Engine wiring Harness

[JoyRide2.0]

Okay...
First off, I understand the critical need to replace the harness. I get it and it needs to be done on my boat. Gonna do it on my boat, but where in creation can you get the dang thing? Catalina Direct claims they can't get it because of supply chain issues. (Really??? I thought we were past that crap these days.) They've yet to return my call. Neither has the part dept. at Catalina. And is Seaward even in business anymore? I sure can't find them on the web (perhaps that is the supply chain issue). So, is it even available? I was also wanting to replace the entire panel. Any suggestions? Thanks!

Kirk

[Noah]

It is just tinned marine wire in various gauges. You could make it yourself. Skip the terminal strip and direct wire it. The wiring schematic/diagram is online either here on our site and on Catalina Direct's website. If you can't find all of the colors in the correct gauge wire size, use different color but make sure you do a cross check wiring diagram showing what you did. I do believe Catalina Direct sells replacement instrument panels and/or the components (faceplates and instruments separately). Seaward is long out of business. As another option, Ken Koebler, a C34 member here also used to sell harnesses. Perhaps try contacting him.

[Jon W]

A guy named Dennis Igarashi used to work for Seward. When they closed, he continued selling the harness upgrade kits.

My information is from 2015, he may have retired by now. His phone number was 1-626-374-6422. His email address was digarashi@earthlink.net

I bought it, and returned it. Not worth the money. Take the time and make your own. Direct wire from the panel to the engine, use tinned stranded wire, quality heat shrink terminals, and a good crimper. You won't be sorry.

[JoyRide2.0]

Thanks Jon W and Noah. I had a feeling I would have to go down that path.

Kirk
JoyRide
1990 #1173

[Noah]

Here is jut ONE  source for wire. https://tinnedmarinewire.com/
I have NOT used them but they look like they might have what you need. They have a large color selection, including some with striped insulation. All sold by the foot with a 25ft. minimum per color. That's a bit long however, the extra length harness would actually help with the ability to easily remove the instrument panel and lay it in the cockpit.

[JoyRide2.0]

Here is jut ONE  source for wire. https://tinnedmarinewire.com/
I have NOT used them but they look like they might have what you need. They have a large color selection, including some with striped insulation. All sold by the foot with a 25ft. minimum per color. That's a bit long however, the extra length harness would actually help with the ability to easily remove the instrument panel and lay it in the cockpit.

DROP THE MIKE!

Kirk

[Ron Hill]

Kirk : Take Noah's advice and skip the terminal blocks and just wire each one together. I'd solder each connection and slide a sleeve of heat shrink over the connection to protect it.

A Long story, but I had to remove the engine (M25XP) from my C34 twice and each time I just disconnected the wires at the engine. I didn't touch the wiring harness!!!

The wiring harness was made to facilitate the Catalina Production Line and you don't need it!!!  Just hard wire each together - it is the connectors that are BAD not the wires!!

A few thoughts

[JoyRide2.0]

Kirk : Take Noah's advice and skip the terminal blocks and just wire each one together. I'd solder each connection and slide a sleeve of heat shrink over the connection to protect it.

A Long story, but I had to remove the engine (M25XP) from my C34 twice and each time I just disconnected the wires at the engine. The wiring harness was made to facilitate the Catalina Production Line and you don't need it!!!

A few thoughts

I like it!

Kirk

[Noah]

Soldering is where Ron and I differ. I recommend crimp and heat shrink or solder + crimp+ heat shrink. ABYC agrees and doesn't "approve" of solder alone without also crimping, as a way to securely attach wires or terminals.

[KWKloeber]

Kirk

If you are comfortable manufacturing a harness from scratch, when that time comes I can provide a list of everything you need and some sources.  You HAVE TO be very careful about materials.  I have done like a dozen harnesses for Universals (C-30s, C-34) and Westerbekes (CS-36s) and refurbed a few panels and have gone through a handful of brands and sources for terminals and they are NOT all the same quality.  I use only the best for a customer's harness, and some that you may think are among the best, are the not-so-good ones.  Ancor is an example  -- they are thinner and the crimp barrels are significantly shorter.  Basically, they are inferior to FTZ brand (the ones I use.)  However one has to be careful about FTZ as well.  I don't like using its newer, "better" line (Clear Seal) ring and other terminals -- I like the older (Crimp n Seal) line.  But, I like the Clear Seal butt crimps.

Here's one of my rants about high and low-quality terminals (with pictures!!)
https://groups.io/g/Catalina30/message/112132

The vast majority of the cost is the time to properly build a harness and the difference in terminal and wire costs are irrelevant so invest in the good stuff.

Let's talk symantics here for a bit.
CD does not and has never sold an engine "harness."  CD sold a hunk of expensive wire to be terminal-stripped between Universal's inferior engine-side harness and the inferior Seaward panel-side wiring.  Neither one was "marine grade" so CD's fooling owners into believing that its "harness" was in any way a proper fix to the problem is criminal.  Further, CD's "fix" is to use its expensive hunk of (soldered end) wire with "European" terminal strips.  That is NOT an approved method, but (IMO and IME) CD has never much cared about codes and what is and isn't proper when it comes to the harness.  Selling just the terminal strips to replace the Gummy Bear plugs, the instruction is to take a length of scrap wire, wrap it around the harness, and hang it from somewhere to support the wiring.   Again, NOT approved (and is dangerous.)

I prefer and use Ancor wire over Pacer and other brands.  They all meet the spec but I'm a bit biased toward Ancor because to me I find the jacket just seems to have a better hand.  It's probably just my imagination.   

Soldering rather than crimping?  NOT -- you MUST crimp - soldering is optional, but IMO not a good idea on heat shrink terminals.  Ok for non-insulated lugs and sta-kon (auto, non-heat-shrink) terminals (but why use them anyway?)   To solder terminals properly it takes a careful technique to prevent work-hardening of the conductors that is not (IMO) worth the downside.

Seward had not marketed a replacement harness -- only the very poor "fix" to remove the gummy bear plugs, replacing them with a European terminal strip.


-kk

[waughoo]

I've got a lot of Pacer wire on my boat.  I have been quite happy with the customizable orders.  When rewiring the mast, I had the build me custom stranded bundles... one with proper conductor count to get to the top of the mast and a second with proper count for the foredeck/steaming light.  I also like that the wire sheath is round.  Not sure it matters really for this thread topic but wanted to pass along my experience with Pacer.

[KWKloeber]

Ron, what kind of terminals do you solder?  Non adhesive-heat-shrink?

Soldering can be done many ways but the proper technique is to not harden (flow solder between) the wire strands outside the crimp barrel of the terminal.  How do you do that?

[Stu Jackson]

Okay...
First off, I understand the critical need to replace the harness. I get it and it needs to be done on my boat. Gonna do it on my boat, but where in creation can you get the dang thing? Catalina Direct claims they can't get it because of supply chain issues. (Really??? I thought we were past that crap these days.) They've yet to return my call. Neither has the part dept. at Catalina. And is Seaward even in business anymore? I sure can't find them on the web (perhaps that is the supply chain issue). So, is it even available? I was also wanting to replace the entire panel. Any suggestions? Thanks!

Kirk

Kirk,

As you know, the Critical Upgrades topic has many posts about the harness.  One you may have read, Reply #32 on page 3 includes this:

1. The "Euro" terminal strip provided by Seaward when you buy the harness. The harness is the wiring itself. The strips are there to replace the stupid trailer connectors. You can replace the connectors WITHOUT replacing the wiring itself (the "harness"). Many have done so.

The point being that in many, if not most, cases, the wires are just fine, it is the trailer connectors at both ends that must be replaced.

Since you are into this subject, consider doing the connectors now and dealing with the wires when you can get them.  And maybe once you do the connectors you'll find the wires are just fine.  Mine are and I have a 1986 boat.

Good luck.

[Ron Hill]

Kirk : Stu is correct.  Save yourself some work and $$ because the wire may not be marine grade wires, but it works!! That's what I did with mine!!

A thought

[KWKloeber]

the stupid trailer connectors. You can replace the connectors WITHOUT replacing the wiring itself (the "harness"). Many have done so.[/i]

The point being that in many, if not most, cases, the wires are just fine, it is the trailer connectors at both ends that must be replaced.

Since you are into this subject, consider doing the connectors now and dealing with the wires when you can get them.  And maybe once you do the connectors you'll find the wires are just fine.  Mine are and I have a 1986 boat.

And it's equally important to clip back the wiring at each engine and panel terminal and replace the crappy auto terminals with marine-grade adhesive heat shrink terminals (if there is enough length in the harnesses to do that.)
https://marinehowto.com/universal-diesel-engine-wiring-harness-upgrade/
https://groups.io/g/Catalina30/wiki/11336#Quick-Incremental-ModsC2A028some-quicker-than-others29-that-can-Improve-the-Electrical2FStarting2FCharging-System