86 18' Starcraft SFM

[MD28]

Thanks Holiday. That is how I plan on doing it as well.

 

[66Holiday924]

if you do a cabin light under your dash, or deck lights, I would say they come on with the anchor light, but you can turn them off at the fixture. I have a cuddy, and I want a dome light in the cuddy. It will get power on my first pull but My dome light will have a switch on it, to turn it on and off at the fixture. I'm not doing deck lighting, but I would wan them that way too if I were.

 

[Watermann]

I don't have a pull type switch rather a toggle switch panel, the nav light switch turns on the gauge lights too and another switch turns on the 360 white light.

 

[66Holiday924]

Check this out:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Marine-Cus...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

It's a 15 yr. old girl who makes custom switch labels for toggle switches. I bought a few for my pull switches.

 

[Watermann]

Those really are nice labels.

Sorry I really should not be posting after 12 hour night shifts and being up 24 for over hours. :lol:

 

[MD28]

I am actually just using the old pull switches that came with the boat. I kinda like them and they come with labels already. I also put in a new 12v socket that came with a cigarette lighter that doubles as a chart plotter/night light. I am also just reusing the gauges for now, although I plan on changing them later because these are old and I cant get the back lighting to work. Figuring how to rewire the gauges took a lot of brian power and time today. Kinda like detective work trying to figure out from the old rats nest and pictures I took during the tear out just how to wire the fuel gauge and trim gauge. But they are both working beside the back lights. Again I must say I like the Blue Seas terminal block. Im sure there are neater wiring jobs in this forum, but this block sure made it easy for me!

 

[MD28]

Im still waiting for bow nav lights yet. I will also be adding some interior lights later down the road. In the mean time I have two panels to install in the back above the stern casting deck. Splash should be coming soon...

 

[66Holiday924]

I would be re-using those switches too. They look awesome! I am in the process of doing the same thing, right now. I am rebuilding my dash, it's wood. I bought a new piece of African Mahogany, cut out all the holes, and I've been wiring all the gauges. I built the wires at my picnic table, with the dash uninstalled. Right now I'm coating my dash with polyurethane and I'm hoping tomorrow I will be ready to install.

I bought the same fuse block from Blue Seas. It is nice. How are you planning on wiring that? I have it under my dash, and I'm going back to the battery with it. Doing it the way they say, adding up all the amperage of everything, assuming everything were turned on, and considering the length of wire running to the back of the boat (doubled because it grounds back to the battery), I get you would need 2 gauge feed and ground running from the battery, to the panel.

 

[MD28]

If you need 2 gauge you must be pulling a lot of amps!
i went with 10 as Waterman suggested. I have a total of 24’ and less than 20 amps. According to the chart I have that calls for 8 to 10 gauge.

 

[66Holiday924]

I used the circuit calculator on Blue Seas website. As suggested I plugged in -3% loss, and I rounded the usage up to 50 amps so I don't have to worry if I want to add a few other electronics in the future. My length is like 38'. I'm going off of what I know my steering cable was, I haven't measured it yet. I think it might go down to 4 ga. after I plug in the right length.

The usage, they say to assume everything is turned on (which would never be the case) but I get:

Port/Stbd Running - 3.7 amp
Anchor Light - 1 amp
Compass & Instrument Lights - 1.2 amp
Bilge - 3 amp
Horn - 1 amp
Phone/Cigarette lighter - 15 amp
Cabin Light - 1 amp
stereo - 7 amp (probably a gross over estimate)
Marine Radio (transmit) - 1.5 amp (estimate)
Fish Finder/GPS - 2 amp (estimate)
Deck Lights - 1.7 (estimate)
TOTAL - 38.1 amps

The stuff I used estimates for are items I don't have, but might want to add in the future. My boat will have a stereo, I don't have one yet though. My plan is to basically run the whole boat through the panel. I don't want to have to re-wire it later if I decide to add stuff. Check out the circuit wizard:

http://circuitwizard.bluesea.com/

 

[Watermann]

You'll need to add the bilge blower to your list too 66.

Yeah MD using that 10ga primary wire gives you 30 amps, depending on the length of run so you should be in great shape for amps. Using LED lights will cut power consumption way down too.

 

[MD28]

Speaking of LED

 

[FIGMO]

Hey MD,

Love those nav lights! Now you got me thinking I might want to do the same thing. I know I have to replace my existing nav lights as the trolling motor will block out the port side light. So I was thinking I would go with the post light that you can insert or remove as needed. After seeing your picture, it has made me rethink my approach. Do you have any day light pictures of how those were installed?

 

[MD28]

I don’t have any other pictures at the moment and I’m out of town. I’ll try to do that tomorrow night or Friday night. It’s basically just a strip encased in silicone with 3m adhesive on the back. I don’t know how well the adhesive will last,but they are cheap and look sweet.

 

[MD28]

After nearly exactly two years since I bought this boat we finally have a SPLASH! Thanks to all who have helped with their invaluable advice! We had a little trouble getting the motor to start, even though I had it running at home. I also had to adjust the idle up a little because it would die when I switched into gear. Now it is probably idled too high. So Im still working out some kinks. All in all we had a good day, and even pulled the kids tubing!

 

[Watermann]

Oh yeah another old SC brought back and Splashed! :rockon:

Nice work!

 

[No-AH]

Congrats on your splash M8! You must be thrilled and if I say so that wake looks sweet with the kids in tow! A day on the water like that makes it all worth while doesn't it? I'm hoping for a mid August day for me and my re-do.

 

[66Holiday924]

You did an awesome job! Congratulations on the Splash. The boat looks great and love to see it pulling some tubers!eace:

 

[crankbait cowboy]

splash!! congrads and a great looking ride you have got there

 

[BWR1953]

After nearly exactly two years since I bought this boat we finally have a SPLASH! Thanks to all who have helped with their invaluable advice! We had a little trouble getting the motor to start, even though I had it running at home. I also had to adjust the idle up a little because it would die when I switched into gear. Now it is probably idled too high. So Im still working out some kinks. All in all we had a good day, and even pulled the kids tubing!
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Congratulations!! :rockon: