How do i wire the terminal block

[zach103]

This is what i'm at right now.. the wire thats all the way on the right is the one from the battery (not permanent).. the rest are all the accesories and switches.. now is this correct or is there a certain way of wiring it.. the battery has power.

The positives are hooked to the switch box than the postive from there to the battery..
also on the swtiches..
1=negative
2=accessory
3= positive that connects to a fuse than to the battery

is that also correct?

 

[bruceb58]

Re: How do i wire the terminal block

This is a ground terminal block right? Why is the wire leading to the battery so small? You do realize that your fuse/breaker at your battery has to protect that small wire right?

 

[zach103]

Re: How do i wire the terminal block

im just using it too see if i can get anything to work.. the real battery cables are in the mail..

 

[seabob4]

Re: How do i wire the terminal block

Zach,
You do realize that that 6-gang terminal strip is 6 individual circuits? In other words, it's not a bus bar. Since all the wires (even the temporary one) are black, so I'm assuming it is a "ground bus"...

I may be wrong, but if it to serve as a ground bus, why not use a bus bar fed by an 8GA off your batt and then connect the equipment grounds to any position on the bus?

 

[zach103]

Re: How do i wire the terminal block

Zach,
You do realize that that 6-gang terminal strip is 6 individual circuits? In other words, it's not a bus bar. Since all the wires (even the temporary one) are black, so I'm assuming it is a "ground bus"...

I may be wrong, but if it to serve as a ground bus, why not use a bus bar fed by an 8GA off your batt and then connect the equipment grounds to any position on the bus?

Ok ya that was my idea.. i guess i got the wrong thing.. ..but i have the right idea with all the connections on there correct?

 

[Silvertip]

Re: How do i wire the terminal block

It would sure help to know exactly what you are trying to wire up. This is a barrier strip and we (at least I) can't tell if each pair of terminals have the jumper between them so you may have a barrier strip with twelve individual contact points, all of which are separated from each other. Hang in there and I'll draw a picture of what I think you are trying to do.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: How do i wire the terminal block

It appears this is what you are trying to do. The barrier strips you use must have jumpers at each terminal pair. Each barrier pair must also be jumpered as shown in red. This applies 12 volts to each terminal on one side of the barrier strip. The 12 volt feeds go out the other side. You can use a second barrier strip for the ground buss or you can use one half of the upper barrier strip for 12 volts and bottom half for ground.

 

[zach103]

Re: How do i wire the terminal block

aahhhhh i get it now.. well right now the bilge. bow and stern lights.. horn and the ground for the switches is going into that terminal.. but i need to make the jumpers like the diagram you have silvertip. all the positives except the gauges are going directly to the switches

 

[zach103]

Re: How do i wire the terminal block

heres what i plan to do .. after i do the jumpers... the positives run from the middle of the switches to whats written

 

[seabob4]

Re: How do i wire the terminal block

Zach,
Check out these 2 drawings:

Any questions, fire away...

 

[zach103]

Re: How do i wire the terminal block

okay. i see what im doing wrong.. im saving all these and trying it tomor ill let you guys know what happens

 

[Silvertip]

Re: How do i wire the terminal block

Nope - your drawing is still very wrong. 12 volts flows from the +12v buss to a switch FIRST. Your drawing shows no switches ahead of the device so they would run all the time. You also show jumpers between the horn, lights and bilge. That also is wrong since all three would turn on all the time. You also show a wire running from the ground bus to "switches".. You do not switch ground. The only ground wire on a switch is the one for an internal light if the switch has one. Otherwise you never wire a switch to ground. Here is a basic wiring diagram for a simple circuit.

And here is one that you can follow the flow of current.

 

[zach103]

Re: How do i wire the terminal block

Nope - your drawing is still very wrong. 12 volts flows from the +12v buss to a switch FIRST. Your drawing shows no switches ahead of the device so they would run all the time. You also show jumpers between the horn, lights and bilge. That also is wrong since all three would turn on all the time. You also show a wire running from the ground bus to "switches".. You do not switch ground. The only ground wire on a switch is the one for an internal light if the switch has one. Otherwise you never wire a switch to ground. Here is a basic wiring diagram for a simple circuit.

Ok There is going to be a main switch on the positive end ( also in the mail) and so that will be installed so the positives are directly on the battery..

2.. The jumpers are only there to just connect all the positives so it has power.. there are seperate slots on the switches for the accesory to go on.. i tested it today and they all go on individually with their own switch..

3.. The switches all have lights thats why its grounded..

The switch box came with the wiring all set up.. the only thing i did was just connect the accessory to the switch..

The one snag im on is that the speedo the light has two connections next to it.. now is one the postive one the negative?

 

[Silvertip]

Re: How do i wire the terminal block

OK -- it sounds like you are creating a lot of wiring for no reason. If you have a pre-wired switch panel, connect +12 volts and ground to (the feed), and connect the loads to its applicable switch. You don't need a barrier strip at all. If the switch panel does not a +12 volt jumper between each LINE terminal switch, make them and forget the barrier strip which creates a whole bunch more potential points of failure.

 

[bittybear]

Okay, I'm lost. I found this thread and have a similar problem. But I'm not getting the diagrams?

​Really need some pics here. When one switch is on, continuity on both positive and negative wires at battery terminals regardless of which wire I am checking.

 

[GA_Boater]

Okay, I'm lost. I found this thread and have a similar problem. But I'm not getting the diagrams?

​Really need some pics here. When one switch is on, continuity on both positive and negative wires at battery terminals regardless of which wire I am checking.

Please start a new thread as this one is over 7 years old. Many photos are missing due to Photobucket changing their TOS.

Closed.