Blue Fin Spectrum complete restoration

[TruckDrivingFool]

Looking good!

 

[xmxaxrxtxyx]

WELL I DRILLED A HOLE THROUGH MY HULL!!!! Progress is slow cause of all the small stuff I hafta do before I lay down carpet my dad is helping me now so it's going much faster!!
ADVICE: Don't go back and forth to your boat while your restoring it!! Find a volunteer!!

 

[chasmo]

Lol great point!! Where would I go to get this aluminum?

​You would be surprised what you can do with old aluminum extension ladders I an aluminum boat with no sub floor. Used them on my SeaNymph 14R flooring.

 

[xmxaxrxtxyx]

​You would be surprised what you can do with old aluminum extension ladders I an aluminum boat with no sub floor. Used them on my SeaNymph 14R flooring.

Now THAT is a good idea!!!

 

[xmxaxrxtxyx]

NEED HELP HERE GUYS!!!
My dad did most of the wiring in the boat & he connected all the ground wires to the hull.
I didnt really like that, but he's my dad and I figured he's smarter than me anyway!!:/
Now after some searching I find you DO NOT want to ground to the boat!!
Can anyone confirm this, and if so tell me why not?

 

[xmxaxrxtxyx]

PS: all the ground wires are connected to the hull with a rivet "if that makes a difference?

 

[jbcurt00]

Nope, on an alumimum boat you DONT want to ise the hull as a ground.

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

It's common in automotive wiring to use the chassis as a ground but when you do it in a tin boat you turn the hull into a big anode. While it might take years we don't need to invite an more corrosion then we have to.

Edited to add: You can run all the grounds to one binding post for convenience just make sure it is isolated from the hull.

 

[xmxaxrxtxyx]

Well could I have 1 ground wire running around the boat and have everything connected to it, or should they all be seperate?

 

[Bow Guy]

It's common in automotive wiring to use the chassis as a ground but when you do it in a tin boat you turn the hull into a big anode. While it might take years we don't need to invite an more corrosion then we have to.

Edited to add: You can run all the grounds to one binding post for convenience just make sure it is isolated from the hull.

I am interested in how to mount the single ground post/bar also... following!

Nice work xmxaxrxtxyx !!

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

Now that I'm not fresh off of work and I've had some sleep lets back up a step Marty,

A chassis ground like this



You don't want for the above described reasons. If you're talking about merely riveting a wire/cable support to the hull then you're ok so long as you seal the hole.

On a small tiller boat with just say a fish finder on one side and a few lights it may make more sense to just home run (a + and - the entire length) everything to a control panel or the battery.

Give us an idea of what/where you are powering and we can help with a plan.

I am interested in how to mount the single ground post/bar also... following!

I haven't looked in your thread (today) but post up what you're trying to do and you know we can give you ideas.

 

[xmxaxrxtxyx]

Ok I have a switch for inside lights, navigation lights, bilge and spotlight. Then I have the fishfinders, fuel sender and gauges hooked up like that too. Posting pics promptly

 

[xmxaxrxtxyx]

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[xmxaxrxtxyx]

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[xmxaxrxtxyx]

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Ice chest drawer

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

Where does you trolling motor power come from? Same batteries as lights or is it on it's own battery?

 

[xmxaxrxtxyx]

Trolling motor and electric start boat motor are directly hooked up to a separate battery

 

[fishin98]

Just finished wiring my Alumacraft...here is a look of the fuse panel the 2 10 gauge black and red come straight off the battery, then everything runs out of the fuse panel, excuse the white wire, using that as a ground wire as I ran out of 14ga black. Then everything runs off the fuse panel, to the switch, aux plug and the depth finder,

 

[xmxaxrxtxyx]

Just finished wiring my Alumacraft...here is a look of the fuse panel the 2 10 gauge black and red come straight off the battery, then everything runs out of the fuse panel, excuse the white wire, using that as a ground wire as I ran out of 14ga black. Then everything runs off the fuse panel, to the switch, aux plug and the depth finder,

Now THATS an organized arrangement!!

 

[chasmo]

XMAX...I just pulled the wiring harness from under the dash of my 87 Sportsman. There is a buss bar / fuse panel there. The red goes to positive and black to negative of the battery as you know. I have pictures if your interested. I was thinking of putting the same breaker box as above but the original is so simple I'm gonna keep it the same. Trolling motor connects to its own battery thru a 60amp breaker.