[C38] up-grading electrical system

[Steve Smolinske]

Patrick, I did pretty much everything here is the short version:

1)      Replace the engine wire harness and remove the ammeter (main sheet article attached) Dangerous the way it is wired. Direct runs from engine sensors to gauges. 

2)      I replaced all DC wiring with continuous runs of 12AWG for all lights and systems, overkill but you get less than 3% voltage drop (brighter lights and more efficient) 

3)      Install an ACR between your battery banks for controlled charging of your house bank and start battery when on shore power or engine. 

4)      Install fuses at the alternator and batteries, check to make sure you don’t have more than 3 connections to a battery terminal if so get a post and terminal covers (ABYC)

5)      I have a 33 amp emergency battery installed for strobe light, tricolor and instruments

6)      Check shore power wiring connections at the plug for corrosion, upgrade to a smart plug and think about an ELCI breaker for galvanic corrosion protection as well as a galvanic isolator.

7)      If you don’t have one a DC multimeter is nice for display of battery bank voltage and draw 

8)      Bilge pumps should have power to them 24/7 with a manual switch for auto/off/manual on 

 

Diagram what you want to do and call Blue Sea  Systems, you get to talk to a real person for as long as it takes and they can walk you through what needs to be done as well as to suggest part numbers and fuse sizes.  They are the best!  Use the ancor heat shrink connectors for your connections.  Also calculate your wire size correctly using the calculator on the Bluesea.com website, remember a wire run includes both positive and negative wire lengths. 

 

My diagram in the article is missing an additional ACR I installed so that all three battery banks are controlled during charging and I think I also added terminals to the batteries with fuses as well.  

 

Steve

#312 Peregrine

Seattle

 

 

From: Listserve [mailto:listserve-bounces at catalina38.org] On Behalf Of 1derful at comcast.net
Sent: Tuesday, March 03, 2015 9:30 PM
To: Catalina
Subject: [C38] up-grading electrical system

 


What upgrades are recommended?

 

Thanks,

 

Patrick Harpole

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