1995 BF75A accessory wiring help request

Hi

Finally after rebuilding the transom of the boat I bought in Feb this year I have the engine bolted on at last.
I need to now create the wiring but am a little unsure what's needed in terms of wiring to the console.

I have 4 gauges -

Honda Tacho (analog)
Honda trim/tilt (analog)
Faria Volt meter
Unbranded Fuel gauge

The fuel gauge of course has its own separate sender so I can forget that for now
There is a spur of wires that comes off the harness from the ignition/throttle control box and it has these wires:



Not sure what each one is, but I'm led to believe that the wiring harness has wires to provide signal & power for gauges.
Can anyone possibly clarify what each wires is in the pic above please?

Aside from the gauges themselves, I have various other things to run, so it would be really useful to know what current the feed through these wires is able to supply. That way I can determine what other items can be powered from this without the need for sending more wiring from the battery to the switch panel.

This includes things like fish finder/gps, vhf radio, nav lights, bilge pump (I'm certain this will definitely need a beefier power source, even if the other things don't!).
Somehow I can't envisage these items plus gauges and their illumination all coming from these little wires.


On another cabling related note, can anyone advise what the standard gauge/thickness/cross section (mm2) is that's needed as a minimum for the engine supply cabling? Ie the cable that goes from battery to engine?

I'm fitting an isolater key and a rotary switch for battery selection so I need to make up a series of short cables for this and am uncertain what cable I need optimally for this. Last thing I want to do is create problems by installing cables that aren't up to the job, so at least if I know what the minimum spec is then I can set that as a baseline for what to buy.

Many thanks!
Jim

Re: 1995 BF75A accessory wiring help request

The gray wire is probably the tach signal. Check the trim sensor on the motor's mounting bracket for the wire colors; they are probably the same up at the control box.

You shouldn't run the accessories off the motor circuit. It runs through the ignition switch, and that isn't intended to carry that much of a load. You should have (or install) a fuse block in the console, and feed it with separate 8 or 10 gauge leads directly to the battery. Connect your accessories to the fuse block, each on its own circuit.

Match the cable gauge of the current main battery leads to the motor for the battery switch cabling.

EDIT: Here is a link to the owner's manual for your motor, which includes a wiring diagram: http://m.marine.honda.com/pdf/manuals/31ZW0602.pdf

Re: 1995 BF75A accessory wiring help request

There are diagrams at the very top of this forum -- not the top of this page.

Re: 1995 BF75A accessory wiring help request

Many thanks - will check those out.

That's interesting cheers
I was actually going to do exactly what you describe, but in the last few days while googling about boat wiring, I found a load of forum threads saying to run low current items from the accessory out from the outboard, instead of running from a separately powered switch panel like I had planned to do.

I'm familiar with automotive wiring in general but not specific protocols that people might use with marine stuff, and have no idea what sort of stuff you can acceptably run from an outboard's wiring as I don't have info on the output.

I did think this was a little odd, but figured it's worth investigating further to find out what sort of output levels the accessory wiring can reasonably support.
I'd already bought a 6 gang fused switch panel to replace the manky one that I removed from the boat originally, and my plan was to give it a direct feed from the isolator key, and have it distribute power to:

GPS/Fishfinder
Nav lights
VHF radio
Horn
Bilge pump
Instruments

But having read threads (will have to find links) stating that you shouldn't complicate the wiring like that when you already have an adequate feed from the accessory wiring for any low power stuff, it cast a doubt on it.

I suspect the accessory wiring is likely designed to support power for gauges and nothing more.

In respect of measuring the existing cable, it's hard to know exactly what it is, although I suppose as long as I can measure the core thickness with vernier, then get some stuff that's a minimum of the same thickness it ought to suffice.

Appreciate the input.