Electrical gurus. (Boat electrical)

[bronze_10]

This past fall u moved my batteries in my boat to an unused area beside the engines. I also put the batteries inside invidual battery boxes. The problem is i have a lot of stuff comeing off of the ground posts. I want to get a ground distribution block that i can attack a battery cable too so it needs to be much larger than one for the elctronics that i put behind the helm. I am haveing trouble finding one. Any help?

 

[Mainah]

This past fall u moved my batteries in my boat to an unused area beside the engines. I also put the batteries inside invidual battery boxes. The problem is i have a lot of stuff comeing off of the ground posts. I want to get a ground distribution block that i can attack a battery cable too so it needs to be much larger than one for the elctronics that i put behind the helm. I am haveing trouble finding one. Any help?

Lots of different types out there from ones that mount to the battery terminal itself to ones to remote ground bars. Here is one with 3/8 studs which should fit the existing ring terminals assuming that is what you have.

Fastronix 3/8" 4 Stud Ground Distribution Block with Cover https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078VGH8DW/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_i_47ipCbYJYG6X2

 

[2kwik4u]

In a previous career I installed voice/data cabling as well as the equipment and racks to accompany all that cabling. ALL of our equipment and racks had to be grounded/bonded for safety and signal integrity reasons. We used GIANT bus bars with 0 and sometimes 00 cable attaching to them, and then various gauges running off from there. Those are all probably too large for a marine application (and the wrong materials), so I don't have a good firsthand reccomendation, however changing your search terms to "bus bar" or "busbar" might help find something with more connections and capabilities.

 

[bronze_10]

Lots of different types out there from ones that mount to the battery terminal itself to ones to remote ground bars. Here is one with 3/8 studs which should fit the existing ring terminals assuming that is what you have.

Fastronix 3/8" 4 Stud Ground Distribution Block with Cover https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078VGH8DW/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_i_47ipCbYJYG6X2

See... this is why i love this forum..

In a previous career I installed voice/data cabling as well as the equipment and racks to accompany all that cabling. ALL of our equipment and racks had to be grounded/bonded for safety and signal integrity reasons. We used GIANT bus bars with 0 and sometimes 00 cable attaching to them, and then various gauges running off from there. Those are all probably too large for a marine application (and the wrong materials), so I don't have a good firsthand reccomendation, however changing your search terms to "bus bar" or "busbar" might help find something with more connections and capabilities.

Ahhhhh. Busbar.... there we go! Txs..

 

[Jgorm]

I just use a bolt for the ground and attach all the wires. I use mini an distribution blocks for the positive.

 

[swatski]

I would second that^^^. Easy to make and inexpensive. I made some for my ballast installed following advice here


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[Beachbummer]

https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sea-Systems-Common-Busbar/dp/B0091VHLW4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1547505524&sr=8-1&keywords=ground+busbar

I bought this and ended up not using. I'm a fan of crimp/spade connectors...as needed I have been daisy chaining these and I find it more convenient and practical than the busbar.

Using good old cable and something like these
https://www.amazon.com/AIRIC-Waterproof-Electrical-Disconnects-Disconnectors/dp/B06XCRHJQS/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1547505608&sr=8-4&keywords=spade+connector+female (Not exactly what I purchased but this kind is pretty standard.

 

[Jgorm]

I'm a fan of crimp/spade connectors

I'm the opposite. I hate those because of the high failure rate and difficulty to solder.

 

[Beachbummer]

How do they fail for you? I crimp them with a BIG crimper and tug on them really good to confirm its all set. No solder. Have used them for years and I have not yet had one fail. I use the ones with the full plastic case around so nothing is exposed when they are well closed.

 

[Julian]

See... this is why i love this forum..


Ahhhhh. Busbar.... there we go! Txs..

Yup...a busbar is what you seek! I have one by the batteries and then buy fuse panels with them built in for distribution blocks (like one behind the helm), I typically use this style - it has 6 connection points for both positive and ground connections. Nice and neat labeling. You can see my install here, and you can see the busbar here.

 

[bronze_10]

Yup...a busbar is what you seek! I have one by the batteries and then buy fuse panels with them built in for distribution blocks (like one behind the helm), I typically use this style - it has 6 connection points for both positive and ground connections. Nice and neat labeling. You can see my install here, and you can see the busbar here.

I have that behind the helm to run all the electronics. I am looking for a large bus bar for battery cabkes to place outside the battery box and attach all the negative cables to. Like the one @Mainah showed. Thats the one i need. Ill get a pic of it this spring.

 

[tdonoughue]

I have the one that @Beachbummer listed from Amazon. Works fine for me. I mounted it over in the compartment where the batteries were originally... I like that it has 2 sizes of posts so I can attach small gauge or larger gauge wires.

Then I have a larger size of @Julian 's offering for the positive side. Really makes adding circuits much easier to have them both.

 

[Julian]

I have that behind the helm to run all the electronics. I am looking for a large bus bar for battery cabkes to place outside the battery box and attach all the negative cables to. Like the one @Mainah showed. Thats the one i need. Ill get a pic of it this spring.

Yup...like the one I have linked above....I mounted it right next to the batteries - then only have one main neg cable to each battery - you can see it in the left side of this pic (my battery charger has dedicated lines for Pos and Neg that I connect directly to each battery):

 

[bronze_10]

Yes... thats it. Gonna try to cleN all that up this spring. I already have the battery box moubted and the batteries inside but once all the cables were connected it is hard to get the lid on it so this will fix that problem.