Fuse Block Question

[Hookedup]

Have any of you guys ran your riggers and electronics to a separate fuse block? Am thinking of runing off battery to seperate fuse box or block for electronics and riggers. Is this a good idea and what is the best gauge of wire for run from battery, and brand of fuse block to use? Thanks Sean

[Jax]

IMO

I think it depends on the boat and battery set up. I have my batteries in the rear of my boat with a fuse panel up under the dash. The riggers are all wired directly to the battery with moisture resistent inline fuses. Less wiring to run going directly to the battery and you mite run the risk of overloading your block if you bring up all 4 riggers at the same time or 2 at a time. Save the block for low draw items, subtroll, depthfinder, bliges, lights.

just my 2 cents.....

How do you have them wired now? Have you had any problems with them that way.

[jimski2]

Most batterys are located in the stern of the boat. I always used inline fuses close to the positive terminal with the least amount of wire necessary to reach the riggers. Large ring crimp on terminals workfine. A tie wrap will hold the negative and positive ends together so when you change batterys your ends do not get mixed up.

[Tim Bromund]

I use dual bus bar's mounted on the inside of the transom, one on each side immediately adjacent to the battery. I wire all of the electronics on each side of the boat to the bar on that side, positive leads to one side and negative leads on the other. Then I just have a single 10 ga wire running from the bottom position on each side of the bar to the appropriate post on the battery. It makes for a much cleaner installation than having a bunch of individual wires running to the battery posts

I have a 10 post dual bus bar on each side (port and staboard) of the transom.

Tim

[Iceman]

Tim;

Nice clean set up! Where did you get the bars?

[Tim Bromund]

I got mine at West Marine, but I would imagine any boat supply company would have them in the electrical section

here's the link to them on West Marine's website

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/st ... assNum=753

Tim

[alloutdoorsman]

I do the same except I have a fuse block, one on the transom that has 6 connections and one under the dash with 10 connections! The fuses are the new style spade push ins that are easy to change and easy to see if they are blown! I ran 10 gauge wire with an inline fuse (30 amp, extra protection) to the dash and 10 gauge wire (50 amp fuse) to the transom. Its neater and cleaner, also not as many battery connections. both are easily accessable because its usually dark or extremely rough when one blows and dont want to be fumbling around looking for them! Hope this helps

[Hookedup]

Thanks guys I am picking up a new boat in Jan and I want to rig it with less wire. My last boat I ran every thing to the 4 bats I had to may wires. When you make your run do you put the 30 amp or 50 amp fuse in line before the block?

[big easy]

I'm a little late in this,but Blue Seas,makes some very nice fuse blocks.

I mounted one on the transom,where I have an access door.I ran 8 Gauge wire from the battery switch to the fuse block,and went from the block to the riggers with 10 gauge wire.

The heavier the wire(within reason)the better.

The Blue seas stuff is sold at all the major boating stores like West marine and Boaters world,and places on the net.I used their #5025 which has six fused circuits,and takes the blade type ATC/ATO fuses.They have a nice snap on cover to protect the connections

http://bluesea.com/