Wiring Advice re: Fuse Panel and Common Bus

[Blaugrana]

As I am looking to replace the battery cables and the wire running to the helm, I would like some advice on how best to wire the new fuse panel and common busbar that I am replacing. I ended up ordering the Blue Sea System Common Bus Bar 2300 (150Amp) and Blue Sea System Fuse Panel 12 circuits with negative bus 5026. Per Grady, these are the replacements for my 2000 228.

I started reviewing my current setup (pics attached), but was a little confused. Below is what I noticed so far.

- There are 3 positive terminals going to the current Fuse Panel. My assumption is that 1 is from the breaker by the battery, 2nd is going to the panel at the Hardtop, and 3rd is an unknown right now.

- There are 3 negative terminals running from the Current Fuse Panel. Similar assumptions as the above, with the 3rd still being an unknown

- My common busbar has 5 terminals, but none are on the stud, which seems odd. Also, I need to break apart all of my wires to figure out what they are as the common busbar wires get lost in the harness. From what I can tell, none go to the fuse panel.


My "electronics", as of now:
- Spreader lights + hardtop spotlight
- VHF
- CD + Radio
- GPS/ Fishfinder (will be replaced by new 7in MFD)
- Depth Finder (will be replaced by a 2nd 7in MFD
- Radar
- Usuals (Bilge pumps, livewell, etc)
- Fuse Panel and Busbar under steering wheel (replacing these)
- 2nd Fuse Panel in hardtop (not replacing)

Questions
1. Any idea what could be the 3rd positive terminal on my fuse panel? What should I look for?

2. What typically should be fed to the common busbar?

3. My plan is to basically match the current setup on the fuse panel except I am unsure of what I should do with the negative. Should I continue to have all grounds go to the same stud on the fuse panel or have the fuse panel go to the common busbar and have them ground there? Obviously, positive and negative on each device will stay on the fuse panel.

 

[Pighunter]

As I am looking to replace the battery cables and the wire running to the helm, I would like some advice on how best to wire the new fuse panel and common busbar that I am replacing. I ended up ordering the Blue Sea System Common Bus Bar 2300 (150Amp) and Blue Sea System Fuse Panel 12 circuits with negative bus 5026. Per Grady, these are the replacements for my 2000 228.

I started reviewing my current setup (pics attached), but was a little confused. Below is what I noticed so far.

- There are 3 positive terminals going to the current Fuse Panel. My assumption is that 1 is from the breaker by the battery, 2nd is going to the panel at the Hardtop, and 3rd is an unknown right now.

- There are 3 negative terminals running from the Current Fuse Panel. Similar assumptions as the above, with the 3rd still being an unknown

- My common busbar has 5 terminals, but none are on the stud, which seems odd. Also, I need to break apart all of my wires to figure out what they are as the common busbar wires get lost in the harness. From what I can tell, none go to the fuse panel.


My "electronics", as of now:
- Spreader lights + hardtop spotlight
- VHF
- CD + Radio
- GPS/ Fishfinder (will be replaced by new 7in MFD)
- Depth Finder (will be replaced by a 2nd 7in MFD
- Radar
- Usuals (Bilge pumps, livewell, etc)
- Fuse Panel and Busbar under steering wheel (replacing these)
- 2nd Fuse Panel in hardtop (not replacing)

Questions
1. Any idea what could be the 3rd positive terminal on my fuse panel? What should I look for?

2. What typically should be fed to the common busbar?

3. My plan is to basically match the current setup on the fuse panel except I am unsure of what I should do with the negative. Should I continue to have all grounds go to the same stud on the fuse panel or have the fuse panel go to the common busbar and have them ground there? Obviously, positive and negative on each device will stay on the fuse panel.

I can't answer your specific questions but I just started ripping out my fuse block in my 1999 hard top 228. Much different then yours, Looks like some jumped it a second fuse block on the other side of the box. I'm ripping it all out and going with one with 12 stations. I'm installing the same fuse panel you are from "Blue sea"

 

[Blaugrana]

I can't answer your specific questions but I just started ripping out my fuse block in my 1999 hard top 228. Much different then yours, Looks like some jumped it a second fuse block on the other side of the box. I'm ripping it all out and going with one with 12 stations. I'm installing the same fuse panel you are from "Blue sea"View attachment 16583

I have the same panel in my hardtop but looks in good condition for its age. If mine looked like yours, I would probably be tackling that first . I’ll try to grab a pick of mine when I’m by the boat again

 

[SkunkBoat]

quoting amamola:

As I am looking to replace the battery cables and the wire running to the helm, I would like some advice on how best to wire the new fuse panel and common busbar that I am replacing. I ended up ordering the Blue Sea System Common Bus Bar 2300 (150Amp) and Blue Sea System Fuse Panel 12 circuits with negative bus 5026. Per Grady, these are the replacements for my 2000 228.

I started reviewing my current setup (pics attached), but was a little confused. Below is what I noticed so far.

- There are 3 positive terminals going to the current Fuse Panel. My assumption is that 1 is from the breaker by the battery, 2nd is going to the panel at the Hardtop, and 3rd is an unknown right now.

- There are 3 negative terminals running from the Current Fuse Panel. Similar assumptions as the above, with the 3rd still being an unknown

- My common busbar has 5 terminals, but none are on the stud, which seems odd. Also, I need to break apart all of my wires to figure out what they are as the common busbar wires get lost in the harness. From what I can tell, none go to the fuse panel.


My "electronics", as of now:
- Spreader lights + hardtop spotlight
- VHF
- CD + Radio
- GPS/ Fishfinder (will be replaced by new 7in MFD)
- Depth Finder (will be replaced by a 2nd 7in MFD
- Radar
- Usuals (Bilge pumps, livewell, etc)
- Fuse Panel and Busbar under steering wheel (replacing these)
- 2nd Fuse Panel in hardtop (not replacing)

You will need a NMEA2k data bus between your electronics with power fed from a fuse on the panel

Questions
1. Any idea what could be the 3rd positive terminal on my fuse panel? What should I look for?
Possibly feeding breakers on the switch panel at the helm or feeding the "cigarette lighter" accessory or the macerator pump...
Do you have breakers at each switch?

2. What typically should be fed to the common busbar?
Jumper to/from the fuse panel common, Switch panel at the helm, Hardtop common, macerator or other pump commons...
...anything that does not go to the common on the fuse panel or all the way back to the Battery common

3. My plan is to basically match the current setup on the fuse panel except I am unsure of what I should do with the negative. Should I continue to have all grounds go to the same stud on the fuse panel or have the fuse panel go to the common busbar and have them ground there?
Your common (black) from the battery goes to the fuse panel? or the bus bar?
Whichever the case, be sure the jumper between them is correctly sized...if in doubt, make it the same size as the wire from the battery.

Obviously, positive and negative on each device will stay on the fuse panel.
Best Practice would have the positive and negative on each device will stay on the fuse panel.

I would try not to put a common on the fuse panel that did not get the Positive fed from a fuse. This helps in tracing/troubleshooting and ensuring the proper wire size of the panel. In other words..."balance " the panel.

 

[Blaugrana]

Thanks Skunkboat!

I completely overlooked the NMEA backbone that I will be adding to my electronics as part of the install with the two new MFDs.

Questions
1. Any idea what could be the 3rd positive terminal on my fuse panel? What should I look for?
Possibly feeding breakers on the switch panel at the helm or feeding the "cigarette lighter" accessory or the macerator pump...
Do you have breakers at each switch? Yes, I do. Think you solved the extra positive and ground on the fuse panel. These have to be from switch panel, but I'll confirm once I take the switch panel off again.

2. What typically should be fed to the common busbar?
Jumper to/from the fuse panel common, Switch panel at the helm, Hardtop common, macerator or other pump commons...
...anything that does not go to the common on the fuse panel or all the way back to the Battery common. I need to look into this further. I do not have a macerator and believe my switch panel goes to my fuse panel rather than the common busbar. I also assume my hardtop common is going to my fuse panel as well. I need to check where my spreader lights, spotlight and ignition (assume the engine) are grounded. I can't think of 5 devices that I have on my boat that are not fed from the fuse panel. I assume if its fed by the fuse panel its ground should be there as well.

3. My plan is to basically match the current setup on the fuse panel except I am unsure of what I should do with the negative. Should I continue to have all grounds go to the same stud on the fuse panel or have the fuse panel go to the common busbar and have them ground there?
Your common (black) from the battery goes to the fuse panel? or the bus bar? Fuse panel. All the ground wires on the common were not as thick as the fuse panel grounds.
Whichever the case, be sure the jumper between them is correctly sized...if in doubt, make it the same size as the wire from the battery. Agreed - Think you mentioned on a previous post to use 8 or 10AWG and I'll probably be cautious by going with 8AWG.

Obviously, positive and negative on each device will stay on the fuse panel.
Best Practice would have the positive and negative on each device will stay on the fuse panel.

I would try not to put a common on the fuse panel that did not get the Positive fed from a fuse. This helps in tracing/troubleshooting and ensuring the proper wire size of the panel. In other words..."balance " the panel. Understood

Guess this is the fun of having a used boat. I get to inherit the wacky ways previous owners might have done the electrical over the years with upgrades.

 

[SkunkBoat]

The things that are fed from the switch panel may come back to the common bus.

Get yourself a labeler or some white or yellow electrical tape and a Sharpie marker.

 

[Blaugrana]

Agreed - Took my daughter’s labeler down last weekend to start marking off the wires before I take it all apart

 

[Hookup1]

Use labeler but get good picture too before and after labels.