Fixed VHF. Direct wiring to battery ?

[Snowgoose-1]

I'm just updating some of the wiring on the boat.

I have always wired the fixed vhf direct to a house battery with it's own fuse.

Just done a quick google check and it seems no longer to be the case.

Just wondering how else it can be wired for best practice.

TIA

 

[ridgy]

Why wouldn't you wire it to the switches like everything else?

 

[westernman]

Why wouldn't you wire it to the switches like everything else?

So that in the event of an electric fire you can turn everything off at the main switch but still call for help on the VHF.

 

[Dellquay13]

So that in the event of an electric fire you can turn everything off at the main switch but still call for help on the VHF.

Or use the handheld?

 

[Stemar]

Or use the handheld?

If I'm a few miles offshore when it all goes 'orribly wrong, I'd appreciate the extra range of a fixed set, not to mention the ability to call out the cavalry with the press of a button, as I'm liable to be a bit busy at that point.

All the same, I'd be interested to know how common - or not - electrical fires on boats are. On Jazzcat, the only wires that could carry enough current to burn are the cables to the starters and the windlass. The rest are fused

 

[Refueler]

Every baot I haver had / have ... the VHF is wired via the main isolator switch on domestics or 1-2-off switch ...

I understand some peoples idea to have VHF wired direct without switch ... but then that leaves a parasitic drain on the battery. Most modern VHF's have user set memory that does not require power to retain .. such as MMSI ...

 

[Momac]

My VHF is connected to a breaker on the main electrical panel which is marked ''VHF''. So really the intent of the boat builder was to use the breaker switch provided for the positive supply.

 

[Refueler]

My VHF is connected to a breaker on the main electrical panel which is marked ''VHF''. So really the intent of the boat builder was to use the breaker switch provided for the positive supply.

Actually my 38 has that on the panel .. VHF switch - forgot about that ... my others are based on the main isolator switch.

 

[Major_Clanger]

I'd wire a fused feed direct to the domestic battery but, perhaps, with its own breaker. I was struck by lightning on a delivery a couple of years ago and most of the electrics were knocked out, but because I was able to turn off the breaker beforehand, the VHF still worked.

 

[Cerebus]

I'm just updating some of the wiring on the boat.

I have always wired the fixed vhf direct to a house battery with it's own fuse.

Just done a quick google check and it seems no longer to be the case.

Just wondering how else it can be wired for best practice.

TIA

I learned many years ago just as you posted in sentence one.

If all else fails, the vhf still has power. Spare fuses taped nearby or use a breaker instead of fuse.

When the proverbial hits the fan and you need the radio working…

Google and even worse, ChatGPT (supposedly AI and great) have let me down and contradicted themselves. When I asked ChatGPT why it said: “Good of you to challenge that…”

Decided to use year’s of common sense and experience instead of computer help now.

 

[William_H]

One concern might be the likely hood of leaving the VHF set turned on receive while you are away flattening battery. Compared to all off when turning off isolator.
If you are really concerned you could look at commercial boating requirements or even consider having a standby battery fro VHF. or as said have a Hand Held VHF. Possibly with ability to connect to mast head antenna. All sorts of options / scenarios. Or just not worry. ol'will

 

[fredrussell]

I’m not sure a separate supply for vhf will help much in the two catastrophic events so far mentioned in this thread. Your vhf aerial unlikely to survive a lightning strike and if theres a fire not sure how vhf 12v supply will survive when other electrics have melted. Handhelds can be had for under £50 on eBay, and iPhone 14 and onwards can send emergency messages using satellite. Prob android phones too I would imagine but haven’t looked into that.

 

[littledancersadhu]

I have a handheld for this reason.

 

[oldgit]

Direct to a battery via dash switch.

Until the water reaches that battery you have communcation with 25W before you step up into the inflatable ?
When you really need help offshore the 5w hand held will be at a serious disadvantage until help is visible on the horizon.

 

[Momac]

I’m not sure a separate supply for vhf will help much in the two catastrophic events so far mentioned in this thread. Your vhf aerial unlikely to survive a lightning strike and if theres a fire not sure how vhf 12v supply will survive when other electrics have melted. Handhelds can be had for under £50 on eBay, and iPhone 14 and onwards can send emergency messages using satellite. Prob android phones too I would imagine but haven’t looked into that.

I think this sums it up nicely. I didn't realise a phone could be used for a satellite emergency message. From a quick search it seems likely a new emerging facility on some Samsung phones which is good to know .



Has anyone mentioned PLB s or EPIRB which may legitimately be activated if the boat is disabled by fire or lightening strike? Or there are sat phones and other devices which communicate via satellite such as products made by Garmin.
inReach® Satellite Communicators | Messengers | Garmin
.

 

[Stemar]

Direct to a battery via dash switch.

I know I'll forget to turn that switch off one day...

 

[BobnLesley]

... I'd be interested to know how common - or not - electrical fires on boats are.. .

Serious/uncontrollable ones are very rare, not many boats suffer more than one

 

[dunedin]

Every boat I have ever been on the VHF is on a switch on the main switch panel. And that seems the best solution. (Only the bilge pump bypasses the main off switch.)
The types of scenarios where a directly wired VHF would be beneficial are probably minuscule in probability - compared to much more likely scenarios. As others have said a portable VHF is a much better backup alternative.
And if sailing in coastal waters, a mobile phone is probably the most likely backup distress mechanism - as generally carried with you, most now waterproof and typically have good signal over open water (even in remote Scotland where I sail). If not in coastal waters should have PLB or similar.
And leave VHF wired through switch panel like 99.9% of other boats.

 

[ylop]

Dunedin - I agree with you but I don’t think it’s 99.9% who are wired through the panel. Even production boats with a switch on the panel have often been rigged direct by owner/importer.

 

[Snowgoose-1]

I learned many years ago just as you posted in sentence one.

If all else fails, the vhf still has power. Spare fuses taped nearby or use a breaker instead of fuse.

When the proverbial hits the fan and you need the radio working…

Google and even worse, ChatGPT (supposedly AI and great) have let me down and contradicted themselves. When I asked ChatGPT why it said: “Good of you to challenge that…”

Decided to use year’s of common sense and experience instead of computer help now.

Many thanks for the replies.

I too experienced contradictions with both for and against using search engines on this topic.

Perhaps direct wiring was popular when the only game in town was a fixed VHF set. I also remember making a DIY aerial from aerial coax.

As mentioned, we now have affordable portable VHF's, mobile phones and locators . At the moment, I'm happy to keep the direct wiring but an on/off switch near to the VHF seems like a good idea.