Electronics install...issues and projects.

[Jeremyvmd]

I like where your switches are next to the wheel. That spot is basically open on my boat might try and more the switches there or add in one of those 360 panels. Cost wise they aren't that bad given what I've already spent and what im gonna still spend...

[RobS]

Rob, where did you order the custom labels?

Blue Sea website has custom label ordering.

[Nancy]

Blue Sea website has custom label ordering.

Good to know. Thanks.

[Jeremyvmd]

When you guys moved your gauges and switches. Did you just extend the wires or rewired from scratch?

[RobS]

I replaced my crappy OEM Yanmar gauges with new VDO gauges and Aetna tach. For the gauges I did not need to extend, I just put new connectors on the stock wiring. For the Aetna tach I rewired complete - both power and signal.

[djpeewee]

I think you'll find that extending is the way to go in most circumstances. That way you'll be able to maintain the factory wire harness connector(s) on the engine side of things. I know on my Volvo, it has one connector at the engine with about 50 wires in it. It is much easier to extend the wires at the dash end where they are already broken out into several separate connectors. In addition, the factory wire harness is really long, like 30 ft, so there is a lot of slack that can be pulled up near the dash end to accommodate moving things around. It really depends on the situation though as some may be easier to just run new wires. Any coaxial wiring would need to be run new instead of spliced for example.

[Jeremyvmd]

Alrighty then. Got the first part done today which was disassembly of the dash, now I have to mount the gauges and the autopilot and go7 in the upper box, and then the 12" fits perfectly in the lower box. Also realised I should run the nmea 2000cable now, not gonna wanna do that as a step two. Lol. More bad news was realised I have to remove the radar arch to run the wire for the radome. And I realised that I have MAJOR crevice corrosion on my radar arch.

Anyone have any tricks for running the wire through the hardtop? My plan was the same as I usually do...550 paracord...

[Jeremyvmd]

Also I have read on thT about some tricks for enlarging the transducer hole. Anyone have a favorite? Im either gonna use the plywood covering the hole trick, or the dual hole saws on a single arbor trick...

[RobS]

...Anyone have any tricks for running the wire through the hardtop? My plan was the same as I usually do...550 paracord...

Through the hardtop is easy, just remove the access plates above the wiper motors and the big side panel behind the helm chair and use a snake and pull cord. Pulling through the radar arch is no fun, good luck!

Where do you plan on mounting the N2K backbone?

[Jeremyvmd]

My plan was to tuck it up where the vhf is. Just outboard of the helm seat below the throttle. Nice open space in there and easy access to power. Plus it's in the middle of the three devices being networked...

[djpeewee]

You are jumping straight in I see.

A couple of comments and suggestions:

Removing the radar arch is not as daunting as it may seem. This is also a good opportunity to reseal the joints where the arch attaches to the hard top. I knew mine were leaking - the water was going down the inside of the wall behind the helm chair. It looked like pond scum was growing in there. There are only two bolts securing each leg of the arch. You can prop the arch up with a piece of wood when you remove the bolts. Lay the arch down on the hard top to run the wiring. It doesn't need to be removed from the boat completely. When replacing the radome, you can tie a string onto the old cable and pull it back through the arch leg as you remove the old radome data cable. Use this string to pull the new radome cable(s) back up through. I like using 100lb braided fishing line because it is strong and thin. If this fails, you can use a metal or plastic fish tape up through the leg of the arch to the top access hole. Pull the end of the fish tape out of the top hole with needle nose pliers. If you wrap the end of the fish tape it a bright colored electrical tape it will be easier to find inside the tube.

As Rob said, the hard top is easily accessed through the windshield wiper access panels overhead and the triangle shaped Starboard panel behind the helm chair. I had problems getting anything through the passageway though. It would pinch between the head liner and the hard top. I couldn't get a fish tape or wires through. What I ended up doing was taking a length of 1-1/8" corrugated bilge hose and pushing it along the passageway from the windshield wiper hole, around the corner and as far aft as I could go. I cut the hose and left some sticking out of the windshield wiper hole. I wadded up some tissue paper up into a ball about the diameter of a quarter. I tied braided fishing line around it and stuffed a bunch of it into the opening of the bilge hose. Then with a shop vac with its hose attached to the exhaust, the paper towel was was blown through the bilge hose and out the other end behind the helm chair. You can then pull as many wires as you like through the inside of the bilge hose (along with another string for future projects). You can pull the hose back out if you like, leaving the wires in place, or leave the hose in place to simplify the process in the future.


Good luck. It'll go quicker than you think.

[Jeremyvmd]

Mine has the overhead box so there is no wiper panel to remove but there is a 2" hole or so up there. I have the large panel off behind the seat and will try and use one of the cables that im removing to pull a few lengths of 100lb braid or paracord through.

I appreciate all the advice. For what it's worth it's not my first rodeo but certainly the most complicated one. Rewired my 19ft cat boat (basically a skiff) and installed all the electronics in my dads boat. I was hoping the arch was just the 4 bolts, that's all I saw. Are they in captive nuts or threaded into the fiberglass? It looks from below like they are just in the glass...

Also I think I'm gonna mount my autopilot to the right of the wheel between the throttle and wheel. Unless you guys think I'm crazy.

[Jeremyvmd]

Ok so I took one step forward and like 8 steps back. Sigh, mom said Id have days like this...
Got the wires pulled and some string in its place. Went to run the new transducer wire and its a no go. So I ordered an airmar transducer junction box (there goes another 60bux). Gonna cut the transducer cable in the bilge and mount the junction box down there. Then back feed the transducer cable back to the bilge from the overhead (which I had to temporarily remove much to my chagrin. Gave up on it for the day, gonna mke another trip out to hopefully run wires maybe wed or in the next week or two. On the bright side the double hole saw trick worked flawlessly to overdrill the transducer hole. Now I gotta cut out some of the coring and fill it with west epoxy (prob too cold to do that till the spring:(.

[TimQ]

Jeremy,
I'm glad you posted that shot with the overhead removed. I'd like to remove mine and wondered if there would be objectionable cosmetics with it removed.

[Jeremyvmd]

Yea should be a pretty simple cleanup once the box is removed. Any reason you want to remove it?