organizing a battery

theoryofwi

Cadet
Joined
Apr 7, 2014
Messages
20
so i got pulled over for this cause i dont have caps on the terminals. how to most guys organize this with a lot of stuff connected to it?
 

Attachments

  • photo221379.jpg
    photo221379.jpg
    26.7 KB · Views: 0

Tnstratofam

Commander
Joined
Aug 18, 2013
Messages
2,679
My battery is in a battery box like the kind you can buy at wally world. My terminals have a few wires connected like yours, but the cover on the box hides all of it. Plus it keeps the terminals covered as well. That's legal here but may not be in your state.
 

theoryofwi

Cadet
Joined
Apr 7, 2014
Messages
20
oh sorry i have the covered ones for the trolling motor batterys. what i ment was is there a way to organize 20 things on 2 terminals? like not a fuse box cause everything has fuses on the lines
 

GA_Boater

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
May 24, 2011
Messages
49,038
What exactly did you get cited or warned for?

One way is to add terminal blocks for multiple attachments - http://www.iboats.com/SeaChoice-Nic...130545627--session_id.952169372--view_id.2904

Another way other is to crimp more than one wire in the ring lug. This can be a pain and lead to electrical woes.

I would go with the first choice because your wiring is a mess - sorry.

Neither solves the problem of uncovered battery posts - Get a box and at least hide all that or get some of these - http://www.iboats.com/Marine-Battery-Terminal-Boots/dm/view_id.374310
 

GA_Boater

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
May 24, 2011
Messages
49,038
One more thing. Think about using some fuse blocks with labels. How do you find the wire with the blown fuse when they all look alike?
 

gm280

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Jun 26, 2011
Messages
14,585
I agree, use a terminal block for both positive and negative sides. And make certain that the terminal block (usually the positive side) is fused or circuit breakered as well. It honestly doesn't take that much extra time to arrange things in a nice neat orderly fashion when doing things the correct way. Label each fuse or wire so you will be able to tell which wire you are looking for in the future. Because you will absolutely forget, guaranteed. When having to track down a electrical problem, it will certainly pay for itself in time saved to have everything in a nice orderly fashion then... And I am also planning to make a clear concise schematic diagram to go along with the wiring setup in my boat as well... A little time spent now saves so much time when things are not going so well later... JMHO!
 

theoryofwi

Cadet
Joined
Apr 7, 2014
Messages
20
Do the terminal blocks have like one wire coming from a battery termail and from that it splits off into 6, 8 etc..outlets? Or does each one need a wire from the batt?
 
Top