DC Electrical nightmare! =O
Posted: Sun May 28, 2017 3:19 pm
Hello all,
Continuing to refit our C26 for an upcoming month long cruise in the San Juan Islands.
I installed a nice 120v system (double pole circuit breaker with GFCI outlet leading to two cabin receptacles.)
I started on our 12v system and found a nightmare of wires (Taped up and unrecognizable leading to the cabin switch panel... One MAIN problem, is that the switches were not labelled except for Acc. (Accessory) There's a very good chance that the functions for these switches won't match others, but I thought this would be a good place to start. (I'm assuming that you pull to turn on, and push to turn off?
My number one goal is to eventually rip out every single wire on board and start over, using "Proper" buses, breakers, fuses etc and marine grade tinned wire, correctly color coded at the correct gauge.
Can anyone share their switch allocation on their C26? Example: forward switch, navigation, 2nd from forward: anchor light, 3rd back from front, VHF etc...
I removed both batteries to replace them and "thought" I kept them grouped together (ie" pos/neg) I could KILL myself for not labeling each wire separately before disconnecting (What was I thinking?!?!?! Just too tired with all the boat tasks I've been doing...
Anyway, connected both batteries and the cables leading to the batteries started smoking and plastic coating melted off!!!! (Glad I just added two new fire extinguishers to our three already on board... Didn't need to use them, Burnt my fingers disconnecting battery terminals instead)
I took out the original battery selector switch as I now don't trust it. I had a new one waiting for my comple3te re-wiring goals...
Been reading like crazy and searching wiring diagrams and I think I found the culprit... My biggest concern are the two "medium sized" wires leading to the switch panel... Both are black!!!! I traced one that was with the engine starting positive cable, so my educated guess (God I hate guessing when it comes to electrical!), is that the other wires is negative.
I'm disconnecting anything that is polarity sensitive (LED lights, VHF, Instruments etc... The incandescent lights will work if polarity is reversed.
If I can connect my batteries through the master selector switch and not smoke anything, then I can turn on cabin lights and other switches and check the polarity going into those items that are sensitive (Example: Power feed to VHF is clearly black and red. Without having it connected to the radio, I can check polarity...
Sorry if I seem dazed and confused... I am! Mostly exhausted... started work at 6Am this morning, had my little fire drill around 8AM and I've been climbing up and down in between checking our websites for info... Went back and re-labeled all wires except the two medium sized wires leading to the cabin switches....
OK... time for a beer and taking the rest of the day off.
Thanks!
Richard
Continuing to refit our C26 for an upcoming month long cruise in the San Juan Islands.
I installed a nice 120v system (double pole circuit breaker with GFCI outlet leading to two cabin receptacles.)
I started on our 12v system and found a nightmare of wires (Taped up and unrecognizable leading to the cabin switch panel... One MAIN problem, is that the switches were not labelled except for Acc. (Accessory) There's a very good chance that the functions for these switches won't match others, but I thought this would be a good place to start. (I'm assuming that you pull to turn on, and push to turn off?
My number one goal is to eventually rip out every single wire on board and start over, using "Proper" buses, breakers, fuses etc and marine grade tinned wire, correctly color coded at the correct gauge.
Can anyone share their switch allocation on their C26? Example: forward switch, navigation, 2nd from forward: anchor light, 3rd back from front, VHF etc...
I removed both batteries to replace them and "thought" I kept them grouped together (ie" pos/neg) I could KILL myself for not labeling each wire separately before disconnecting (What was I thinking?!?!?! Just too tired with all the boat tasks I've been doing...
Anyway, connected both batteries and the cables leading to the batteries started smoking and plastic coating melted off!!!! (Glad I just added two new fire extinguishers to our three already on board... Didn't need to use them, Burnt my fingers disconnecting battery terminals instead)
I took out the original battery selector switch as I now don't trust it. I had a new one waiting for my comple3te re-wiring goals...
Been reading like crazy and searching wiring diagrams and I think I found the culprit... My biggest concern are the two "medium sized" wires leading to the switch panel... Both are black!!!! I traced one that was with the engine starting positive cable, so my educated guess (God I hate guessing when it comes to electrical!), is that the other wires is negative.
I'm disconnecting anything that is polarity sensitive (LED lights, VHF, Instruments etc... The incandescent lights will work if polarity is reversed.
If I can connect my batteries through the master selector switch and not smoke anything, then I can turn on cabin lights and other switches and check the polarity going into those items that are sensitive (Example: Power feed to VHF is clearly black and red. Without having it connected to the radio, I can check polarity...
Sorry if I seem dazed and confused... I am! Mostly exhausted... started work at 6Am this morning, had my little fire drill around 8AM and I've been climbing up and down in between checking our websites for info... Went back and re-labeled all wires except the two medium sized wires leading to the cabin switches....
OK... time for a beer and taking the rest of the day off.
Thanks!
Richard