Buss Bar Basics

[Chief]

As you see, my battery terminals are way overloaded. Any recommendations on how to solve this? I presume a buss bar is appropriate and I will appreciate any recommendations on what size or type of bar to buy. Are there other things I should install to ensure it is done right? Thanks for any guidance!

[MacGyver]

WHOA CHIEF!   

Yes, I would highly suggest something else, maybe for instance something like what I am doing,
http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|328|296553|336270&id=336189

This has a section for the negative buss and positive not to mention the added fuses.

Everything is then located in one place and you can run battery cables of AWG size 8 or so.

That way your wiring would be clean and your battery wouldnt look like that   
I will try to post some pics tomorrow of some ideas as my wiring project has just started and I am not done yet.....

Mac

[brackish]

Why so many direct connections?  Do you have a panel?  The only direct connections should be the two leads to the panel, the leads to your electric start/alternator for the motor if it is so equipped (should really be a second battery), leads coming from your on board battery charger if so equipped, and the leads from your properly fused 12V bilge pump.  Everything else should go through a panel with breakers or fused switches.  It will work as you have it as long as everything is properly fused, but as you've noted kind of a mess and plenty of opportunities for some interface corrosion.

Review the "Wiring Panel Woes" thread here for a good start:

http://cpyoa.geekworkshosting.com/forum/index.php?board=12.0

[moonlight]

I don't remember the exact statistic, but I believe it to be true that 55% of marine fires are electrically caused.

The reassuring part is that nearly 100% of marine fires do stop by the time they reach the water line.

Under current ABYC standards, nothing read NOTHING should be attached to the battery without a fuse, and that fuse should be within 7 inches of the battery.  Exceptions are provided for starting motor circuits (directly to the starter of an engine) and other items SO LONG AS THE CABLE HAS SUFFICIENT SUPPORT (every 18") AND IS SHEATHED WITH A SELF-EXTINGUISHING COVER OR LOOM.  I see at most only two fuses in your picture, of maybe eight wires (positive).

Also, 4 cables of any size is the maximum allowed upon one terminal.  Wing nuts are not allowed if the cable connected (or any one thereof) exceeds size 6AWG.  Three of your wires seem to be 6AWG or above.   And a battery switch must be used if the battery exceeds 800CCA (you're safe here).

It looks like there are as many as 12 leads on the negative post, and a red wire there really stands out as odd.

You'd be best developing a full wiring diagram and component list before proceeding; and contacting your closest ABYC electrician would be a great place to start!  If I can be of assistance off-line, please don't hesitate to let me know.

[LConrad]

Another concern is three heavy leads on the positive terminal and only one on the negative. What goes out comes back at the same amps. Trace the big wires out and be sure they have the same size path on the return trip to negative.

[Chief]

Thanks to each of you for offering such good answers; I really appreciate how responsive and helpful this group is. The boat has two panels in the cabin, both containing several switches with individual fuses. I have not yet traced the wires as I have had the boat only a few months now, but I do presume they all feed through the panels (I realize I should not presume too much and am wise to learn precisely how the previous owner rigged it). Given the feedback received, it is high time to get busy on this project--I certainly don't want my beautiful boat to burn down. Thanks again for being such a responsive and helpful group of folks!!

[NateD]

Under current ABYC standards, nothing read NOTHING should be attached to the battery without a fuse, and that fuse should be within 7 inches of the battery.  Exceptions are provided for starting motor circuits (directly to the starter of an engine) and other items SO LONG AS THE CABLE HAS SUFFICIENT SUPPORT (every 18") AND IS SHEATHED WITH A SELF-EXTINGUISHING COVER OR LOOM.  I see at most only two fuses in your picture, of maybe eight wires (positive).

Emphasis added, but not agreed with. That may be the ABYC standard for inboard motors (might be for outboards too, don't know, but I can tell you from experience that a starter/charging leads should be fused if there is any chance it will short. I accidentally caught the starter/charger leads for my Nissan 9.9 in my motor mount while lowering it, caused a short, started throwing sparks and quickly melted the insulation for an inch or two before I was able to pull the motor back up and break the short circuit. It didn't actually damage the copper much, so I was able to patch up the wires, but it had the potential to get ugly quickly.

[Salty19]

It looks like whatever has been added post-factory was simply wired direct, bypassing the panel.
Frankly I wouldn't bother tracing them, just start over and assume the prior owner did nothing correct in the electrical system. Based on that picture it's pretty clear he didn't know what he doing and definitely didn't consult anyone that did.  This is a great opportunity to make it really clean, functional and safe.

Good luck..shouldn't be too bad of a project.

[skip1930]

Chief; As you heard from all above this type of 'spaghetti' is not allowed. You want to turn your battery 90 degrees. Take the wood bolster out.
If you were ever boarded by the Coast Guard or went for a United States Power Squadron safety sticker, you would fail.
The Coast Guard would ruin your sailing day. You plus the boat would be escorted ashore.

~One battery lug terminal for each battery post that has one threaded stud on each lug with flat washer and butterfly nut.
~One wire from threaded stud to terminal strip; for One +, one -, soft many-multi stranded wire.
~I like silicone insulated covered wires. The kind that will bend forever and not part. All connections are to be soldered.
~I screwed my terminal strip to the back side of the starboard quarter birth on a CP-19 in front of the strapped down and covered battery box.
~Both lugs and terminals must be protected by a non-conductive covering [which I made from plastic] from being shorted out with any conductive debris.
~Covered Terminal strips would be necessary to organise this wiring.
~Every + wire has a fuse. Either on panel, hot side of switch gear, or in line. It won't do any good to fuse on the - side.

Not so much in boating but there is a reason Henry Ford used an '0' size copper cable on the hot side of my 1930 Ford Model 'A' and a 2 inch wide flat copper woven ground strap on the negative side. Model "A"s are positive ground, but that doesn't matter for this post. Electrons flow the easiest path.

skip.

[lochinvar]

Perhaps a picture would set you on the right track on this. I know with me, I am a spatial-type guy and have to see things.

This is from a Maine Sailor Project website and is about a battery monitor, bu illustrates the basic stuff you need to know:



Hope that helps.

Shawn F.

[moonlight]

Solder is neat, but also ABYC-frowned upon.  It's rigid, when the whole idea is these are flexible systems.  Compression terminals have a bit of give and take and thus don't fracture under vibration (shuddering down waves or beating into a blow).  I kinda like solder, but only where appropriate.  I just saw a line of heat-shrink butt splices that include a solder dollop inside the butt splice, and when you heat with a torch 5 sec or a heat gun 30 sec it melts (as well a the heat shrink) creating both a waterproof AND mechanical and chemical bond.  But that's only the butt splices, and they're $1+ each (compared with $0.30 for just heat shrink butt splices).  And if you're using spade or fork connectors, forget it, because the spade or fork right next to it is a mechanical contact anyway.  They're trying to sell those solder-butts for sensitive electronics applications, when really those manufacturers could avoid a whole world of problems if they'd just give us a 16 or 18 ga lead (that we can actually hold and see!) instead of trying to get away with 22 or 24ga.  Engineering sometimes is penny wise and pound foolish.

[MacGyver]

Moonlight, that kind of butt solder connector is what I use due to its ability to not be crimped and ruin the covering.
They work awesome! And provide that solid seal for bilge pumps, etc.

I am getting ready to redo my wiring in my boat, but having a hell of a time finding the color of wiring I need to extend (and add one circuit I think) to the boat. that specific wire is not the easiest to find at a good price like the straight copper is.
The little wires of the compass are something I am not real happy with, and they wont work with those soldered connectors, so not so sure what I will do there....... All my other wire is 14 and 12 gauge

that little stuff can break so easily.....
Flexibility is certainly key, but man the soldered connections are sooooooo nice.....

Mac