Bus Bar Installation

[mlambui]

I know nothing about electrical other then hooking up switches but I was wondering how do I install a bus bar on my boat????

I need to know about fusing, gauge of wire, how it hooks on the battery and all that good stuff

please be descriptive!!!

-mlambui

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Bus Bar Installation

Have you done a search on this forum yet for that topic? There are many, many threads on how to do this.

 

[mlambui]

Re: Bus Bar Installation

I have but they always ask a question a little different then mine

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Bus Bar Installation

OK -- lets start with basics.
1) Why do you need a buss bar?
2) What accessories do you have on this boat.
3) What type of boat.
4) What engine (year, make, HP, etc.)
5) Electric trolling motor (yes or no, 12 volt, 24 volt or combo 12/24 volt).
6) One battery or dual battery with ACR, dual battery switch, isolator or?????
7) Current wiring system configuration.

We can't see your boat so you need to provide at least a little more information. There is no one way that's correct in all situations. For all we know you already have one.

 

[sschefer]

Re: Bus Bar Installation

OK -- lets start with basics.
1) Why do you need a buss bar?
2) What accessories do you have on this boat.
3) What type of boat.
4) What engine (year, make, HP, etc.)
5) Electric trolling motor (yes or no, 12 volt, 24 volt or combo 12/24 volt).
6) One battery or dual battery with ACR, dual battery switch, isolator or?????
7) Current wiring system configuration.

We can't see your boat so you need to provide at least a little more information. There is no one way that's correct in all situations. For all we know you already have one.

Beautifully said...

Here's a link that explains it pretty well and gives you all the info you asked for. If you need more help then put together the answers to Silvertip's list and we'll see what we can do.

http://www.fishingandboats.com/boat-wiring.html

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Bus Bar Installation

That is a conceptual drawing illustrating what the buss is for. So do it like it shows. And just so you know, if you are using a switch panel with a bunch of switches on it, the positive buss is already there. It is the wire that daisy chains the12 volt INPUT side of all switches. That technically is not a BUSS. If you use a fuse panel, then the spot on that panel that feeds the 12 volt INPUT side of all fuses again can be considered a buss. In the real world, you might find switches mounted separately from any buss and fuse panels separate from the switches. So the question now is, what in heck are you trying to do. We have no idea what boat you have. Give us some help here since we can't see it.