My next project!!

[Ky Grady]

My New Wire Marine switch panel arrived today. Looking forward to getting it back in the boat. Moved a couple of switch locations around, picked up 2 accessory spots, put breakers below the switches and added a back-lit Grady-White logo in the unused space at the end. All switches and logo are back-lit in blue.

 

[Fishtales]

Very nice... Pics after install!

 

[Ky Grady]

Very nice... Pics after install!

Most definitely.

 

[SkunkBoat]

Thats a big wire bundle. Those are labeled and you are going to hardwire to them? That should be nice.
Mine just plugged the old wires to the new switches.

I just spent all day today rerouting all the wires out of the OEM grady bundles to make it easier to look at back of the panel.

Hope you like the blue back-lite. Gonna look cool. Not a fan of blue lights while driving in the dark.

 

[Hookup1]

Pic of the back of the panel would be nice. I'm thinking about doing mine.

 

[Ky Grady]

Thats a big wire bundle. Those are labeled and you are going to hardwire to them? That should be nice.
Mine just plugged the old wires to the new switches.

I just spent all day today rerouting all the wires out of the OEM grady bundles to make it easier to look at back of the panel.

Hope you like the blue back-lite. Gonna look cool. Not a fan of blue lights while driving in the dark.

The blue will be down low by my hip/leg while driving, as I stand at night, can see better than trying to look through the slanted windshield with glare off the dash, so pretty sure it will be a non issue for me.

As far as the wiring, I haven't decided if I'll hardwire directly to new wires or butt connect and shrink tube the old plug end on and plug it all back into the main harness.

 

[Ky Grady]

Pic of the back of the panel would be nice. I'm thinking about doing mine.

 

[Hookup1]

The connectors on the back of my panel are working but not in the best of shape. I see the 15-pin Molex in Skunkboat's photo. Is the switch panel pluggable?

 

[GradyGary226]

I built my own with the new wire switches....I think it turned out pretty nice....Had to change a bit of the factory wiring but not much.

 

[Ky Grady]

The connectors on the back of my panel are working but not in the best of shape. I see the 15-pin Molex in Skunkboat's photo. Is the switch panel pluggable?

That's my photo of my old panel connector. If I want it pluggable, I will have to go through and cut the wires on the plug and butt connect the new panel wires to the old plug circuit wire,,,,, or bypass the plug altogether, and butt connect directly to the circuit on the boat side of the plug.

 

[Ky Grady]

I built my own with the new wire switches....I think it turned out pretty nice....Had to change a bit of the factory wiring but not much.

Looks good. Wanted to replace my side panel on mine to go matte black to match my dash panels. Also 20 year old switches and breakers that needed replacing.

 

[SkunkBoat]

I suggest NOT going to the molex plugs. They are a failure point. Pinning a molex plug is tedious. You need proper pin and crimp tools. You can't wing it. I haven't done it in this century.
If you want to be able to disconnect the panel , use individual disconnect terminals. They are easier, they give you ability to swap to test when troubleshooting



I had to bypass a molex for the cabin lights and now the livewell is also giving a problem. Voltage gets thru one plug but doesn't reach the pump.

You might find as I did that they are green. Maybe yours are better without the constant salt air.. Many wires go thru multiple plugs to get where they are going. I had there different plugs with wires that went to the switch panel. I rearranged them so that I can easily lift up an turn over the panel with wires attached.

I am going to bypass the molex for the main 12V feed. Go straight short pieces of 10awg from the terminal blocks under the dash.

There are two unused light blue wires to the aft bilge. I think they were for OMC motor oil tanks? Might be able to use for livewell. Otherwise I have to fish a new cable.

 

[Ky Grady]

Well, after further investigation, New Wire unplugged all my old switches from the old panel in order to ship it back to me, so clueless as to where the circuits are. Luckily I have the owners manual and the wiring diagram is in it. Guess I'll be hooking up direct instead of the plug.

 

[Ky Grady]

I suggest NOT going to the molex plugs. They are a failure point. Pinning a molex plug is tedious. You need proper pin and crimp tools. You can't wing it. I haven't done it in this century.
If you want to be able to disconnect the panel , use individual disconnect terminals. They are easier, they give you ability to swap to test when troubleshooting
View attachment 33557


I had to bypass a molex for the cabin lights and now the livewell is also giving a problem. Voltage gets thru one plug but doesn't reach the pump.

You might find as I did that they are green. Maybe yours are better without the constant salt air.. Many wires go thru multiple plugs to get where they are going. I had there different plugs with wires that went to the switch panel. I rearranged them so that I can easily lift up an turn over the panel with wires attached.

I am going to bypass the molex for the main 12V feed. Go straight short pieces of 10awg from the terminal blocks under the dash.

There are two unused light blue wires to the aft bilge. I think they were for OMC motor oil tanks? Might be able to use for livewell. Otherwise I have to fish a new cable.

Thank you! I posted my last reply before I saw your post. Going direct seems to be the cleaner option at this point.

 

[SkunkBoat]

If I were you I would use disconnects over butt connectors. You just put properly sized females on all of your new red wire. Properly sized males on the colored wires.
Then you sit there and figure out where to plug them.

Use females on the panel wires that will be the signal source(hot). They are coming from the switched leg.. You don't want hot male ends that can short out if they touch ground

Remember, the power feed to the panel is the source. its opposite.


FYI, there are very similar Orange/black, orange brown, orange blue. For pumps and wipers. Pay attention and TEST.

 

[Ky Grady]

If I were you I would use disconnects over butt connectors. You just put properly sized females on all of your new red wire. Properly sized males on the colored wires.
Then you sit there and figure out where to plug them.

Use females on the panel wires that will be the signal source(hot). They are coming from the switched leg.. You don't want hot male ends that can short out if they touch ground

Remember, the power feed to the panel is the source. its opposite.

Thank you my friend!! Already looking at the Ancor heat shrink snap connectors. Makes perfect sense to keep the hot ends shielded when working on the panel.

 

[SkunkBoat]

Just don't get it backwards. The switches are sending the power out the wires. Your new red wires get the female ends. ...except the power feed red and black. that is coming in.

 

[Ky Grady]

Just don't get it backwards. The switches are sending the power out the wires. Your new red wires get the female ends. ...except the power feed red and black. that is coming in.

Those are the red/black coming through the molex from the boat side of the existing harness?

 

[glacierbaze]

Would be helpful to have a multi meter with an audible beep for continuity. One probe on the switch, the other to verify the wire at the end of the bundle.

 

[Ky Grady]

Would be helpful to have a multi meter with an audible beep for continuity. One probe on the switch, the other to verify the wire at the end of the bundle.

Yep,,, I have one ready to go. Just have to make time to work on the boat.