Rewiring a 27?

[DCatSea]

I have finally given up on ever living long enough to rewire Mazboot, so I'm calling ABYC techs for advice and quotes to do the job before my April 2020 relaunch. There are just too many unknown wires flopping around and it's time to de-fubar the electrics throughout. Everything works well, but I think this is only because Poseidon and his helpers are smiling on me.

General idea is to strip out what's in there, and replace with a simpler, friendlier, well-labeled system.

Unless I'm reading it wrong, the 27 is a basic set up - pumps, lights of various kinds and functions, batteries, electronics and a couple of extra circuits for accessories. Add in shore supply and 110v charging and a couple of power sockets and that's as basic as it gets.
It's all the other PO stuff that's giving me conniptions - old wires of various gauges and colors throughout the boat, old-style fuse panels, busses and distribution panels in weird places etc.
,
Any ideas or no-nos would be appreciated.

[tego]

Doug, I remember that the ABYC color codes have changed at least twice since our boats were built. If you want to go ABYC, you'll have to buy about 15 spools of "marine grade" wire of different gauges although none of our boats were built with tinned wire - as a matter of fact, I don't know of any small to medium size cruiser that used the dang stuff. I know that rewiring is a VERY tedious job. I think I'd get a FIRM price from a marine electrician before I'd start on that project. It's gonna be expensive! Good Luck! Ben

[Sprig1]

Hi Doug I forgot talk to. PKYS inc. in Annapolis. Really great guy he helped me lay out my boat. He has great prices to. You can rewire the boat just do it in steps. It's pretty easy. Don't try to do it all at once.

[DesertAlbin736]

Would that include things like snaking/replacing running & cabin light wires that are buried/routed w/in fiberglass & other inaccessible places? A27's are obviously much different than A25's, but dkirsop's distribution panel setup in his A25 "Sea Quill" is one of the best I've seen. One of the more up to date ABYC color coding conventions for DC negative wiring (except maybe the heavy guage main battery cables) is to use yellow instead of black to avoid confusion with the black hot side of 115V AC shore power wiring. I'm a big fan of Blue Sea Systems components like breaker panels etc.

[DCatSea]

I'm still at the "lets see what's in there and then design something that gets the job done" stage. In UK until Jan 3, then it's down to work. I'll keep the group posted.

[dkirsop]

For what it is worth here are some thoughts from when I re-wired my boat an Albin A25.

In the original configuration the boat was only wired for very light electrical loads. The ignition switch also served as the battery switch. Which was o.k. in the initial set-up. These days the boat has anchor winch, cabin heater, radar, radio, gps, vhf ...etc., etc. The previous owner had upgraded some components and installed a suitable battery switch but fusing and circuitry was mostly confined to original specifications. There were 8 fuses protecting 8 circuits.

I personally hate groping in the dark with a flashlight in my mouth trying to find the blown fuse for any particular item and so decided to use dedicated fuses and circuits for most electrical accessories. This required bringing all feeds back to a central point where I installed several banks of ATO type fuses and labeled them. My fuse panel is sited on the starboard side of the boat in the head. If I was to do it again I would consider a dedicated feed and fuse panel for the port side of the boat too - this would significantly reduce the amount of wiring and simplify the wiring to a single cable across the boat for the port side electrical feed. Otherwise, I am totally happy as to how things turned out and how it works.

I also installed a small fuse panel for critical systems that must remain active when the battery switch is turned to off.

With regards to the battery circuits. I installed a parallel circuit switch to activate both the starting bank and the house bank. This switch keeps both banks separate from each other, there is no inter-connect. Charging of the starting battery is done through an echo charger which only activates once the house bank reaches 13V.

I wired my alternator output directly to the positive terminal of the house bank. This protects the alternator diodes from accidental damage should the ignition key be turned off before the engine. This has saved my bacon on numerous occasions.

For maintenance and emergency purposes I installed a ground switch that completely kills all battery systems when necessary. I often use this when working on the engine around the main power connections.

Note, my main battery switch is either ON or OFF there is no BOTH. I keep a set of jumper cables on board should such a critical need arise which to date has not occurred.

I found lots of multi-taps and charred connections as I removed the old wiring so in my opinion it was only going to be a matter of time before an electrical fire occurred. These boats were never designed for the electrical loads they are faced with 50 years on.

Finally, make sure you keep wiring diagram of your work.

[DCatSea]

dkirsop[ - Excellent advice - thank you. Electrical work is probably the one thing I have no patience with, so I am going to get this "done" for me. I could probably spend weeks or months trying to do it myself, but it's the old "multi-taps and charred connections" that would always be on my mind.
I will be be upgrading to accommodate greater loads, and already have a new set of separate circuitry for the electronics. It's the basic stuff that needs work. I will certainly be making notes of your great suggestions.

[DCatSea]

Finally have a main 12v system that doesn't scare the heck out or me. Busses and connections replaced, all three pumps rewired from start to finish on guaranteed separate circuits, high water alarm installed, batteries and all associated switchgear and cable renewed and all cabling labelled and bristol-fashion. Very pleased with work done by MTS in Tracy's Landing MD.
I now have a pretty good idea of what goes where, and how it gets there, plenty of room for expansion and the possibility of a Grade A survey for insurance and other purposes.

[Bob Noodat]

If it is not too impertinent, but of course it is, I would be very interested to know how much that beautiful job cost. Unless you don't add up these things, which I confess is my usual approach.

[WillieC]

That is some nice looking work, Doug. Kudos to the 'lectrician!

(Bob, the parts alone are espensivo. If you have to ask, you can't afford it. Move along, nothing to see here.)

[DCatSea]

I still have both legs, an arm and some loose change. The annual reckoning will tell all.
The job has inspired me to have a really good clean up in the engine room.

[motthediesel]

Wow! That looks great -- so much better than the "30 years of random modifications" rats nest in our boat.

Not something I can even contemplate now though, not until we get our mechanical stuff straightened out anyway -- but that is inspirational!

Tom

[Bob Noodat]

(Bob, the parts alone are espensivo. If you have to ask, you can't afford it. Move along, nothing to see here.)

You're too young Rick. The '29 crash still weighs heavily on me.
♬ Buddy, can you spare a dime? ♬

[sailonset]

Doug, that's nice work.
And interesting placement of everything. I have similar ideas, but was planning on placing everything in the engine bay. Now you've got me thinking of making more use of the space under the steps, by the big orange switch. Where are those Blue Sea bus bars located? How do you get wires up to the DC panel? Or is it obvious once big orange comes out.
dge

[DCatSea]

Thanks to all. Mott, the “rats nest” left by 30+ years of POs was the catalyst. I had no idea of what went where, what the majority of wiring did, what was going to burst into 12v flame at any minute or indeed if I could rely on the pumps to do their thing (yes, we had a pump scare last year). The high water alarm is another level of security. I had it “done” because of the time it would have taken me, and my lack of real knowledge regarding 12v marine systems.