ReWiring O'day 23' Electrical System

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rs8684

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Jul 6, 2011
32
Oday 23 Lake Nockamixon
Hi All- I have a 1979 23' O'Day. One of my projects this summer is to get the electrical system working. However, nothing works, that includes the interior lights, mast light, running lights etc. Getting to the wires is a pain, but they are there. I really don't want to pull and replace them if possible. Has anyone had any experience in getting the electrical system working? Other than getting a charge from the battery to the distro panel, I am flat on every light in the boat. Thanks for any help.

Rick
 
Indysailor

Indysailor

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Oct 10, 2009
1,045
Catalina 27 3657 Lake Monroe
I'd start at the ends first. Check the connections at the lights and the panel. The wires that run in between may be less likely to have problems than the connections and I'm not totally sure, but some like the original mast wires may have actually been placed in the resin.

Luckily, my system has not been modified by any PO and everything still works.
 
R

rs8684

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Jul 6, 2011
32
Oday 23 Lake Nockamixon
Indysailor said:
I'd start at the ends first. Check the connections at the lights and the panel. The wires that run in between may be less likely to have problems than the connections and I'm not totally sure, but some like the original mast wires may have actually been placed in the resin.

Luckily, my system has not been modified by any PO and everything still works.
Click to expand
Any chance you could post a picture or a diagram of your wire connections to the Distro panel? It seems that there are pink, blue and whites, and I am wondering if there is a theme for the colors, like the certain color are hot, anchor lights, etc...
 
Joe11688

Joe11688

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Jan 24, 2005
4,881
Oday 222 Dighton, Ma.
rs8684 said:
Hi All- I have a 1979 23' O'Day. One of my projects this summer is to get the electrical system working. However, nothing works, that includes the interior lights, mast light, running lights etc. Getting to the wires is a pain, but they are there. I really don't want to pull and replace them if possible. Has anyone had any experience in getting the electrical system working? Other than getting a charge from the battery to the distro panel, I am flat on every light in the boat. Thanks for any help.

Rick
Click to expand
The O'Days were generally wired up with pairs consisting of blacks and reds. Black = ground, and Red =positive. The black wires should all be tied together near the panel with the black feed wire coming from the battery. The red or Positive wire coming from the battery is attached to a hot buss on the panel which feeds each breaker. Your lights and accessories should be coming off the other side of each breaker.
Each of your cabin dome lights should have a black and red wire going to it from the panel as well as the bow & stern lights, and the mast anchor light. You also may have two more wires for a steaming light going up the mast.
 
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plainssailor

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Feb 18, 2012
32
oday 25 branched oaks
I got a 77 oday 25 w/a rats nest of an electrical system. I gutted it all except the cabin wiring above the ceiling liner. I made a rough sketch of all the circuits I wanted. I put the port and starboard spreader light on seperate swittches and the steaming light on its own and some fan power leads up into the forward berth. I ran all my hots through a set of circuit breakers then out to my switches. All negs back to a terminal board and then down to the neg post on one battery. I have two group 27 in parallel. With my son helping, the rewire took a couple of 12 pacs and a long saturday. 12 volts is easy. I also ran two extra pairs of wires one set to the forward berth, and another coiled up, under the cockpit in case I want some extra stuff later. That way it is all tied up in a harness and will be easy later. Good luck, and size your wire accordingly.
 
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