New boat wiring

[HodagSailor]

The electrical systems are all working on my new sailing cat, but I wonder if this wiring at the batteries is optimal?

2 house batteries (190 Ah total) and a starter. Solar chargers.

Seems like a lot of wires directly to the terminals.

Currently just day sailing and coastal cruising - no offshore sailing.

Thanks for any input, observations and suggestions.

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by HodagSailor

The electrical systems are all working on my new sailing cat, but I wonder if this wiring at the batteries is optimal?

2 house batteries (190 Ah total) and a starter. Solar chargers.

Seems like a lot of wires directly to the terminals.

Currently just day sailing and coastal cruising - no offshore sailing.

Thanks for any input, observations and suggestions.

Wow ! That is shockingly bad stuff and would never pass a competent survey in North America. There is virtually nothing about that installation that meets ABYC Standards.

PM me an email and I'll send you a copy of the standards. I don't have the time to list all the deficiencies here.

[Sun and Moon]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

Wow ! That is shockingly bad stuff and would never pass a competent survey in North America. There is virtually nothing about that installation that meets ABYC Standards.

PM me an email and I'll send you a copy of the standards. I don't have the time to list all the deficiencies here.

What a fun game! We get to find the problems and boatpoker tells us if we're right.

I'll start - no fuses on the batteries. The fuses must be within 10 inches of the positive battery post, and ideally should be on the battery post.

[thomm225]

Many of us use this type battery terminal fuse setup.

Blue Sea Systems.

https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sea-Syst..._source=1&th=1

[Sun and Moon]

No more takers? Ok, I will go again.

There are way too many wires directly connected to the batteries. Not sure what is the max number of connections allowed, but it is surely exceeded here.

All those wires should go to a bus bar in a switch panel where each system, protected by a fuse or breaker sized for that system, can be shut off independently. One wire, of adequate size and protected by a fuse leads from the positive terminal of one battery to the panel, and a ground leads from the negative of the other battery to the negative bus bar of the panel.

How does a 28 ft boat even have so many systems?

[SailingHarmonie]

I’m trying, and failing, to come up with a suitable punishment for the crew that built that. If ignorance is bliss, they must be very happy people.

That’s horrible! It has nothing to do with coastal sailing or ocean crossing. It’s just massy and dangerous.

[SailingHarmonie]

What I find even worse, is the idea that this same outfit is selling electric power cats. THAT's scary.

[CharlieJ]

I am at a loss for words. That is the worst new boat wiring system that I have seen in 22 years as a marine electrician. That the boatbuilder thinks that is acceptable is criminal. How did that ever pass survey????

Hire a competent ABYC Electrician and have him/her refurbish that mess to be in compliance with the Standards.

@Sun_and_Moon

The fuses must be within 10 inches of the positive battery post, and ideally should be on the battery post.

You are on the right track. ABYC E-11 requires a fuse or breaker (OCPD) within 7” of attachment to the battery post with the exception that the OCPD can be 72” away from the battery post if the wire is protected. I usually use self extinguishing split loom to protect that wire.

[Fore and Aft]

I think that's the new we don't need a switchboard or battery switch wiring. It does look semi professional with a strap holding the batteries down, some cable ties, looks like some wires are labelled and two different colour wires for negative and positive. I have seen way worse. At least every wire has a lug.
Cheers

[Wotname]

And toss the wing nuts.

[sinnerman]

The batteries look like they were wired by Clark Griswald....

[Statistical]

I never understood why people do this. Beyond 2 or 3 connections it is not only safer, better, and more reliable to use a busbar it is easier. It has to be a complete pain in the ass dealing with that setup and what happens when you need another connection.

[DShant]

It may be a Smart Cat but it sure isn't a Smart electrician.
Surveys and regulations aside I would want to clean that up. If the boat is new maybe a competent electrician's report on that would encourage the builder to fix it for you?

[Renegde_Sailor]

Originally Posted by HodagSailor

The electrical systems are all working on my new sailing cat, but I wonder if this wiring at the batteries is optimal?

2 house batteries (190 Ah total) and a starter. Solar chargers.

Seems like a lot of wires directly to the terminals.

Currently just day sailing and coastal cruising - no offshore sailing.

Thanks for any input, observations and suggestions.

I don't know who wired this but my inclination is to take a ball peen hammer to their fingers so they can never do it again.

This is a fire hazard and should have never been allowed to happen.

All of these wires need to run to buss bars, they need to be more neatly run, then one large conductor comes to the battery. Also none of these have fused connections which is a big no no, it needs to be fused on the power side at the battery, and anywhere the wire changes size. Fuses should be sized for the maximum current the wire should carry.

[Icarus]

Try to install a positive and a negative bus bar....this would free up the battery terminals.