Universal Wiring Harness Upgrade

[Noah]

Running the harness through the boat is not hard—don't let that be a sticking point. Whatever harness you go with (pre-made from Catalina Direct, making your with the appropriately colored tinned wire, or even Ken K. I believe sells one too?) will work. Just make sure you have plenty of length, in order to be able to pull out the engine panel, sit it flat in the cockpit for future access and have lots of slack to work on it. And as Alex said, if your existing old non-tinned wire if useable and not corroded under the insulation, you could maybe get by reusing it. Not as ideal but would work. Use elastic heat shrink ting connector to panel and butt connectors to engine sources. Use wire ties and secure in several places for strain relief. Catalina Direct website and our Forum website both should have a wiring diagram to follow.

[waughoo]

Ken,

I have an M35.  The photo was just to show the plug type that you were curious to see.

[mdidomenico]

AHS terminals.

Ken, please expand this.  I'm in the middle of remaking my entire engine electrical system, but i don't think i've come across "AHS" yet in everything i've read.

[waughoo]

Adhesive Heat Shrink

[KWKloeber]

Alex

I've not seen that terminal on an OEM (Kubota) starter on a Universal m35 or m35A or m35AC engine.
The photo appears that the starter could be on a B series engine (eg, 35B, etc.)
The starter is a common one so perhaps an auto starter rebuilding shop would have the matching wire terminal?

[waughoo]

Ken,

I will look into that.  It would not be exactly marine grade, but perhaps close enough.  Your solenoid solution is also appealing.

[Stu Jackson]

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So, I think the current recommendation here is to cut out those gummy bear connectors and butt splice the wires, ya? Should I go ahead and purchase a new wire harness from Catalina Direct and dig into the insane job of installing it or am I safe to keep using the current one as long as I don't find any melted insulation? I would be very thankful for any additional advice around this.


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Mark,

Welcome here, too .

Please read the rest of the Critical Upgrades topic.  There is another discussion that addresses just this question.  https://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,5078.msg44056.html#msg44056

Particularly this one:

Here's another discussion about connections for the harness and whether or not new wiring is "required."

http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,6714.0.html

[Mark Kasaboski]

Thanks for your response, Noah. I do have the wiring diagrams sitting right beside me.

Hi Stu!

Thanks a lot! I will check those links out.

Ken, is what Noah says true? You sell harnesses? Name your price, sir.

Thank again, guys.

[KWKloeber]

Hey Mark

Be cautious of wiring diagrams -- they can be incorrect and/or missing info (no fuel gauge?)  As a new owner you'll learn that pretty much everything Universal, Westerbeke, and Catalina can have incorrect documentation (not 100% incorrect, but nearly 100% has something incorrect -- typically insignificant but sometimes significant.  It's just how it is and we live with it.)

Yah, actually the last two Universal harnesses I did were for C30 mk-IIs. 
Noah is correct on the 30 - removing and pulling the new harness is one of the easier things on the boat.  You just run a messenger line and pull the new one from the cockpit to the engine. Remove the galley drawer cabinet - 6 screws - for access where it runs down from the cockpit/hull liner.

I don't keep a harness on the shelf if you're looking for an immediate pop-in.  Why - because every job differs slightly -- there's details/options to discuss before assembling.  I probably should keep a completely terminated one that's comparable to the CD garbage but I'd rather not force anyone into something (e.g., wire lengths don't exactly fit; a specific model alternator needs a different excite terminal; how the fuel pump is powered, whether installing a bus for neutrals and where; etc.)

I've also always done a new harness w/ rewiring the panel -- The harness is fit perfectly to the gauge layout and panels do differ.  I've even had to rewire a spankin new CD panel when I did the harness. 
Why? Here's notes about the garbage wiring after the owner provided a CD panel:
Removed all Catalina Direct wiring
NOTE - 3 terminals were crimped loosely.
             - Portion of panel wiring was not fused correctly per ABYC
Reworked panel circuit breaker to replace push-on terminals with ring terminals.
(no way to rework push-on terminals on oil and temp alarm, so they remain.)
Rewired panel with marine heat-shrink terminals.
Tested operation of gauges and temp and oil alarms
NOTE - bulb on one gauge was not working
            - tightened bulb contacts and seems ok after testing.


Typically a fully wired, drop-in, plug n play, harness is only 15-20% more than the CD hunk of overpriced wire (but materials have gone crazy since 2020 - I just got a notice that wire management stuff is increasing (after we had another increase Jan 1.)  I can't imagine where copper is headed.

PM me if you want to discuss.
PS I attached a BUILD LIST for a typical c30 harness job that might help if you are making one.

[KWKloeber]

Ken,

I will look into that.  It would not be exactly marine grade, but perhaps close enough.  Your solenoid solution is also appealing.

If one wants to retain the OEM solenoid w/ the QC tab the best is to do my solder-it-on option, then use any weathertight connector w/ the weathertight fuse holder. 
https://groups.io/g/Catalina30/wiki/7401#The-22S22-Wire-Terminals
But most do not want to yank the starter to do that fix.

"There's many ways to skin a CAT alina wire"

[Mark Kasaboski]

Hey Ken,

I sent you a PM. Just wanted to check and see if you received it.

Thanks.