By: Scott Fratcher - Marine Engineer/Captain

Cleaning up a boats wiring harness is a semi-easy project that is almost all labor, thus the improvement to a yacht costs only a weekend of dedicated time for the DIY. It’s a great beginner electrical project as the improvements made involve more organizational and visual skills, than electrical design. Often the breaker panel is still serviceable, along with the rest of the electrical hardware, but wire runs have been added without thought over the years until the back of the panel is a confused rat’s nest of a mess.

A typical 70-breaker panel takes about three days to completely re-wire. This same system also works on main battery cable distribution

Sometimes the electrical system has been giving random trouble for a long time. Turn on an electrical device and it works this week. Next time nothing happens, causing frustration for the crew.

It may be worth performing this project simply to have the distribution panel cleaned and organized. This way when a fault occurs that is out of the scope of the typical DIY the owner can stop paying electricians to search through the baffling bundles of strange wires. Next time that real electrical fault occurs the hired electrician simply opens the electrical panel, sees all the organized labeled wires and begins work. A clean electrical panel also increases the value of the vessel making her easier to sell.

If the wiring panel on your personal boat is suffering from this problem then consider practicing and learning this skill on your own boat.

The steps to transforming a rat’s nest electrical system to stylized, organized wire ways are:

1. Study the electrical panel and map out a clean design
2. Label all the wires
3. Cut the wire panel free
4. Screw in wire cleats to the perimeter, run the new wires
5. Lay new electric panel wires in nice stylized bundles
6. Connect the transformed panel to the old wires
7. Test every circuit

1. Design

Let’s start with the design. Imagine the new wires neat, clean, tidy and in place. All wires should run along the outside of the box. All wires should run straight, and corners should be tight and rounded. Map it out. Often I will use a pencil and draw the lines where wires are to follow. Use a circle with a plus sign to show positive and a circle with a dash to show a negative. When the project is complete the important labels can be finalized with a black marker.

Is it easy to comfortably stand and see into the back of the electrical panel? Often electrical panels can only be accessed by looking around a corner. We want to make it easy to work on the panel in the future. An easy to access panel is a panel that is easy to keep tidy.

The negative bus bar should be tucked away on one side of the box with the wires feeding in a neat clean manner, while the positive wires should feed to the breaker panel. Be careful to consider how the wires will lay when the panel is closed. We don’t want the main positive buss bar to lay directly over the negative bus bar. Consider what would happen if the breaker panel were accidentally crushed inward against the back of the electrical box.

Try to make an easy way to open the panel. Because most panels are screwed shut the panel can be made to hinge and hang on electrical ties. Electric tie hinges are sufficiently strong for most applications and cost almost nothing. A small piece of nylon line can be used to limit the extent the panel opens

On an opening panel the wire bundle should lay inline with the hinge. Leave the wire ties loose, but just tight enough to keep the wires from losing their position in the bundle. This will make the panel easy to open and close. The idea is the wire bundle will not have to be pushed into the electrical box because the wires working the “hinge” will simply rotate inside the bundle.

All wires should run the perimeter of the electrical box. This is important as when the next electrician comes along to run a new wire he will follow the old wire routes. To the boat owner this means once the wire ways are organized all new wires added will also be clean and tidy. This is a long-term solution to eliminate wires that are draped over the interior of the electrical box.

Study the photos shown in this article to get an idea of what is possible and make your project a work of art. Remember nobody can see the electricity moving through the wires. The wires should be neat and well labeled. Consider yourself a “wire stylist” more than an electrician at this point.

If you’re ready to begin work then turn off all power to the boat. Shore power plugs should be pulled from the outlets and batteries should be disconnected on the positive side. Turning off switches is not enough, as you never know how the wires were powered. Remember raw wires are going to be lying around during this project. Be sure none can become energized.

2. Label all the old wires

This might be the most important step in the process. I use blue tape and a black marker to make temporary tags on the back of each of the old wires. Look on the front of the electrical panel and make a label that corresponds to a breaker. Wrap that label on the wire running to the specific breaker.

3. Cut the wire panel free

Cut the wire leading to the breaker leaving the label on the boat side of the wire. The idea is to be able to reconnect to the boats electrical system without having to trace any wires. Work all the cut wires into straight lines just like you were combing a messed up head of hair. Work the straightened wires to the corners of the electrical box till all wires are leading into the box in one, two or maybe three entrances.

4. Screw wire cleats into the perimeter of the electrical box.

Insert wire ties into the cleats and leave big loose loops the wires will be fed through. In the photo above we see wire ties set into wire cleats. The bottom wire tie is a special type with a screw hole pre-made. I prefer to use a wire cleat as I can always add a new wire tie as the electrical system grows

Tip-Wire way corners are notoriously difficult to make look clean. By the end of a project every time a wire comes out a bit short the electrician gives a tug and the corners are made shorter and rounder.

The way to keep the corners “clean” is to add a temporary wire cleat to each wire way corner. The extra cleat pulls the wire way a bit farther toward the corner than one might think is needed. In the end this keeps the wires from “cutting the corner”. When the job is complete pull the temporary corner cleats to leave a beautiful finished looking clean wire way pushed right into the corners.

5. Lay in new wire in stylized bundles

Now comes the fun part. Write on heat shrink to label the wire ends (see sidebar). Attach each new wire to the free breaker panel. Hold the breaker panel switch side up and wire side down. Let the wires hang. Make each wire into a nice easy bending corner and add a small wire tie till you have a complete new wire bundle (see photo). Each wire tie can be made snug, but not completely tight.

Once the complete panel is wired take a moment and examine your job. Make sure all wires have the same radius of bend. Work all wires in the loom flat, and check for wires that wrap around the loom. See that the wires along the back of the breakers do not have a hump. Once you are satisfied the project is a real “work of art”, begin the final tightening of the wire ties. Don’t cut the wire ties till you read the sidebar for special instructions on cutting a wire tie

Tip: Add a wire to each breaker in the panel even it that breaker is not in use or was left as a spare. Run the wire tail into the bundle with the rest of the wire panel loom and coil it into the electrical box with a butt connector already attached. When the time comes to add another electrical component you simply use the pre-made and pre wired tail without having to dig into your “work of art” electrical panel.

6. Connect the transformed panel to the old wires

Once you have the new electrical panel wired use butt connectors to join the newly wired panel back to the old wires. (See side bar for making a good but connector)

7. Test every circuit

This is important. Every aspect of your work should be tested. If you have a clamp amp test for correct load on every circuit. Compare this load to the rated breaker.

If all looks good tighten the wire ties inside the electrical box. I like to leave the wire ties just a little loose. Enough so I can slide two or three more wires into the bundle. This way I don’t have to cut out all the old wire ties when the time comes to wire in a single new electrical device.

Tip-Take a before photo of a panel and leave the photo in the electrical box. This is great for the wow factor, but also encourages all new installations to take the time to make the project tidy. Nobody wants to start down the old road of rat’s nest wiring.

How to make a simple, inexpencive wire label

Making a professional label on wires can be completed easily and inexpensively by the use of heat shrink and a fine tip marking pen. Labeling is especially important as most smaller yachts don’t have a wiring diagram to give the user a head start.

Every wire should be labeled on each end and at every connection. This will make it much easier to trace wires in the future and provides those who follow your work a head start on any project undertaken. Just the time saved by not having to pay your electrician to trace out wires can cover the small added cost of the heat shrink.

Purchase inexpensive thin heat shrink, without the added gooey sealer. Consider the color: red for positive, black for negative; careful with the color yellow. Yellow was often used as a label color, but now is used in some areas to show negative. This color change is because the old low voltage negative color indication of black was also the “hot” lead for the US electrical system. Many an electrician got a shock by grabbing a “negative” lead only to find it was the “hot” lead from the AC side of the panel.

Lay the heat shrink flat and write in clear, large letters the name of the breaker feeding the wire. Other methods of labeling might be “To Alt” or “Feeding Start Batt” to give the user a clear direction of what function a wire is performing. When labeling an inline fuse tell what the fuse is protecting and the amperage of the replacement fuse.

Now comes the stunning part of the system. Slide the heat shrink over the wire and shrink it down. The large letters now take on the appearance of scrimshaw, looking clean and tidy.

Tip-If you need to use an inline fuse, attach a pack of spare fuses near the fuse holder with a wire tie. Point this out to your crew so if the fuse ever blows everyone knows they only have to open the pack and change to the right amp fuse.

How to make a good crimp, and trim a wire tie.

Crimping is the one of the standard methods of connecting wires on small yachts. Typically one of two types of crimp connections is used.

The crimp connection in the center and bottom are best crimped with a ‘toothed’ type crimp tool. Look down the center of the connector and identify the seam left over from manufacture. If you can’t find the seam the inside wire stop is on the opposite side of the connection seam. Place the ‘tooth’ on the same side as the wire stop and across from the seam. Many technicians squeeze a bit of silicone grease into the connector to prevent corrosion over the years.

The crimp type connection shown on the top of the examples is more expensive, but comes with built in heat shrink. This type of crimp connection should be squeezed with a non-penetrating type of crimp tool and not the ‘toothed’ type of tool. The tooth cuts the fragile heat shrink breaking the finished seal.

How to trim a wire tie

Ever reach your arm into a compartment only to have an old wire tie scrape your skin? I really dislike it when that happens. That cut comes from the little stub left over from the removal of the wire tie tail. This is because a typical pair of side cutters has a bevel cutting face and the bevel makes the cut slightly off the surface of the wire tie.

To prevent this forearm-cutting left over stub cut your wire ties with a pair of flush cutting side cutters.

Flush cutters don’t leave that irritating little arm cutting stub, but because they don’t have the protective bevel they are much more fragile than regular side cutters. For that reason only use your flush cutters for cutting wire ties.

Tip: You can make a pair of flush cutters from a pair of regular inexpensive side cutters by simply laying the back of the cutting surface on a grinder and removing the bevel. Take your time so you don’t heat and thus soften the cutting surface.

Adapted from “How To Make Money With Boats” by Scott Fratcher.

.Here is a link to an article on methods of crimping wire terminals.

Electrical upgrades and trouble shooting

Note-The addition below is to give ideas. I am currently not available for small projects.
Scott

Scott is a very good trouble shooter. He has solved many long term problems in the first hour onboard many boats. He has a very good reputation and is known for his ability to solve difficult and complex problems in a short time.

The first set of photos is of a panel built for Yanmar Engineering Services by Scott in 2005.  The panel opens and closes easily.

Electrical Panel Upgrade

Basic Fast Flow Emergency Bilge Pump Kit

$599USD plus shipping

Fast flow pump installed.

Always ready - Alwasy pumping

Pump arrives in parts for easy install. No need to remove the prop shaft

Prop shaft bilge pump installed and ready for use

Impeller blades split in two for easy install and come in various sized to meet every boat's needs

Pump is ready for installation.

This is a safe boat with the Fast Flow propeller driven bilge pump

Example of a propeller driven Fast Flow bilge pump in operation

Fast Flow emergency bilge pump in position ready to save the day

Basic Fast Flow Emergency Bilge Pump Kit

$599USD plus shipping

Order your books by Scott Fratcher here

Metal boat repair and maintenance. A must read for any steel boat owner.

Print: $31.10

Download: $12.00

How to repair a steel boat without sandblasting. Special report.

Download: $4.00

In order to get a good job as a marine engineer we need a marine engineer licence, commonly called a Certificate of Competency

Print: $39.49

Download: $29.50

How to get a job on a mega yacht as a marine engineer? It can be done without a licence.

Download: $4.00

50 money making ideas run from a boat

Print: $39.90

Download: $39.90

Make money with boats? You bet! It's done every day, but most people won't tell us how they did it. This book is a tell all to give the layman the tools needed to start their own onboard cruising business.

How to make money with boats has become an instant classic selling around the world making dreams come true. If your planning a cruise, or your know somone who is this is the perfect book.

Print: $39.90

Download: $39.90

Print: $21.37

Download: $9.00

How to buy boats cheap? Dozens of tricks used by adventurers around the world every day. This book is a must read for anybody ready to purchase a boat.

Print: $29.96

Download: $9.00

The race was a heartbreaker, but eventually Earthrace took the round the world speedboat record. This book is the log and blog of the 2007 race where Earthrace set dozens of fastest ocean record crossings.

Download: $12.00

Earthrace in color. The same book as above, but in vivid color to bring all the race moments right to the reader.

Print: $14.97

Download: $9.00

Anchor King is a narrative book of short stories of the Sausalito California waterfront in the late 1980's. Anchor King contains the award winning short story "Sex Toys?"

Print: $115.47

Download: $5.00

Tjalk Operator's Manual is an example of how to build a yacht manual. Over 300 pages showing how to drive a twin engine, single rudder vessel and much more.

Click here to purchase

"Earthrace-First time around"
by Scott Fratcher

Download Now for just $9.00