Help wiring up electronics

[lil bitty]

I recently purchased a Lowrance GPS and now I need to install it on my 170 cc. I will in the near future also be buying a few other electronic devices (cb radio, fish finder, etc.) to mount on the console. I would like to know what the best method would be to wire in the new electronics. It seems to me that I should run new wires from the starting battery to the console and attach them to a bus bar or a fuse/breaker block, and then tie in the electronics to that. What size wire should I run from the battery to the bus bar (approx. 12ft. run)? What type of bus bar or fuse/breaker block would be best? Any ideas or tips are appreciated.

[OspreyVic]

Lil bitty, I do not know that there is a “best” way. There more I read the better I understand that there are many solutions to the things we do to our boats.

If I may be so bold, I would suggest you read the Article “Additions & Modifications to Our New 2005 Triumph 210”. The article tries to explain what we did to our boat and might give you some ideas. We certainly do not profess that anything we did was the “best way”.


Please post some pictures and describe your final solutions.

[Genelie]

Hi, and here is my 2 cents. On your radio or other electronics...the thicker the wires the less resistant there will be. But 16 - 14 gauge is good. If you run lights I would go with 12 guage. Now on my boat it came with a buss bar. But if you read your directions for your electronics....Most say wire direct to the battery, with a fuseable link. And on the fishfinder it will tell you to add a noise suppresser...usually provided.
I had my radio wired to the buss bar, and the power out put was weak....after I wired her to the battery...I got a better performance...according to my radio checks I did. Hope this will help you.....If you are still unsure, go to any good eletrical store, they can give you all the specs on size of wire needed, and best way to install.

[fridaysoff]

Lil Bitty,
I have a 2004 170CC and I ran #12 wire up through the black tube under the deck to the console. I used a simple brass buss bar that has room for 4 different electronic devices (plenty for me). #12 wire should be plenty unless you're going to hook up a stereo and amplifier. Then I just ran a positive wire to one end and a negitive wire to the other and placed a small amp fuse in between. It works like a champ. The simple brass buss bar can be sprayed with oil every once in a while with no damage. It gets damp inside the console in the summer months and condensation builds up on anything inside. I live in Southeast NC; lots of humidity. Hope that helps.
John D.

[ILLOGICAL GGC]

l b
i opted for using a 6 position distribution panel on both the 186and 210cc i owned/own.
i just wanted electronics power to be able to be switched off and on and for the fuses to be accessible at the helm rather than under a console. because i do alot of night fishing and run in shallow rough water sounds , i want these fuses close at hand.
there is not right or wrong setup, just what best suits your needs and preference. we are here to give you the options and assist where we can.
i don't know how to make thumbnails but on page 2 of the 190 mod .photo section is a picture of the red lighted 6 position panel i installed on the 186 . i think the title refered to t-top attachment points but it is beside the thottle
robert

[lil bitty]

Thanks for all the replies! It seems that everyone has their own way of doing things, just have to figure out which will best suit my needs. I will hopefully have enough time this weekend to install it. Thanks again!