[alberg30] main wiring harness

Fri Feb 18 08:31:14 PST 2000

From: blancs at us.net

I hate adding hearsay, but I have heard it said that instrument panels (especially in gasoline-engine powered boats) should be metal... and grounded.

Kevin Blanc
#254, Terrapin

On Fri, 18 February 2000, "alberg30" wrote:

> 
> <html><body>
> <tt>From:</tt> <tt>
> "alberg30" <alberg30 at interactive.net></tt>
> <br><br>
> <tt>
> Bob and Russ:<BR>
> <BR>
> Thanks for comments on the cockpit instrument panel. Your notes are helpful.<BR>
> Bob, you mentioned that you rewired the panel; did you use a harness or did<BR>
> make up the wires by yourself? On the back of the panel, did you install a<BR>
> protective cover? What was it made of? I was thinking of fabricating one out<BR>
> of light fiberglass, but maybe its not necessary.<BR>
> <BR>
> I like the idea of painted Lexan, or even refinishing the panel as is. I<BR>
> already have enough wood to take care of in various parts of the boat. My<BR>
> main concern is to waterproof the panel slightly (Have you tried a gasket of<BR>
> some sort?--or just caulking?), protect the throttle knob, and of course<BR>
> spruce it up.  My reasoning, I'm going to be painting the deck and all my<BR>
> wood is beautiful, may as well finish out the cockpit.<BR>
> <BR>
> If no one has found a suitable wiring harness, I think I'll run my own<BR>
> wires, through a pvc conduit attached under the cockpit near the gas tank<BR>
> down in the vicinity a bus bar that liaisons with my main elect panel and<BR>
> engine. Did you guys use tined wire for rewiring? I have previously used<BR>
> stranded copper in some applications and not noticed any problems. But maybe<BR>
> thats a time thing.--Just a matter of time.<BR>
> <BR>
> Also  for Russ, my volt meter is also burned out. Do you recall the make and<BR>
> model you used to replace yours?<BR>
> <BR>
> Thanks for your comments:<BR>
> <BR>
> Joe #499<BR>
> "One Less Traveled"<BR>
> ----- Original Message -----<BR>
> From: Bob Johns <bobjns at nais.com><BR>
> To: <alberg30 at onelist.com><BR>
> Sent: Thursday, February 17, 2000 9:15 AM<BR>
> Subject: Re: [alberg30] main wiring harness<BR>
> <BR>
> <BR>
> > From: Bob Johns <bobjns at nais.com><BR>
> ><BR>
> ><BR>
> > >Also, how about replacing the instrument panel with  a wood panel? My<BR>
> > >panel in the cockpit is made of metal, of some sort, and  certainly<BR>
> > >doesn't seal water tight, nor look well. It looks like its been beat to<BR>
> > >hell. Options for replacing this?   Thanks in advance:   Joe #499 "One<BR>
> > >Less Traveled"<BR>
> ><BR>
> > Joe,<BR>
> ><BR>
> > I did a complete rewiring job on Wind Call #397 five years ago. The<BR>
> cockpit<BR>
> > instrument panel was replaced with a lexan panel. I spray painted the new<BR>
> > panel on the backside with a flat black paint. The result is a painted<BR>
> > panel that looks glossy (in spite of using the flat paint) but since the<BR>
> > paint is inside it doesn't get scratched and it is protected from the<BR>
> > weather. Much better than wood IMHO.<BR>
> ><BR>
> > I got rid of the old mechanical instruments and went electrical on<BR>
> > everything. I added an expanded scale voltmeter and fuel gauge. I retained<BR>
> > the separate starter switch even though the new ignition switch has a<BR>
> > starter circuit (turn the key past the ignition 'on' position to crank the<BR>
> > engine). The reason I didn't use the starter circuit in the  ignition<BR>
> > circuit is that I have heard of cases where the key switch stuck in the<BR>
> > 'start' position and the starter did not disengage with the result that<BR>
> the<BR>
> > starter burned out.<BR>
> ><BR>
> > The panel  has a large tachometer in the middle of the panel and is<BR>
> > surrounded by the Temperature, oil pressure, fuel gauges and expanded<BR>
> scale<BR>
> > voltmeter. The fit was tight with the instruments just about touching each<BR>
> > other, and I had  to trim the fiberglass where the panel mounts just a<BR>
> > little.<BR>
> ><BR>
> > The running  light switch on Wind Call has two 'on' positions. The first<BR>
> > position turns on the just the running lights but not the steaming light<BR>
> or<BR>
> > the instrument panel lights. The second position turns on all of them. I<BR>
> > assume that your switch is connected the same way, but if not, I would<BR>
> > suggest that you wire the new one this way.<BR>
> ><BR>
> > I rewired the whole boat, added a 100 amp alternator, new main electrical<BR>
> > panel and an ampere-hour meter, which can read voltage to 0.01 volts and<BR>
> > current to 0.1 amperes. The lighting wiring carries separate returns for<BR>
> > each lamp. ((Nothing dims when you turn on extra lights!)<BR>
> ><BR>
> > If I can give  you any more information, let me know.<BR>
> ><BR>
> > Regards,<BR>
> > Bob Johns, Wind Call #397<BR>
> ><BR>
> ><BR>
> ><BR>
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