Great how-to videos so thanks for putting these out. You commented you prefer solder vs crimp connections. My experience is driven from aircraft standards and those specify crimped connections using good quality AMP / aircraft grade terminals that crimp both the stranded tinned wire and also the insulation covering the wire. Also need to use a good quality crimp tool for this purpose. If you use low quality automotive style terminals and the simple single point crimp tool they only crimp to the wire and poorly at that and will fail if you pull on it. The correct AMP / aircraft style double crimp connector crimped with a good crimp tool will not pull out or fail. We tested them to failure and the wire will always fail first (so as strong as you can get) and the crimped connection remained intact. The crimped aircraft terminals are done that way for the strength but also for the same reason we use tinned and stranded wire, never solid wire, because of the possibility of flexing and vibration which is the same type environment on a boat as on an aircraft. A soldered connection is more prone to fail if flexed or subject to long term vibration. The added benefit of using AMP / aircraft grade crimped terminals is it is easy to do a new connection or add another terminal on the water as you don’t need power for soldering or the soldering equipment. Easier to carry a good quality crimp tool, wire stripper and extra terminals. Just a suggestion for you to consider or try yourself.
As a note, ABYC Standards do not allow solder as the sole means of connection for an electrical connector. You can crimp AND solder, but solder by itself is not permitted. So if your boat may be subject to ABVC Standards (or you want to meet typical standards) then crimping should be used or used as well. Not probably an issue based on the accent in the video, but I'm not sure of Euro/UK standards and if they differ.
@@jeffclapp7330 I believe that soldering is not recommended because it can make the wire more brittle. You want the water to be flexible. Also, he "tinned" the wire with solder, but he should have already been using tinned wire.
Hi many thanks for your detailed comments / suggestions. I agree that good quality crimping tools and the corresponding connectors make for a robust solution. In many cases though people use cheap and nasty crimp tools leading to a poor joint, which in my opinion makes soldering more reliable compared to many poorly crimped connectors. I do take on board your comments though, and thanks for making them. Kind regards, Richard
I’m working on a project 22 foot sailboat. I’ve stripped all the old wiring in it and you made it easy for me to understand how to wire the whole boat I like how you broke it down from the beginning from scratch thank you
This video series is perfect. I am sitting here watching ordering parts and wires as I go and can't wait to watch it over while installing items in my little runabout, Cheers for your work with sincere thanks from Victoria BC Canada
Excellent explanations in clear, easy to understand language! Keep these coming as your demos are very useful to people like me who are refitting a boat. Thank you!
Hi ! Just what I needed ! This is by far the best tutorial I've seen so far. Thanks for making the effort of building this small wooden house ! It clarifies everything.
Hi thanks for your kind comment, particularly with regard to the 'wooden house'. Even though this was quite a lot of additional effort, it seemed better than having a big jumble of wires on the bench. All the best, Richard
Brilliantly simple, but very well explained, thank you very much. I didn't think it was rocket science, just a bit overwhelming seeing the back of the control panels, but I did think its only one wire at a time.
Looking forward to the rest of the series! I'm relying on the first to videos on wiring my old bass boat. Incredible job, sir. Best wiring explanation on all of the internet. You deserve greatness.
Which is why they are used on automobiles and pretty much everything else. There are people who insist on soldering everything because they had a crimp they did go bad but they can never answer why a 30 year old car still has good crimps. If you are going to solder then get solder connectors v.s. using crimp ones and then add shrink wrap to provide some stress relief as well as short protection. The big issues with solder beyond the time to do it are corrosion due to the flux and cracking due to the hard spot. Modern solders also take a lot of heat and that means melted wire covering which is perhaps why silicon is being used here.
This is really useful and informative set of videos, am working my way through them. Great thing about UA-cam once a video is up it's there for anyone to find.
I have found it easier to understand once I get the concept of a circuit in my mind. A circle; starting and ending at the battery going out to the appliance on positive and back from the appliance on negative; with the various switches and fuses on the positive side. Good videos, thanks.
So glad i found you im doing a complete refit on a bristol 27 almost done with glass work and goin to start electric system soon only area i wasn't sure about
Brilliant stuff for a newbie and so calmly and clearly explained - educational talent right there! Would stay away from it myself, but in an emergency one might have to touch stuff hands on, and always good to have an awareness when discussing with professionals that I would hand things over too in any non-emergency situation....Many thanks from Sweden!
Sooo looking forward all your vlogs. You have been the most helpful to date. I bought my boat, a real fix me upper, I am absolutely loving it. Wish I could start my own vlog but hey, lets's see. Thank you for your content. Exactly what I need. Take care.
Very well explained and looking forward to Part 3. I am hoping you will deal with the challenge of multiple interior lights and running out of switches as the series progresses . Thanks again
Hi thanks for your kind comment. Thanks for your suggestion on looking into the wiring of multiple lights - I will keep this in mind for one of the videos in the series. All the best, Richard
Can you run a busbar for all your led lights back via a single wire to the switch/breaker to avoid overcrowding the switch with more and more wires as lights are added (or any other system where things are added on. Subject to load obviously).
Excellent video Richard, both parts have made what could be a confusing problem, very simple. I plan to refit my electrics this winter, so will keep a close eye on your videos.
Great video! Just the right information I needed after looking at this birds nest of wiring to be re-done on my 21ft ⛵️. Awesome "how to" learning content.
Hi Richard, brilliant series. i've just discovered your channel and will be bingeing your back catalogue every day! What a mind of information you are! Even just to remind oneself before carrying out a "job" your series is brilliant!. I have an old 1992 35ft Nimbus DC currently based down in Cornwall (legs reconditioning!) with so many jobs, my early retirement will definitely not be idly spent! And if you ever want to set up a boat series, I'm happy to work with you to make it happen! I have 2 x VP AD41's on sterndrives, so plenty of electrical stuff to work on both engine and domestic!! I dearly want to replace a switch panel on the helm station, as the bakelite switches are all perishing, and was wondering if you have contacts other than the usual large distributors that I might try finding old replacements? New may be better for waterproofing, etc, but will change the look substantially? Keep up the great videos. regards, Daniel
The amount of positive comments is testament to how great your videos are. Thank you. I have a question: why couldn’t I use the negative bus bar on the switch panel for individual negative returns? On my switch panel the negative bar is of a similar gauge to that of the positive one, making me think it should handle the current that would return through it if I connect the peripherals there directly. Also, if no peripheral negative returns go to the panel bar, then why do you need the fat return from panel to battery? It would seem you would then only need a cable to handle the current from the panel pilot lights?
Hi thanks for you comment / questions. I don't want to comment on your specific switch panel, but I if your switch panel has a good sized negative bus-bar then it would seem reasonable to make use of it. For your second question, the 'fat' negative return cable was used mainly as it came as part of a set (positive and negative) than the need for a fat wire. Kind regards, Richard
Great video. Would love a part 3. Also, would you be able to explain how one would add maybe a second/third cabin light - or possibly fans? Would you need a new switchboard?
Hi thanks for your comment, and suggestion. I will be doing something on adding more cabin lights in a later part of this series. All the best, Richard
Im an automotive technician. One tip i have for soldering those big wires- don't use an iron. Use a mini torch (butane), and head the wires with that, carefully, and fill with solder. It is much easier and quicker
Great video, very clear and well explained! I have a question though: Why does the black wire needs to be so think which goes to the switch panel? It supposed to supply the negative only for the lighting of the switch panel, which is like 6 LEDs. Or did I misunderstand?
Hi thanks for your question. Actually the negative wire happened to be part of a set purchased together, so it seemed a shame to waste it. Other than that no reason at all, and a lighter gauge wire would have been absolutely fine - well spotted. Kind regards, Richard
I try to crimp the connector first, then solder it, then slide a piece of heatshrink tubing with the glue inside it. It's a bit of an overkill but ya hope to only have to do it just once lol.
Brilliant explanation! Thank you. Could you also explain how the alternator from the engine connects to this system to charge the battery? Thanks again.
This is great! Looking forward to the next episode. Question, I'm using fuse blocks instead of bus bars / fuse boxes - my boat has two cabins with the engine in between. Would you recommend having one fuse block per cabin (running a big, but only single wire through my engine bay rated for the fuse block. Or would you run individual wires to the seperate cabin and keep things centralised?
Hi thanks for your question. I think it would be no problem to have individual fuse blocks in each cabin if that makes sense for your wire runs. The only thing I would add is to keep things obvious and clear for yourself, but more importantly for the next owner of your boat. I guess from that point of view people might expect one fuse block, so I would suggest finding a way of making it clear and easy to find that there are two fuse blocks if you decide to go that way. All the best, Richard
Great video which explain boat wiring in an easy understandable way, but sorry that I have to be the grumpy old man, but a fuse between the positive side of the battery and the master switch is mandatory, to be in compliance with the safety standards for boats, booth in EU and for USA. Imagine what will happen if a shortage happens between the positive side to the negative side somewhere between the battery and the switch board. Worst case scenario is a fire onboard, overheating of the battery, which might cause the battery to explode. So please add a main fuse. How to dimension the fuse? Calculate the total possible load and add 25%.
What are your thoughts on putting a bus bar closer to the switch panel? also Using a fuse block and using 1 wire with 2 wires in it for Pos and Neg? Thanks for the series I'm finally getting less intimidated and looking forward to cleaning up the rat's nest situation I have under my center console boat.
Please, sir, make a note in the video about soldering vs. crimping the “crimp terminals” used in the demonstration. Crimping is superior to soldering in marine environments. The pull test comparing a soldered connection and a crimped one you mention in some comments ignores the fact that the solder is brittle and is prone to fatigue failure in the long run. A crimped connection will not suffer from fatigue. This advice assumes that both the soldering and crimping are done properly. But also please keep in mind that soldering is a skill that needs to be practiced. Given an inexperienced audience in both, it’s easier to make a bad soldered connection (even with the best soldering stations, which are expensive) than to make a bad crimped connection (requires less skill and good crimping tools are cheaper than before these days). Kind regards.
Hi thanks for your comment. As for passing an electrical inspection, well I think the best approach is to check that all is safe and sound as far as you can tell. Then when the inspection comes, if there are things that need sorting out then that is all to the good, as you will have had an expert come and check your boat and any feedback from the inspector will no-doubt be for your own safety. Best of luck, Richard
great video, so am I right in concluding that by runnung the negative wires through a bus bar that the electrical curcuit is now grounded ? Even though its not earthed ?
Neat video. One thing i dont think you explained is why you use solder on what is essentially a terminal which is forced on the the wire i have never seen solder on boats . I understand that it is not used to join things due to vibration
Hi thanks for your question. In my experience solder has never let me down, but crimps sometimes have. I am aware that some people prefer to rely on a crimp. Kind regards, Richard
New subscriber and apologies as my wife runs and hides when I put batteries in a flash light! Great videos, but do t understand all the soldering? Thanks!
Great how-to videos so thanks for putting these out. You commented you prefer solder vs crimp connections. My experience is driven from aircraft standards and those specify crimped connections using good quality AMP / aircraft grade terminals that crimp both the stranded tinned wire and also the insulation covering the wire. Also need to use a good quality crimp tool for this purpose. If you use low quality automotive style terminals and the simple single point crimp tool they only crimp to the wire and poorly at that and will fail if you pull on it. The correct AMP / aircraft style double crimp connector crimped with a good crimp tool will not pull out or fail. We tested them to failure and the wire will always fail first (so as strong as you can get) and the crimped connection remained intact. The crimped aircraft terminals are done that way for the strength but also for the same reason we use tinned and stranded wire, never solid wire, because of the possibility of flexing and vibration which is the same type environment on a boat as on an aircraft. A soldered connection is more prone to fail if flexed or subject to long term vibration. The added benefit of using AMP / aircraft grade crimped terminals is it is easy to do a new connection or add another terminal on the water as you don’t need power for soldering or the soldering equipment. Easier to carry a good quality crimp tool, wire stripper and extra terminals. Just a suggestion for you to consider or try yourself.
As a note, ABYC Standards do not allow solder as the sole means of connection for an electrical connector. You can crimp AND solder, but solder by itself is not permitted. So if your boat may be subject to ABVC Standards (or you want to meet typical standards) then crimping should be used or used as well. Not probably an issue based on the accent in the video, but I'm not sure of Euro/UK standards and if they differ.
@@jeffclapp7330 I believe that soldering is not recommended because it can make the wire more brittle. You want the water to be flexible. Also, he "tinned" the wire with solder, but he should have already been using tinned wire.
Hi many thanks for your detailed comments / suggestions. I agree that good quality crimping tools and the corresponding connectors make for a robust solution. In many cases though people use cheap and nasty crimp tools leading to a poor joint, which in my opinion makes soldering more reliable compared to many poorly crimped connectors. I do take on board your comments though, and thanks for making them.
Kind regards,
Richard
I’m working on a project 22 foot sailboat. I’ve stripped all the old wiring in it and you made it easy for me to understand how to wire the whole boat I like how you broke it down from the beginning from scratch thank you
Excellent Video, great to come back to this for a check up before tackling my rewiring job
This video series is perfect. I am sitting here watching ordering parts and wires as I go and can't wait to watch it over while installing items in my little runabout, Cheers for your work with sincere thanks from Victoria BC Canada
Hi many thanks for your kind comment.
Kind regards,
Richard
Excellent explanations in clear, easy to understand language! Keep these coming as your demos are very useful to people like me who are refitting a boat. Thank you!
Hi ! Just what I needed ! This is by far the best tutorial I've seen so far. Thanks for making the effort of building this small wooden house ! It clarifies everything.
Hi thanks for your kind comment, particularly with regard to the 'wooden house'. Even though this was quite a lot of additional effort, it seemed better than having a big jumble of wires on the bench.
All the best,
Richard
Brilliantly simple, but very well explained, thank you very much. I didn't think it was rocket science, just a bit overwhelming seeing the back of the control panels, but I did think its only one wire at a time.
Hi thanks for your comment. Yes they do look a bit overwhelming at first glance, glad to have simplified things a bit for you.
Richard
@@BoatFittings
Thanks Richard, you certainly have, most things can look very complicated at first, like what are those rope for!?
Looking forward to the rest of the series! I'm relying on the first to videos on wiring my old bass boat. Incredible job, sir. Best wiring explanation on all of the internet. You deserve greatness.
Well thank you very much indeed for you kind comments. I must get on with the next one very soon!
@@BoatFittings soon indeed! Please. 🙂
Wow!! This guy is true professor!! He explained in great detail yet made it very simple for us non electrical people.. thank you so much!!!
Hi thanks very much for your kind comment
Best instructor and best tutorials. Into the point without any complications
Hi many thanks for your kind comment.
Kind regards,
Richard
crimps are normally preferred in harsh environments, great aid for the diyer
Which is why they are used on automobiles and pretty much everything else. There are people who insist on soldering everything because they had a crimp they did go bad but they can never answer why a 30 year old car still has good crimps. If you are going to solder then get solder connectors v.s. using crimp ones and then add shrink wrap to provide some stress relief as well as short protection. The big issues with solder beyond the time to do it are corrosion due to the flux and cracking due to the hard spot. Modern solders also take a lot of heat and that means melted wire covering which is perhaps why silicon is being used here.
Sir, your videos helped me so much in rewriting my boat. Thank you for the breakdowns of everything you made electrical simply.
Hi - thanks very much for your kind comment, I am very pleased that you find these useful
wiring had never been easier! Thank You!
Very impressive demo. You even took the time to build it to scale and paint it :)
Very useful video as I have to go through the wiring on my boat and had no clue...
Thank you
This is really useful and informative set of videos, am working my way through them. Great thing about UA-cam once a video is up it's there for anyone to find.
What did I miss ? Where’s the fuse box 🤔
I appreciate your video. I have to wire up a Carl Alberg Sea Sprite. I have always been afraid of wiring but after watching you. I got this !
Excellent videos! Just bought a boat that needs a bit of work. This will help me a lot!
You explain this so well and simply, even i can understand it. 👍
Definitely the cleanest and most precise boat wiring installation instruction video I’ve ever seen! Subscribed.
Many thanks - I must try and get the next video done soon, thanks for subscribing!
Thanks so much for pt1. Really made it easy as does this pt2.
Glad to hear that these are helpful.
All the best,
Richard
I have found it easier to understand once I get the concept of a circuit in my mind. A circle; starting and ending at the battery going out to the appliance on positive and back from the appliance on negative; with the various switches and fuses on the positive side.
Good videos, thanks.
So glad i found you im doing a complete refit on a bristol 27 almost done with glass work and goin to start electric system soon only area i wasn't sure about
Hi thank for your comment, I hope your re-fit on the bristol 27 goes well.
Kind regards,
Richard
This is an excellent series of videos. You explain everything so well, it is a joy to behold. Truly!!
Really good job. Clear, concise, and to the point.
Much appreciated!
Just what I need right now I’ll go find part one first thank you ❤
Hi thanks for your kind comment - hope these are useful for you.
Kind regards,
Richard
Danke für die großartigen Videos
Great video. I have just pulled out all old wiring. Perfect timing for me these videos. I’m looking forward to part 3
Hi Chris, thanks for your feedback. It is great to hear that you are finding these useful.
Brilliant stuff for a newbie and so calmly and clearly explained - educational talent right there! Would stay away from it myself, but in an emergency one might have to touch stuff hands on, and always good to have an awareness when discussing with professionals that I would hand things over too in any non-emergency situation....Many thanks from Sweden!
Very nice. Remarkable workmanship too!
Thank you for your time and your series of videos
Sooo looking forward all your vlogs. You have been the most helpful to date. I bought my boat, a real fix me upper, I am absolutely loving it. Wish I could start my own vlog but hey, lets's see. Thank you for your content. Exactly what I need. Take care.
Hi that's really kind - thanks for your comment. Good luck with the boat.
All the best,
Richard
VERY useful! Wonderfully explained and edited. THANK YOU VERY MUCH! This will help me rewire my old COMPAC 16
Hi Javier, many thanks for your kind comment!
I would use the brother label maker pt-e500vp.
It can print on heat shrink.
Love it. And it was surprisingly affordable.
Very well explained and looking forward to Part 3. I am hoping you will deal with the challenge of multiple interior lights and running out of switches as the series progresses . Thanks again
Hi thanks for your kind comment. Thanks for your suggestion on looking into the wiring of multiple lights - I will keep this in mind for one of the videos in the series.
All the best,
Richard
Can you run a busbar for all your led lights back via a single wire to the switch/breaker to avoid overcrowding the switch with more and more wires as lights are added (or any other system where things are added on. Subject to load obviously).
Great videos by the way
@@BoatFittings looking forward to seeing this. ☺
Great video for a person like me! Thanks a lot of taking the time to create it.
Glad it was helpful!
Absolutely great video and explanation.
Thanks Martin kemp! Very helpful!
Thanks - I'll take that comparison any day!
Richard
Excellent video Richard, both parts have made what could be a confusing problem, very simple. I plan to refit my electrics this winter, so will keep a close eye on your videos.
Hi Many thanks for your comment, happy that our videos are helping.
Great video! Just the right information I needed after looking at this birds nest of wiring to be re-done on my 21ft ⛵️. Awesome "how to" learning content.
Hi thanks very much for your kind comment.
Thanks for this great video. All I need now is to find a boat and apply it ;-)
Thanks mate, your effort is really appreciated.
Many thanks for your kind comment.
Richard
Great demonstration and I really like the model you made. Thank you, sir!
Hi many thanks for your kind comment :)
Awesome videos. Could you do a part 3 where you go on a boat that has a popular setup and show us these components where they would usually be?
For us non boat owners
Hi thanks for your suggestion. I will keep that in mind if the opportunity comes up.
Kind regards,
Richard
Very nice, I'm a rookie at electronics and I understood very well I'm waiting for the part 3!! 👍🏻
Hi thanks for your comment - I will try to get Part 3 out shortly.
It's electrics, not electronics.
Thank you very much again. Very very useful. Congratulations. Alex from Brasil.
Hi many thanks for your kind comment.
Kind regards,
Richard
Excellent tutorial!
Wow, now all I need is a boat.
Better go and get one then :)
Hi Richard, brilliant series. i've just discovered your channel and will be bingeing your back catalogue every day! What a mind of information you are! Even just to remind oneself before carrying out a "job" your series is brilliant!. I have an old 1992 35ft Nimbus DC currently based down in Cornwall (legs reconditioning!) with so many jobs, my early retirement will definitely not be idly spent! And if you ever want to set up a boat series, I'm happy to work with you to make it happen! I have 2 x VP AD41's on sterndrives, so plenty of electrical stuff to work on both engine and domestic!!
I dearly want to replace a switch panel on the helm station, as the bakelite switches are all perishing, and was wondering if you have contacts other than the usual large distributors that I might try finding old replacements? New may be better for waterproofing, etc, but will change the look substantially?
Keep up the great videos. regards, Daniel
Of all the boat wiring videos i have watched i now understand the wiring circuit set-up. Thanks
Perfect video step by step
The amount of positive comments is testament to how great your videos are. Thank you. I have a question: why couldn’t I use the negative bus bar on the switch panel for individual negative returns? On my switch panel the negative bar is of a similar gauge to that of the positive one, making me think it should handle the current that would return through it if I connect the peripherals there directly. Also, if no peripheral negative returns go to the panel bar, then why do you need the fat return from panel to battery? It would seem you would then only need a cable to handle the current from the panel pilot lights?
Hi thanks for you comment / questions. I don't want to comment on your specific switch panel, but I if your switch panel has a good sized negative bus-bar then it would seem reasonable to make use of it. For your second question, the 'fat' negative return cable was used mainly as it came as part of a set (positive and negative) than the need for a fat wire.
Kind regards,
Richard
Excellent video tutorial, helpful, step by step…
Hi many thanks for your kind comment.
Kind regards,
Richard
thanks mate you've saved me a fortune
Hi thanks for your comment - glad to help!
Richard
You explain it very well. Thanks.
You are welcome!
Great video. Would love a part 3.
Also, would you be able to explain how one would add maybe a second/third cabin light - or possibly fans? Would you need a new switchboard?
Hi thanks for your comment, and suggestion. I will be doing something on adding more cabin lights in a later part of this series.
All the best,
Richard
Thank you very much, sir! Superb lesson!
Glad you liked it!
Excellent tutorial, keep them coming. Thank you!
Thanks, will do!
Well done!
Hi thanks - glad you like it
Thank you! Great vid, easy to follow and really well explained.
Glad you enjoyed it! Next one coming soon
Great videos! I realy like the way you explain everything :) Thank you!
Hi thanks for your kind comment.
All the best,
Richard
Thank you for this instruction.
You are welcome!
Exactly what I needed. Thank you!
Glad it helped!
By the by, please do not stop posting.
Hi thanks for you comment. I am planning out part 4 now, so hopefully not too long away.
Kind regards,
Richard
Your videos are helping me understand the system thank you . Is the buzz bar the same as ideal as hooking up a fuse bar . Thanks.
Excellent video again. Cheers.
Hi Denis, thanks very much for your comment.
Good job. Great knowledge.
Thank you so much! I needed this exactly
Hi thanks for your comment - glad you found it useful!
Just my opinion, but I’d crimp the electrical connections. Solder only belongs on printed circuit boards. Love your videos!
Very nice your a kind soul great video
Hi thanks - glad you liked the video.
Richard
Beautiful worksmanship, masterfully presented. Thank you so much, very useful with my boat project!
Nice, Thanks!
Glad you liked it
Im an automotive technician. One tip i have for soldering those big wires- don't use an iron. Use a mini torch (butane), and head the wires with that, carefully, and fill with solder. It is much easier and quicker
Great video! Thanks a lot for making this.
Hi thanks for your comment - glad you liked it!
Good info.
Another great video. Job well done.
Hi - thanks for your kind comment!
awesome - love your work ❤
Great video, very clear and well explained! I have a question though: Why does the black wire needs to be so think which goes to the switch panel? It supposed to supply the negative only for the lighting of the switch panel, which is like 6 LEDs. Or did I misunderstand?
Hi thanks for your question. Actually the negative wire happened to be part of a set purchased together, so it seemed a shame to waste it. Other than that no reason at all, and a lighter gauge wire would have been absolutely fine - well spotted.
Kind regards,
Richard
great fun. thank you
I try to crimp the connector first, then solder it, then slide a piece of heatshrink tubing with the glue inside it. It's a bit of an overkill but ya hope to only have to do it just once lol.
very educating. Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Have you ever tried using a propane torch at its lowest setting? Works great.
Hi thanks for your comment - I do like the little micro-torches for this kind of stuff.
Kind regards,
Richard
Brilliant explanation! Thank you. Could you also explain how the alternator from the engine connects to this system to charge the battery? Thanks again.
Thanks for your question. I may do a battery / charging related video in the future.
Kind regards,
Richard
This is great! Looking forward to the next episode.
Question, I'm using fuse blocks instead of bus bars / fuse boxes - my boat has two cabins with the engine in between. Would you recommend having one fuse block per cabin (running a big, but only single wire through my engine bay rated for the fuse block. Or would you run individual wires to the seperate cabin and keep things centralised?
Hi thanks for your question. I think it would be no problem to have individual fuse blocks in each cabin if that makes sense for your wire runs. The only thing I would add is to keep things obvious and clear for yourself, but more importantly for the next owner of your boat. I guess from that point of view people might expect one fuse block, so I would suggest finding a way of making it clear and easy to find that there are two fuse blocks if you decide to go that way.
All the best,
Richard
Great thank you. So useful.
Hi thanks for your comment - glad you found it useful.
All the best,
Richard
Thank you.
Great video which explain boat wiring in an easy understandable way, but sorry that I have to be the grumpy old man, but a fuse between the positive side of the battery and the master switch is mandatory, to be in compliance with the safety standards for boats, booth in EU and for USA. Imagine what will happen if a shortage happens between the positive side to the negative side somewhere between the battery and the switch board. Worst case scenario is a fire onboard, overheating of the battery, which might cause the battery to explode. So please add a main fuse. How to dimension the fuse? Calculate the total possible load and add 25%.
Hi thanks for your informative comment. I take this on-board, and will make some future video incorporating this information.
All the best,
Richard
What are your thoughts on putting a bus bar closer to the switch panel? also Using a fuse block and using 1 wire with 2 wires in it for Pos and Neg? Thanks for the series I'm finally getting less intimidated and looking forward to cleaning up the rat's nest situation I have under my center console boat.
Great video! I have two led strips. How do i wire them so that they both turn on with one switch?
Please, sir, make a note in the video about soldering vs. crimping the “crimp terminals” used in the demonstration. Crimping is superior to soldering in marine environments. The pull test comparing a soldered connection and a crimped one you mention in some comments ignores the fact that the solder is brittle and is prone to fatigue failure in the long run. A crimped connection will not suffer from fatigue. This advice assumes that both the soldering and crimping are done properly. But also please keep in mind that soldering is a skill that needs to be practiced. Given an inexperienced audience in both, it’s easier to make a bad soldered connection (even with the best soldering stations, which are expensive) than to make a bad crimped connection (requires less skill and good crimping tools are cheaper than before these days). Kind regards.
A god send Thankyou heaps
Nice education video...can you do one about passing a electrical inspection on a boat please
Hi thanks for your comment. As for passing an electrical inspection, well I think the best approach is to check that all is safe and sound as far as you can tell. Then when the inspection comes, if there are things that need sorting out then that is all to the good, as you will have had an expert come and check your boat and any feedback from the inspector will no-doubt be for your own safety.
Best of luck,
Richard
Excellent videos! Happy new subscriber 👍
Hi thanks for your kind comment, all the best,
Richard
This is great, thank you
You're very welcome!
great video, so am I right in concluding that by runnung the negative wires through a bus bar that the electrical curcuit is now grounded ? Even though its not earthed ?
This is the reason i pay for internet. Thank you !!!!!!!!!!
Ah thanks very much, you are very kind.
All the best,
Richard
Excellent
great tutorial.
Hi glad you liked it.
Kind regards,
Richard
Neat video. One thing i dont think you explained is why you use solder on what is essentially a terminal which is forced on the the wire i have never seen solder on boats . I understand that it is not used to join things due to vibration
Hi thanks for your question. In my experience solder has never let me down, but crimps sometimes have. I am aware that some people prefer to rely on a crimp.
Kind regards,
Richard
New subscriber and apologies as my wife runs and hides when I put batteries in a flash light! Great videos, but do t understand all the soldering? Thanks!