x 2' piece to the hull so it would be level with the ballast tube and then added 3/4" x 6" pieces to straddle them. I mounted battery trays to those and strap the batteries in so they are very secure. My boat didn't have a cooler, I use my big Coleman which rides in the V berth. I made another deck under the aft dinette seat like I did for the batteries and mounted a 20 gal. rigid tank on it. Again, strapped down to keep it in place. Also down there is where I put my bilge pump. I cut the cooler liner and fitted and epoxied a plywood bottom into it so it sits above the tank. This gives me about 8" of storage for my safety equipment and such. I added replacement cooler handles to the bottom part of the cut off liner, and use that as a tote for taking stuff on and off when I go sailing. It rides in the aft berth area and is usefull for keeping all the little things in one place and organized

[Moe]

I believe Mac owners personalize their boats as much or more than Harley owners personalize their bikes! LOL! That use of synthetic wood is a good idea, but from what I've seen that King Starboard is expensive and 4200 or 5200 won't stick to it. I happened to have the plywood in the garage. Guess I need to look into the Wal-Mart cutting boards.

I know this is off-topic for this thread, but I drink a LOT of fluids, so we took a tip from Duane, and bought an "Ice Cube" to sit on the aft galley seat over the batteries. My wife found the white marine version on sale at Dick's Sporting Goods for $19.95! Fits perfectly. Just gotta tie it down.

We'll still need a cooler for food and would prefer it to be under the aft dinette seat. I tried our Igloo 50Qt "Ultra Cold" marine cooler just sitting in the seat, but, with the thick lid, it was near 1/2" higher than the cut-out without any support board under it. Our boat came without a cooler. Do I understand it correctly that the factory MacGregor cooler that fits in the tub is the Coleman 48-Quart cooler?

Finally, is there any reason that two of those Reliant collapsible water carriers wouldn't work under the cooler tub? We'd rather have the storage under the galley, and it appears I could just extend the faucet hose and put the galley water carrier next to the one for the head, along the centerboard trunk.

Thanks,
--
Moe

[jklightner]

I got mine from Home Depot, in the lumber dept. It's main use is for decks and steps. Much cheaper than that Starboard. And 4200 and 5200 grabs on real good. And it looks like teak also. I also used it to make steps for my swim ladder. Much easier on the feet than those round tubes.

[Moe]

Ah yeah... I've seen that stuff. Have to give it a look. Thanks!

[craiglaforce]

Yes, the 48 qt coleman fits the underseat container, but most of us found it to have too much heat leak and have switched to the 5 day coolers. Someone posted a mod that uses the top of the 5 day cooler as the seat, and they moved the hinge to the far side. My 5 day cooler is good for about 3 days the way I use it. I simply put mine in the port under cockpit berth, behind the battery compartment. I store other stuff under the dinette seat (2 5 gal water tanks, shop vac, and 3rd group 27 battery.

The standard coleman is little better than a simple plastic tub. Pretty much needs new ice each day, plus it tends to condense moisture on the outside. Not sure why they even make these things.

[Moe]

Thanks, Craig. You might be thinking of Duane's 50Qt or Frank C's70Qt cooler mods.

We have a 32Qt Igloo that's about as useless as it sounds the Coleman is. Our 50Qt Igloo Ultra no-kiddin' does hold ice for 5 days, sometimes longer, so maybe I ought to try it in there again.

My only concern is that I'd like to fit water jugs under the cooler and not have to move them up forward like Duane did. My wife's already complaining about the lack storage space.

--
Moe