H34 - I have opened Pandora's box

R

RuffrLife

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May 24, 2020
9
Hunter 34 Midland
The project this spring was to build a frame over the bimini and add 2 rigid solar panels. As part of that, I decided it was a good time to have a closer look at all of the wiring and add fuses at the batteries. Well, let's just say I have now gone way deep into a rabbit hole!

One of the two house batteries in the starboard lazarett had a negative 4awg wire that was spliced in 3 places with a little twist of the wires and some electrical tape. This past weekend I replaced all of the wires from the house bank and starting battery to the switch, ACR and alternator with 1/0 marine grade.

I also tore out that gawd awful Yanmar wiring harness all the way to the B panel because most of the idiot lights and buzzers have never worked. I found a wire behind the panel that had been stripped bare and attached to it were wires coming from the aft cabin ceiling light. The wiring harness and panel are now sitting on my workbench and will be rebuilt.

Anyone else gone down the wiring rabbit hole? I'm reluctant to look any further until the fall for fear of losing a good chunk of our short sailing season!
 
stuartsw

stuartsw

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Sep 22, 2009
134
Hunter 36 Seattle, WA
Are you the original owner? Sounds like someone was careless. I have seen some “production errors” in my 2099 H36, but nothing like what you describe.
 
jssailem

jssailem

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
Oct 22, 2014
23,140
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
stuartsw said:
I have seen some “production errors” in my 2099 H36, but nothing like what you describe.
Click to expand
I know it was a typo.. Even in Seattle it is not possible to see that far into the future... But fun to consider.
"Selah" the time machine of boats...

@RuffrLife , welcome to the forum. In general I find the "If it ain't broke don't fixit" a good philosophy to live by. But with electricity I draw the line. You have found a night mare in electrical wiring. One has to wonder what else there is. Knowing you still want a sailing season, I might be worth the time to do a wiring inspection. Knowing the enemy is better than guessing or putting your head in the sand.

Then, at least, you know if the issue is just messy or dangerous. I would fix dangerous and let messy wait until after sailing season.

Oh by the way, a leak in the hull also gets my immediate attention too matter how deep the rabbit hole is.
 
R

RuffrLife

.
May 24, 2020
9
Hunter 34 Midland
stuartsw said:
Are you the original owner? Sounds like someone was careless. I have seen some “production errors” in my 2099 H36, but nothing like what you describe.
Click to expand
I believe we are the 4th or 5th owner and at least one of those prior owners fancied himself a marine electrician I'm afraid.
 
R

RuffrLife

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May 24, 2020
9
Hunter 34 Midland
jssailem said:
I know it was a typo.. Even in Seattle it is not possible to see that far into the future... But fun to consider.
Click to expand
Urghh, I feel the same so I know I have to dig deeper. thankfully we don't have much aside from cabin lights, refrigerator, water pump and hot water heater. I already re-wired the mast lights last year and I wired a small DC sub panel with appropriate wire and fuses for a couple of USB chargers and a small 300w inverter.

I will look closely for unsafe and fix messy (which there is alot of!) in the fall.
 
jssailem

jssailem

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
Oct 22, 2014
23,140
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Unless the lights are flickering, I would look at the heavy loads. Refridge, water pump Water heater. If those are safe you are probably ok for the summer.
 
R

RuffrLife

.
May 24, 2020
9
Hunter 34 Midland
jssailem said:
Unless the lights are flickering, I would look at the heavy loads. Refridge, water pump Water heater. If those are safe you are probably ok for the summer.
Click to expand
Everything seems to work just fine with the exception of the lights/buzzers on the Yanmar panel and the occasional failure of the start button (a relay is getting added with the wiring harness rebuild).

There is what appears to be Romex on the AC side which I have seen in far too many boats. I had already planned that as a fall project with the install of a smart plug for our shore power. We are in fresh water on lake Huron so corrosion is less of an issue but still.

I hope to one day get to the point where doing a nice project doesn't lead to a steaming pile of sh!t.
 
jssailem

jssailem

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
Oct 22, 2014
23,140
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
There are 2 kinds of "flat wire 3 strand" wire in use. One marine grade and the other Home Depot "Romex" .

12/3 AWG GAUGE MARINE WIRE TINNED COPPER BOAT CABLE FLAT BY THE FT
1591121461378.png


Looks like Romex but it is not. It is marine grade wire. Here is a link to the wire at GenuineDealz. One source I have used.
www.genuinedealz.com

12/3 AWG Gauge Marine Wire Tinned Copper Boat Cable Flat by the ft

12/3 AWG Gauge Marine Wire Tinned Copper Boat Cable Flat by the ft. This item is In Stock with Fast Free Shipping!
www.genuinedealz.com www.genuinedealz.com

You need to inspect the wire and or the writing on the wire to be sure. If it is multi-strand copper tinned wire then it is likely Marine grade. If it is solid copper then it is for sure "Romex house wire" not suitable for marine use. Issue is our boats like to flex while sailing. This will flex the solid copper wire. It will eventually break and the you have issues.
 
Tim Mills

Tim Mills

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Jul 6, 2017
158
Hunter H 41DS Hampton, VA
It is good practice, IMHO, to drop the AC and DC panels once a season or two and check all the breaker and bus bar screws (all power off of course) to make sure they are snug (not too tight or you will break something; ask me how I know). I am convinced that over the years I have prevented at least two boat fires by doing this. I almost lost a boat to an air conditioner breaker meltdown three years ago and an RV, both for loose connections. These boats move around all the time and things work loose sometimes. When a screw comes slightly loose the connection has some resistance and heats up, it wont trip the breaker, but it will melt it, and the wire. It only takes 10 minutes to check this.

Just take your time, do the safety hazard stuff first, and do a little bit at a time as you have time. Go sailing.
 
drew-

drew-

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Mar 27, 2020
18
hunter 34 Southern Maryland
To reiterate what Tim says, the panel on the H34 is particularly dangerous from what I have experienced. Not only are the wires terminated with fork style ends and in a rats nest formation, the AC side wire bundle is super tightly compressed onto the DC side so that removing the panel requires it to be shifted aft to even come down. I can only imagine the metal that would have been lost had they worn into eachother. Might be different on your boat but its worth a look. I had terminals come off in my hand while working on the old system. Don't forget to tug test the terminal ends you install. I was surprised to have one of mine come off. Took my ego down a notch to be sure.
Here are some before and afters if it helps. I added bus bars and terminal strips from blue sea systems to simplify the look of it and allow regular inspection. I also had to extend the AC wires as well as 2 layers of wire loom so I can sleep well.
You got this man!
 

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jssailem

jssailem

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
Oct 22, 2014
23,140
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
:thumbup: Nice improvement Drew.
 
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Likes: drew-
pa391as

pa391as

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Sep 30, 2017
69
Hunter 34 Gunpower Neck - Aberdeen, MD
The terminal blocks are a nice touch Drew. Looks like you and I had a similar approach but I took a deeper dive down the hole and took out the shelf, and made a complete panel with additional instruments, added a ShipModul Miniplex which I'm fabulously happy with. Let me know if you want some pix
 
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