Please do it RIGHT or don't do it!

[witenite0560]

Re: Please do it RIGHT or don't do it!

It's been my experience that any boat that older than about 15 years and gone through more than a couple of POs, is probably just going to need new wiring. Definitely if it was built in the 60s or 70s the insulation will be shot. Just rewire it and make it better.

 

['96 Charger]

Re: Please do it RIGHT or don't do it!

So, I've been going through the wiring on my rig today and couldn't believe how many fire hazards I had to take care of including the trolling motor! The butt connectors someone used on the foot control were melted together and there was also bare wire showing! I blame it on the small access panel fitting too tight. Will remedy that shortly.

 

[GatorMike]

Re: Please do it RIGHT or don't do it!

Harsh and not the point. The frustration is over correcting short-cuts and laziness of POs, not the purchase.

I wouldn't let wiring hacks stop me from buying a boat, but buying it wouldn't stop me from throwing tools while trying to make it right.

S/F
Jake

I don't think he was harsh at all. I deal with this all the time in a different industry. If you buy something as expensive as a boat/house/vehicle/buisness and don't have the expertise to check it out yourself hire someone to check it out for you. If there is some flaw that is intentionaly hidden that is one thing but don't buy somebody elses junk and complain about it.

 

[DianneB]

Re: Please do it RIGHT or don't do it!

... don't buy somebody elses junk and complain about it.

You missed the point. I am not complaining about the boat I bought just begging people to use enough common sense not to create a safety hazard.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Please do it RIGHT or don't do it!

Dianne, the point is, your "begging people to use common sense" is just howling at the rain. The world is populated by people who don't think and act like engineers. They cut your grass wrong, pack your groceries wrong, design your cell phones wrong and put the tags in your clothes wrong. Deal with it.

 

[DianneB]

Re: Please do it RIGHT or don't do it!

I know it is still going to continue H.C. but can't I at least grumble about it? :redface: If somebody wants to risk their own life, that's their business but I just hate the idea of innocent people being hurt.

Nuff said.

 

[Jakebob]

Re: Please do it RIGHT or don't do it!

I don't think he was harsh at all. I deal with this all the time in a different industry. If you buy something as expensive as a boat/house/vehicle/buisness and don't have the expertise to check it out yourself hire someone to check it out for you. If there is some flaw that is intentionaly hidden that is one thing but don't buy somebody elses junk and complain about it.

Hilarious. I?d love to see you guys tear in to a boat project, find something stupid, and watch you smile and laugh. Whistling while you work on some rat?s nest a PO created without a hint of frustration. Oh lookie at this fire hazard, la la la la la.

You will never find everything in an inspection unless you find a seller who will let you disassemble his boat before you buy.

It?s natural to vent about the stupidity or lack of common sense displayed by others. This forum is full of posts asking questions about fixing the idiocy of others and I guarantee that many of those are posted because the new owner is frustrated.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Please do it RIGHT or don't do it!

I'd say "it is what it is" shake your head, forgive them and move on. It's just not worth dwelling on. The fun for me would be knowing that when it's done it's done right. Can't help what others do!

My boat and computor are immaculate yet my truck and my desk are a mess!

 

[witenite0560]

Re: Please do it RIGHT or don't do it!

Dianne, the point is, your "begging people to use common sense" is just howling at the rain. The world is populated by people who don't think and act like engineers. They cut your grass wrong, pack your groceries wrong, design your cell phones wrong and put the tags in your clothes wrong. Deal with it.

Thank God most people don't think and act like engineers!! Too often, engineers only see the little gizmo they're working on. Not how it fits into the bigger product. By the time they get done designing this miraculous gonkulater, it's useless for it's intended purpose, won't fit or can't be maintained once it's installed!! I know, I know, we can't get by without them. I just wish they'd use some common sense and look at the big picture some times. But, then where'd be the fun for us in the field in making improvements if they designed and built everything perfectly to begin with, right! LOL

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Please do it RIGHT or don't do it!

Lol, my main gripe with engineers is that they never have to work on what they design. If they did, they wouldn't build many things the way they do. I can think of several maintenance tasks that used to be easy on cars/trucks that have become much more complicated due to engineering "advances".

 

[convergent]

Re: Please do it RIGHT or don't do it!

It doesn't take much longer to solder a connection and properly protect it.

I thought that you were not supposed to solder wiring in boat applications due to it being brittle and breaking from the vibrations. I've been using the crimp connectors because of this advice that I thought I got on iBoats.

On the OP's struggles, if the boat is that old it is possible that procrastination and "in a pinch" repairs have piled up. In my case, I have a degree in electronics technology and certainly know how to do things electronically (given the right knowledge from the experts on here), but there are cases where I might do something as a short term fix that I planned to come back and repair properly... only to have a couple of years go by and never get back to it. That reminds me that I accidentally bought solid wire to run power for my stereo and haven't gone back and pulled stranded wire to replace it.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Please do it RIGHT or don't do it!

I thought that you were not supposed to solder wiring in boat applications due to it being brittle and breaking from the vibrations. I've been using the crimp connectors because of this advice that I thought I got on iBoats.

Crimped connections are just fine. I also use heat-shrink tubing if I think the connection will be exposed to water (around the engine or entry/exit points).

 

[RICHARD5]

Re: Please do it RIGHT or don't do it!

I bought my 1985 HydroSwift in 2008. It's 22' long and had been owned by a retired engineer and his son, an electrician.

I pulled out over 400' of wire. No, the boat still ran. I'm talking about wire that had no rhyme or reason although all of it was energized for some system. No terminal block, no fuses, splices were sometimes twisted, sometimes simply relying on the aged black tape to hold it together. Not even wire nuts and certainly no soldered splices. The wires weren't zip-tied or run through clips or clamps. They were hung on wood screws! along the gunwale, then stuffed in place under the console.

There was no batt switch and some accessories were energized straight to the batt.

Some monkey used vised grips on the fuel line at the carb so the brass fitting was rounded over. There were two VHF antennas but neither worked even though they were "hot". The steering cables were frayed and misrigged and JB Weld was used to glue the wheel to the steering column. But by golly, the antique 8 track worked just fine.

I could go on and on...

So why did I buy this boat? Because it's a solid hull and I knew it could stand the Pacific ocean even though it had live it entire previous existence on Lake Powell. And because I have the know-how and the tools to make it into the boat I want it to be. It's a project but it's already spent many fine days on the ocean. Besides, I like projects.

 

[RICHARD5]

Re: Please do it RIGHT or don't do it!

Crimped connections are just fine. I also use heat-shrink tubing if I think the connection will be exposed to water (around the engine or entry/exit points).

When rewiring the trailer, I soldered every splice. Then dipped the splices in that liquid rubber, then heat shrink tubing over that. I made a test piece of that splice and sunk it in saltwater. After 30 days of continuous soaking and letting it air dry before being dunked again, there was zero signs of moisture on the splice.

 

[witenite0560]

Re: Please do it RIGHT or don't do it!

I guess it's user preference. But, I much prefer good quality crimp on splices/connectors over soldering. Also, I've got a reference book, I think it's "The 12 volt Bible", something like that and it does mention that soldered joints are more susceptible to vibration. But, I'm sure that depends on where the joint is and how it is supported. In case you've never used them, the so called "environmental" splices/connectors are da bomb!! For the most part they look just like a regular crimp connector. But, after you crimp them you heat them up with a heat gun and the plastic shrinks up and seals them closed. Saweeeet! But, they are a bit spendy, so I only use them in places that are subject to a lot of moisture.

 

[Baysidejoe]

Re: Please do it RIGHT or don't do it!

Any way you look at it, She has a lot of work cut out for herself. I give credit to all that take on a big recon. project. When it all said and done, you can say- I made this happen.

 

[Jet Wrench]

This is what it should look like:

This is what it should look like:

Jet Wrench

 

[eli_lilly]

Re: Please do it RIGHT or don't do it!

don't just assume it was a previous owner, manufacturers have been know to pull some really questionable stuff too!

I'll second that one, particularly with regards to boat wiring.

-E

 

[dbkerley]

Re: Please do it RIGHT or don't do it!

If I got back one of the boats I had 20 years ago, I'm sure I would have a cow over some of the stupid connections I did then.

I remember repairing a trolling motor circuit on the lake that was factory wired across the top of the steel fuel tank and overfused @30amps. I accidently hit the switch that changed it to 24 volts and melted down the fuse. I retied the connector unfused and forgot to fix it right later. It may still be like that.

If the owner shows up at my shop I will fix it (for real) free.

BTW - my current ride not only has bus bars, circuit breakers, etc., it also has a back up panel so I can reconnect any circuit on the boat while on the water and still make it back.

 

[DianneB]

Re: Please do it RIGHT or don't do it!

This is what I started with:

This is the new helm - it is a fold-open style to make it serviceable. The wiring will look better when it is all laced. All connections are crimped and soldered and it is fully documented.

Two days of wiring and one more to go.....