Wiring Bilge Pump & VHF

[A1an]

Currently fitting out my console and I'm undecided on the way to wire the above items.

Bilge pump has it own 3 way switch. Feed switch direct from battery?

VHF from fuse panel? I don't see the point in running this through a switch first?

Do people take off the little glass fuse holder that is factory fitted to the power leads that are supplied with electrical items. Is there any need for it if the item is already fused through a fuse box? Just another fuse to carry in the 'spares' box.

[GuyC]

My tuppence and how I'm approaching my re-wire is that all my consumers are powered by individual switches regardless of whether they have their own on off switch. I don't have a specific reason for doing this other than neatness and consistency. I like the idea of being able to see at a glance whether everything is on or off.

The engine battery and house battery are isolated via a Blue Sea dual circuit battery switch which isolates both sets of batteries simultaneously.

I've got a small electric bilge pump and float switch that is directly connected, via a switch, to the house battery bypassing the isolator. In theory and assuming the house battery is fully charged, it will pump continuously for 48 hours which will see it shift about 40 tonnes of water. I suspect I've got bigger fish to fry if that is needed.

I'll be interested in hearing people's thoughts about removing the factory fitted fuses. My view is that the fuses in the fuse box should be rated to the capacity of the smallest wire up to the consumer and therefore the factory fitted fuse is redundant.

[A1an]

I'm coming round to the way of thinking that if the item has a switch on it why put another one in the chain. I've mapped it out so that my VHF, plotter, stereo (if I fit one but the allocation is there) will all be from the fuse panel but things like nav/anchor and deck lights, aux power socket and spare will be from switch panel.

At the moment I've got the feed for bilge pump coming from the 'live' side of the isolator.

[Andy_Rs600]

Personally:

1) I do take off the glass fuses and run everything via a fuse on the main fuse board.
2) If something has it's own power switch I do not have another switch in the supply - to me this just makes fault finding easier if something won't power on
3) the bilge pump has power taken directly from one of the batteries, and has it's own in-line fuse thus bypassing the fuse board/power bus and isolator switch.

[jambo]

Agree with Andy. Especially no 3 re the bilge pump direct feed only way as you can switch of the rest of the system thereby eliminating wire corrosion especially if the ribs is kept on water.

[Pikey Dave]

Similar to Andy. I don't double up on switches, just another failure point. Everything apart from the bilge pump is the through the main battery isolator. Bilge pump has its own separate fused feed from the live side of the isolator.

[A1an]

Perfect.

Many thanks.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

Similar to Andy. I don't double up on switches, just another failure point. Everything apart from the bilge pump is the through the main battery isolator. Bilge pump has its own separate fused feed from the live side of the isolator.

Ps, used heat shrink terminals & tinned copper cable.

[A1an]

Yep, everything tinned and terminals are heat shrink.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by A1an

Yep, everything tinned and terminals are heat shrink.

[emoji106]

[jambo]

Originally Posted by A1an

Yep, everything tinned and terminals are heat shrink.

Expected nothing less!![emoji106]

[A1an]

I’ve had long enough to gather bits together.

[jambo]

Originally Posted by A1an

I’ve had long enough to gather bits together.

It’ll be worth it when you feel the wind again blasting down the Loch!![emoji106]