Help needed with wiring harness issues please

I realized my previous thread title was kina confusing, just like my brain... So I'm asking for help rather than sounding like I'm posting advice.

This is the battery management system I purchased from EzAcDc.

http://www.ezacdc.com/Scripts/prodVi...?idproduct=113

I?m adding the following components to my boat, a motorguide w-55 wireless, new stereo CD head unit, small power amp for sub, trim gauge, and Guest two leg charging system and fish finder/depth gauge. The tech rep from above link suggests wiring all of my house items to my deep cycle battery, and leaving the other battery only for starting. This seems like a great idea, but after I studied my wiring diagram, I went out to look at the boat. It seems all helm gauges and controls are in a mass bundled harness that plugs into a receptacle harness from the engine (attached to starter/slave solenoid).

Now I?m very intimidated? Not knowing exactly what is needed to just start the engine for Bat1, and what wires I can separate, and re-locate to the house battery bat2.

Another idea was to just leave the wiring alone, and just put all the new components I'm adding listed above on the new deep cycle house battery.

Does anyone have any opinions on what they would do?

What wires are required just to start the boat?

Thanks in advance, and sorry for the confusing previous thread.

I've attached the suggested wiring diagram fro EZACDC.

Re: Help needed with wiring harness issues please

First your trolling motor will draw allot more amps than the rest of the items on your list. It is probably best to run the power for the trolling motor directly to the house side of the main battery switch with its own fuse/ breaker. That way if the TM blows a fuse for some reason it will not effect the rest of your stuff.
Next I would run a second separate hot wire, also from the house side of the battery switch, to power all the house loads, (accessory items, general lights, and Nav lights)
What you do next depends on what you have in your boat now.
You need to determine how battery power is distributed through the boat before you make any changes.
In a boat, you normally have two main sources of power coming from the battery. One will power all your engine functions and gauges. The other will power everything else.
The engine functions, including the start circuit and gauge panel, normally get power from the engine through the key switch harness. You will leave this circuit alone.
What you need to find is the main power wire that feeds every thing else. Normally, this wire will get power from the battery side of the start solenoid. Look for a ring terminal at the solenoid on the battery cable post and trace it. It will likely feed power to a fuse panel that powers any lights, pumps or accessories you have on the boat. That main power feed needs to be connected to your house battery. (house side of battery switch)
How your boat is wired depends on the manufacturer and you should verify what I have written above is correct to your boat. At the top of this forum's page you will see a title "generic boat wiring diagram by Silvertip". I highly recommend you take a look at it. It shows how the accessory circuits are normally run in a boat. The "12 volt Battery" wire shown at the lower left on the diagram that feeds the "master" switch and the fuse panel pictured is the one you are looking for in your boat. Once you locate it, connect it to the house side of your battery switch as shown in the diagram you have in YOUR post.
Confused?

Re: Help needed with wiring harness issues please



The red line in your new system diagram is the one you are looking for. Once this is done it is a simple matter of adding a larger fuse panel to accommodate the accessories you want to add. The cool thing is when it is wired this way you can jam, troll, and light up the night to your hearts desire. With the engine off all your accessories draw only from the house battery. You can run it stone dead and still start the boat.

You should make an effort to trace all the existing circuits and be familiar with where they get power. You never know where a past owner or a bonehead at the factory "rigged" some wiring.

The system you selected is a cool one. It has a set-and-forget feature to it. The main power is a simple on/ off proposition. Conventional 1-2-both type switches are too easy to forget about while you are enjoying the lake. Forget and leave it in the "both" position and boom, all the batteries are dead. (have done it, no fun) Your system eliminates that possibility. Turn it on and go fishing, turn it off when you get home, I like it.

Re: Help needed with wiring harness issues please

Thanks dude!

The boat is gonna be in my garage this weekend... I'll check it out!

Thanks again!