Wiring and LED Lights Question

[oakley24]

I am planning out my second battery install, and I have a couple of questions. I believe I have the basics planned for the battery compartment thanks to @HangOutdoors thread, but want to add 4 LED lights, 2 in the engine bay and 1 in each aft storage area. Controlled by an additional rocker switch panel at the helm.

- Does this crude drawing look correct? Does the negative wire care where it's located? ie. can I just run that ground to the battery compartment instead of to the helm? Although my OCD may make me run that negative wire to the helm for organization sake, but still curious



- Is it OK to use the below type connectors to attach the lights to a single wire?

 

[ripler]

You can pick up the DC negative anywhere it's convenient. You can use the connectors you have shown, but you would be better off with some type of water proof connector.

 

[Murf'n'surf]

Your negative should be to the same battery as your positive in case you are running seperated house and starting batteries.

Personally, I would use the heat shrink butt splices and other connectors. Those scotch lock connectors promote corrosion and trouble down the road.

Heat Shrink Butt Connectors | West Marine

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And if you are cutting a wire and dont like to jam 2 wires into the butt splice in order to create another run.....use a terminal block and do it up neatly.

2-Circuit Terminal Block, 20A AC/DC 300V | West Marine

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Or come straight off the battery and have a nice fuse right there.

ST-Blade Battery Terminal Mount Fuse Block Kit | West Marine

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[ripler]

Your negative should be to the same battery as your positive in case you are running seperated house and starting batteries.

All of the negatives on the boat should be tied together so it doesn't matter where it gets picked up.

 

[oakley24]

I didn't realize you could add 2 wires to one side of the butt connector. I just did some testing with scrap wire and it worked with two 16 awg wires, but I had to use a 10-12 connector. For the single wire, I just stripped it a little longer and doubled it up. I was worried about the connector on the single wire side shrinking enough, but it did.
I tested it on the battery and got the same voltage as the battery on both ends.
Thanks for the assist