Where do I start?

Mine looked worse! Took two entire weekends to sort it.

First identified every cable and labelled it, then installed a couple of heavy duty bus bars that every positive and every negative could come off - goodbye choccy blocks.

Decided which cables needed to be replaced completely - in my case all the nav light cables were shot.

And then sorted switch by switch to a couple of new switch panels.

I had a few cables left over - traced them through the boat and found they weren't connected to anything!

But all that was on a previous boat; I have not yet dared pull out the switch panel on my current boat - it would frighten me judging by what else I have found.

Option 2 is leave it. If it all works...
 
Is that a Centurion?

To be honest it doesn't look that bad. Not quite sure what all the chocolate boxes are for - is that just to connect the wiring to the switches?

I would start with a proper negative bus bar are positive distribution point!
 
Same here. I nearly had heart failure when I opened up the distribution panel on my 'new' boat recently. I got so frustrated trying to work out what went where, I just put my hand in and wrenched out handfuls of wires. Strangely, it doesn't seem to have affected anything.
 
TonyBuckley said:
Mine looked worse! Took two entire weekends to sort it.

First identified every cable and labelled it, then installed a couple of heavy duty bus bars that every positive and every negative could come off - goodbye choccy blocks.

Decided which cables needed to be replaced completely - in my case all the nav light cables were shot.

And then sorted switch by switch to a couple of new switch panels.

I had a few cables left over - traced them through the boat and found they weren't connected to anything!

But all that was on a previous boat; I have not yet dared pull out the switch panel on my current boat - it would frighten me judging by what else I have found.

Option 2 is leave it. If it all works...
Click to expand...

Any photos, what size bus bars did you fit?
 
Pladdatoo said:
Any photos, what size bus bars did you fit?
Click to expand...

Afraid no photos.

They were very solid and had around 16 connection points. I don't recall where I got them from but possibly Maplins. They got a yearly spray of WD40 and after ten years they looked the same as when they went in.

Mine looked a little like this... http://www.downwindmarine.com/Terminal-Blocks-Blue-Sea-Systems-150A-Common-BusBars-p-90891485.html

But they were heavier and more solid looking. Not that they needed to be. And I def didn't get them from any place with 'marine£££' in the name.
 
Pladdatoo said:
It sure is :-) how did you spot that?


Yes! that was my first thought to get rid of the chocolate blocks.
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Because it looks just like mine - apart from the fact that I have the engine panel mounted between the two switch panels to make it even more confused! I'm not going to post a picture because even after tidying it is still worse than yours is now :)

I think they may have shortened the wires to the equipment so it is no longer convenient to terminate them directly on the switches that means you may still need some form of connection to connect the wires from the switch to the them. I think it may originally have been wired with a switch panel and separate fuse blocks - so the chocolate box is in place of the fuse box.
 
Pladdatoo said:
A nest of horrors!

Where should I start?

If you were me, what would you do with this mess?
1 trace and marl each canle.
2 install bus bars.
3 work out what you want on each breaker/fuse to balance to total power used for each.
Try not to wire similar items to the same fuse/breaker, like nav lights on one switch and fuse but Deck lights on another.
Spread cabin lights between 2 switches so you don't loose them all if one breaker/ fuse pops.
Any high draw items might need individual breakers.

Try to avoid fuses, corrosion can be a problem and they are a pain to change in a pitching boat compared to a simple breaker.

Good luck and fair winds. :)
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
wiggy said:
I'd start by closing the panel and leaving well alone, assuming all works fine.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately not an option. I have slowly been losing switches on the panels and have now run out, so at the very least I have to replace them.
Provides an opportunity to do some necessary tidying.

Anybody taken any photos of their rewiring?
 
Lifted the cover over the batteries. Two house and a starter. Counted 14 crocodile clips, seven pairs! No labels anywhere. Nice professional wiring job? I think not.

I am just as likely to bodge the odd job or two but 14 croc clips on the batteries is way beyond my bodging. Oh, and the shore power lead has TWO male sockets and a female plug on the boat!

Still can't believe it.
 
wiggy said:
I'd start by closing the panel and leaving well alone, assuming all works fine.
Click to expand...

:D :D :D I know that feeling...

Pladdatoo said:
Unfortunately not an option. I have slowly been losing switches on the panels and have now run out, so at the very least I have to replace them.
Provides an opportunity to do some necessary tidying.
Click to expand...

Oh bummer that is not good, await to see how you get on. So far I only have a couple of bits not working but as the list is increasing....
 
Just finishing totally re-wiring and upgrading Khamsin. (Not myself, got in the man with the pliers and tester).
He has taken ages to complete the job, but it really is the "bees knees". Replaced all lights, radios, engine wiring - the lot!
The wiring and fittings had been put in by various owners and were a mess.
His remark about the switch panel " Wow, that's a top-class job. I shall leave totally alone" !!

Good luck with sorting yours.
 
MYStargazer said:
I've always wondered why coloured car spade-type fuses aren't used more on boats, given that pulling them out and shoving them back in usually cures any corrosion problems in an instant...
Click to expand...
Arent't they - I use them a lot. I certainly prefer them to screw-in type connectors.

Means of course if I have problems with a breaker on the boat it is the work of 10 seconds to move that circuit to another breaker.
 
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