Rewiring cabin lights?

[pjcomeau]

I'm in the process of upgrading many of the electrical components. New 2 AWG for everything connected to the battery, new "Add a battery" solution from Blue Sea (always on switch that keeps start and house separate and an ACR for combining two battery banks to one charging source/some argue against this, but seems best for my use), new AC and DC panels from Blue Sea.

I plan on slowly upgrade some of the wiring that leads to the panel. One of the problems I'm trying to solve is the wiring of the cabin lights. Currently it looks like one pos and one neg run all the way around up to the last light in the aft cabin and a splice into these wires for every light and therefore keeping everything parallel without having a complete run of wires back to the panel.

When people rewire the cabin lights do they do the same (but larger wire, since one used is too small in my opinion). What do they use for splicing (same inline crimp - by 3m i think)? Or are people recommending bringing all the wires back to the panel (that's alot of wiring)?

Thanks,

Pierre

[Roc]

Pierre
I had to change a bad fixture once, and I noticed that's how the factory wired the lights.  Looks like one long wire with a splice (or branch) going to each light.  That seems to make sense based on what I see on the panel breaker.

[Stu Jackson]

Actually somewhere in between.  If I was doing it for my boat, I'd do a starboard side and port side re-wiring.  I'd run up and down the port side but go across the middle and split fore and aft on starboard.  I doubt I'd add another breaker.  It's a good compromise and individual wire runs for each fixture is overkill.  Joining wires?  Butt connectors, crimped and wrapped, your choice to solder or not.  My boat's been working for 23 years with the factory "stuff."  Anything I've done has been an improvement. 

[pjcomeau]

Stu,

But splices are designed to join two pieces of same size or close (16/14 blue 12/10 yellow). But in this case we want one on one side and two on the other (one to light and the other to next splice or last light). That's why they used those pushed down splices which allowed one to continue to next point while attaching another wire (forming a splice).

These 3m splices don't show up in marine supplies so I assume they are not weather proof. That's why I was looking at alternatives for three way splice.

[Ken Juul]

If I were going to go to the trouble to rewire the lights, it is a job I would not want to do twice.  I would solder all connections and shrink wrap.  Then you know the connectiona are good.  Any problems in the future will either be in the fixtures or your pet boat mouse has chewn through a wire.

[Stu Jackson]

These 3m splices don't show up in marine supplies so I assume they are not weather proof. That's why I was looking at alternatives for three way splice.

Butt connectors, not those splice things, are made to match bigger wire with smaller wire.  They're called step-down butt connectors, made by Ancor, as I recall.  Available at West Marine.

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=35795&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&storeId=11151&storeNum=10109&subdeptNum=10611&classNum=10613


But if you use Ken's superior method, it's not an issue.

[Ron Hill]

Pierre : I did that job a few years back by cutting out all of the blue connectors.  I soldered all of the connections and covered them with a large butt end connector.  Had to go on line to find those larger butt end connectors as you are trying to get three #14 gage wires + solder into the butt end connector. 

[pjcomeau]

Thanks for all the answers. I'll try them out on some scrap pieces of wire before I go ahead.

-PC

p.s. thanks Stu, I had not found those connectors before.

[Gary Brockman]

Pierre -

I have been thinking about replacing panel and have been going back and forth from getting a new Seaward panel or going to Blue Sea. Did you get a combination panel from Blue Sea or did you get individual AC and DC panels in order to make up a new custom panel. I am very interested in which panel(s) you decided on.

Thanks,

Gary

[Stu Jackson]

You may want to consider the length of the #4 wiring between the battery banks and the 1-2-B switch in planning this electrical panel replacement.

If the panel has the 1-2-B switch further aft, on the panel, the existing red wiring from the switch to the banks may need to be replaced and/or  lengthened (gee, how'd'ya stretch a #4 wire!!!) to connect to the new switch position.

MY AC panel side is on the aft (left) side, 1-2-B on the right (forward).  IIRC, the Seaward panels move the 1-2-B switch to the left (aft).

[pjcomeau]

Gary,

The previous owner had a switch on the outside of the battery box to switch between two group 27 used as house batteries. He had the starting battery in the cockpit locker with inadequate wiring.

I had to change things and chose the following (works for me. short season, typically one continuous week and a few weekends, the rest of the time are usually day sails):

- I replaced the two group 27's with two 6V's similar to Trojan 105's and moved the starting battery to the battery box.
- I replace the old switch that was on the outside of the box with the switch in the Blue Sea "Add a Battery kit" (7650). I keep it in the on position and it keeps both starting and house on and separate.
- I put the ACR from the same kit between the starting battery and the House battery. After the alternator has recharged the starting battery it charges the house battery.
- I don't have a need for a switch at the panel anymore and I wanted digital multimeters so I chose the 3 pos AC panel 8405 and the 13 pos DC panel 8403.
- I'm replacing all the battery wire (to engine and to panel) to 2 AWG (I have have it in my possesion. 30ft of red and 30ft of black).

Thanks,

Pierre

[pjcomeau]

I do have one question,

The 13 pos DC panel is divided into two parts. Using 2 AWG wire to connect both positive and negative buses is quite cumbersom. Since the distance is so short would it be reseonable to use 8AWG (largest wire with lugs for #10 screw)?


Thanks,

Pierre

[Craig Illman]

Pierre - I think if you ran everything simultaneously on your DC panel, you'd be hard pressed to exceed 30A. I think 6ga or 8ga would be adequate. (remember to size the negative ground path as well.)

Craig

[pjcomeau]

I figured as much. I just wished it wasn't so cumbersome since I'm going to the effort of bringing 2AWG to and back to the panel.

I'm replacing the old return from the panel to 2 AWG also. I got 30ft of red and 30ft of black.

-PC

[Ron Hill]

Pierre: What many of us have done when we felt the main #4 factory wiring was too small, was to run another #4 wire parallel to each connection.  A thought