242 Limited S e-series wiring harness

[AndyD]

Can anybody tell me what these extra harnesses are pre-wired for? I'm not an electrical guru by any means but if I can get started in the right direction I can usually figure it out. I'm trying to wire up a new Garmin chart plotter but I hope I don't have to fish new wires all the way back to the battery or fuse box. The Garmin comes with 4 wires and it looks like one of these wire harness is set up the same way but I'm not 100% sure and don't want to short anything out. Can't seem to find any wiring diagrams online anywhere. Thanks if advance!!

 

[Mainah]

The gray capped wires are for starboard ECU, Port ECU and Connext diagnostics. I am not sure what the black capped twisted one is for. I can say that tapping into the gray capped ones is very risky.

I reccomnd tapping into the 12v accesory port wires behind the helm assuming you have a s itched 12 volt accessory port. If not then you can tap into the keyed switch by the throttles. Last choice would be to install an accesory fuse box in the helm by running power and ground from the batteries.

 

[Benny Sibbitt]

Safest bet is to install a fuse box..... very simple
Then you could add other electronics later if you want
I ran all the wires through the engine and around Starboard side
I used 6 gauge wire as recommended on the fuse box.

Cut off inline fuse

 

[tocelli]

Safest bet is to install a fuse box..... very simple
Then you could add other electronics later if you want
I ran all the wires through the engine and around Starboard side
I used 6 gauge wire as recommended on the fuse box.
View attachment 51107 View attachment 51108 View attachment 51109
Cut off inline fuse

View attachment 51110

Benny... I am considering doing the same thing with adding the fuse box. Do you remember how long your cables were to reach under the helm?

 

[Benny Sibbitt]

Yep I used 25 feet of 6 gauge wire, you'll have about 3 feet left
This is the fuse box I used.....
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000THQ0CQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
very easy install, just run red + and black - wire to fuse box
Be sure to install an inline fuse by the battery on the red wire. I opt to get on with a cut off switch so when I store the boat I hit the button and shuts the power off to my fuse box.
I connect fusebox straight to house battery, not to the switch in the boat.
I connected my simrad GPS yesterday and works like a charm
Simrad provide 3 amp fuse that fit right in my fuse box so I didn't have to add an inline fuse for my gps.
I think I may add some blue led lights now and plug right into my fuse box.....

 

[MattFX4]

@Benny Sibbitt where did you get that push button inline fuse?

 

[Benny Sibbitt]

@Benny Sibbitt where did you get that push button inline fuse?

Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01LW1C0DX/ref=yo_ii_pd_dx_gc_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=VJMJYKWC1TK9MNRHFR65

 

[Rob9550]

I love this community of Jetboaters. I am able to save money by doing the installs myself and spend the cash on more gadgets! I have to install my VHF, Chartplotter and Battery Charger this weekend. Can't wait for the season to start.

 

[MattFX4]

Yep I used 25 feet of 6 gauge wire, you'll have about 3 feet left
This is the fuse box I used.....
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000THQ0CQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
very easy install, just run red + and black - wire to fuse box
Be sure to install an inline fuse by the battery on the red wire. I opt to get on with a cut off switch so when I store the boat I hit the button and shuts the power off to my fuse box.
I connect fusebox straight to house battery, not to the switch in the boat.
I connected my simrad GPS yesterday and works like a charm
Simrad provide 3 amp fuse that fit right in my fuse box so I didn't have to add an inline fuse for my gps.
I think I may add some blue led lights now and plug right into my fuse box.....


View attachment 51316

25' per wire? So 50' total to run both positive and negative? I want to run something similar to power my EQ and RGB light controller.

 

[Mainah]

@MattFX4 - Don't you already have 4 gauge going to the helm? An eq and a rgb controller should not draw too much power assuming not for high power underwater leds.

For those thinking about amps and other accessories just run 0 gauge to the helm and be done with it. You will have plenty of power capacity for amps and fuse boxes all with one run and you can just distribute from there.

 

[MattFX4]

@MattFX4 - Don't you already have 4 gauge going to the helm? An eq and a rgb controller should not draw too much power assuming not for high power underwater leds.

For those thinking about amps and other accessories just run 0 gauge to the helm and be done with it. You will have plenty of power capacity for amps and fuse boxes all with one run and you can just distribute from there.

Duh of course! I have been thinking about too many mods over the past few days and I'm all over the place, so wasn't even thinking about existing power wire to my amps. So I would just run power and ground from the distribution blocks pictured below?




Think I'm going with 12awg speaker wire from knu konceptz for my rev 10's, and 22 awg rgb pvc jacketed wire from superbright led's to power the speaker rings.

 

[Benny Sibbitt]

I thought about tapping into my amp wires also, but I always heard you should run amps on its own feed to avoid hissing and any strange noise from inefficient power and electronic feedbacks from other electronics. I am not a professional so I could be wrong.
Also I wanted a separate shut off of my fusebox when I am beached listening to music.

 

[Mainah]

I would avoid that 22awg. I would go with cl2 or cl3 4 conductor speaker wire in 16 or 18 awg for the leds. You can find that stuff cheap on Amazon and it has the benefit of an outer sheath for all 4 wires and being designed to be pulled in a wall. I would hate to see what a little rubbing from an in the tower install would do to 22awg. 12awg sounds right for the rev 10s.

 

[Benny Sibbitt]

25' per wire? So 50' total to run both positive and negative? I want to run something similar to power my EQ and RGB light controller.

Yes 25 feet each red and black
So 50 feet total

 

[MattFX4]

I would avoid that 22awg. I would go with cl2 or cl3 4 conductor speaker wire in 16 or 18 awg for the leds. You can find that stuff cheap on Amazon and it has the benefit of an outer sheath for all 4 wires and being designed to be pulled in a wall. I would hate to see what a little rubbing from an in the tower install would do to 22awg. 12awg sounds right for the rev 10s.

Ok I'll check that wire out. I was going to go with the wet sounds wet wire combo that is 12 awg speaker wire and 22awg led power wire all in one. $1.99 a foot though so looking at other options!

 

[MattFX4]

I would avoid that 22awg. I would go with cl2 or cl3 4 conductor speaker wire in 16 or 18 awg for the leds. You can find that stuff cheap on Amazon and it has the benefit of an outer sheath for all 4 wires and being designed to be pulled in a wall. I would hate to see what a little rubbing from an in the tower install would do to 22awg. 12awg sounds right for the rev 10s.

This is the 22awg wire I was referring to. I will look in to the 18awg wire you mentioned though.

https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/trade-show-led-panel-lights/pvc-jacketed-4-conductor-22-awg-power-wire-pp-frpvc-gray/1851/

 

[Mainah]

@Benny Sibbitt - Loops and EFI should be avoided. This is a bigger issue with chassis common which there is no worry of in a fiberglass boat. The important part is establishing a distribution to which has larger "incoming" wires than the branches. Daisy chaining from one load to another is a no no.

I won't get into resistance, the flow of electrons. and how conventional notation is wrong based on what is actually happing. Lets just say you want a bigger pipe to draw the power back to the negative of the battery rather than being drawn to the negative of a differnt branch. Similarly you want want a bigger pipe to feed power to everything drawing it rather than being drawn from something else on another branch.

 

[Mainah]

This is the 22awg wire I was referring to. I will look in to the 18awg wire you mentioned though.

https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/trade-show-led-panel-lights/pvc-jacketed-4-conductor-22-awg-power-wire-pp-frpvc-gray/1851/

That is just in wall stranded telephone wire being marketed another way. It may be just fine for your length of run and draw. I would just personally go bigger.

 

[Benny Sibbitt]

@Benny Sibbitt - Loops and EFI should be avoided. This is a bigger issue with chassis common which there is no worry of in a fiberglass boat. The important part is establishing a distribution to which has larger "incoming" wires than the branches. Daisy chaining from one load to another is a no no.

I won't get into resistance, the flow of electrons. and how conventional notation is wrong based on what is actually happing. Lets just say you want a bigger pipe to draw the power back to the negative of the battery rather than being drawn to the negative of a differnt branch. Similarly you want want a bigger pipe to feed power to everything drawing it rather than being drawn from something else on another branch.

Nicely said....

 

[ralphsmithiii]

Yep I used 25 feet of 6 gauge wire, you'll have about 3 feet left
This is the fuse box I used.....
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000THQ0CQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
very easy install, just run red + and black - wire to fuse box
Be sure to install an inline fuse by the battery on the red wire. I opt to get on with a cut off switch so when I store the boat I hit the button and shuts the power off to my fuse box.
I connect fusebox straight to house battery, not to the switch in the boat.
I connected my simrad GPS yesterday and works like a charm
Simrad provide 3 amp fuse that fit right in my fuse box so I didn't have to add an inline fuse for my gps.
I think I may add some blue led lights now and plug right into my fuse box.....


View attachment 51316

@Benny Sibbitt Does this fuse panel require 6awg or do you think 8awg would suffice? I was looking at http://www.knukonceptz.com/marine-audio/marine-power-wire/ and they sell 1/0, 4, and 8 gauge but not 6 on their website.