I love doing up old boats but when it comes to sorting out someone else's evolved wiring monsters; that's when I tend to glaze over. So tempting just to rip everything out and start again. Good luck mate; you'll get there as usual.
Having to re wire my cat completely. Originally done in domestic grade cable, now corroded. You MUST use tinned cable. Also consider having at least two batteries. You don’t want to loose power to the essentials as you left the cabin lights on too long (don’t ask). Power to your depth sounder is perhaps the most important, a dedicated battery? Navigation lights also their own battery. Autopilot is power hungry, so that to has its own battery.
Hey Alex ... just a thought about the bilge pumps for the amas ... you could mount a flexible solar panel on each with a battery for each. That would both get rid of that sketchy reverse thru-hull fitting set up and the need for any permanent wiring leading from the main hull. The flexible solar panels would likely get plenty of sunlight without much shadow from the sails to keep the batteries topped off, and depending on the size of the batteries you may gain the ability to extend your house service in an emergency with a temporary jumper from each ama to the main hull while anchored.
If you were to use LiFePo4 batteries it would keep the weight down -- after all there is storage in each ama and 50 pounds in each one should balance out nicely as well as provide you with an additional 200AH of 12 volt power per side. @@AlexGoesSailing
Whatever you are thinking about doing is likely already done. That said, my choice for the switch panel area would be to cut out the entire area and mount the switch panels on a tip-down wood panel that covers the whole area. This would provide good access to the back of the switch panels and the wiring chase for future work.
I've rebuilt all of my boats over the years including two used Gemini's and one new 2008 Gemini. Do yourself a favor and go back to the factory wiring and give each wire a tug In my Geminis I had 1 wire pull out of the crimp end fitting on each of the 2 used boats and 3 pull out on the new one! Great designed boats, but thrown together very quickly...
I can't believe I missed saying something here about the bilge pumps and the wiring for them... please remove the wiring and take the bilge and instead spend the money in time fixing the so it doesn't leak. The bilge pumps were the last owner install as a way to fix the leaking hatch. Anyway that you or I could figure out to run wires to the foldable, movable amas will go against any boat building codes in any country and would be potentially dangerous. Amas should not be getting more water in them that a large sponge laying in the bottom couldn't absorb and I would prefer none. Fill in the recess that the hatch sits in to at least deck level or proud or get a slightly larger hatch that sits on the deck and is of a quality with enough dogs not to leak. Solar panels and batteries for each bilge pump is not the answer either. They're adding weight and complexity and expense to something that you can fix with a properly installed hatch.
I replaced manual jabsco with electric. Uprated the mascerator belt as they are known to snap. It's a gates belt on them. just pick the next width up on gates spec. Never been an issue in 3 years. Wife loves it.
I always have the feeling that having a ground and a 12v with heavy gauge run around the boat and then have fuses and switches where everything is (the loo, the lights, the lights outside) would avoid having to run so many cables to a central place. Then the other cable would be seatalk or another network used on boats for where information or remote switching is supposed to happen.
Alex. Navtex is a protocol used to broadcast weather and other data offshore to big ships. It’s still used today. NASA marine and others still make receivers today. Although these days I have a Navtex receiver app on my phone. I suspect your switch was for a Navtex receiver.
NAVTEX ( NAVigational TEleX Messages ) designates an automatic maritime information system using radioteletype . It is part of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System . The term can also designate a message passing through this system. It is part of the tidal systems .
The backward through holes need removed and glassed up watertight (in my mind anyway). The gunk on the wires looks like liquid electrical tape, its useful stuff if done right. great update 2x👍
Speaking as an electrician and a sailor I would rip all the wiring and start again. There is nothing worse than coming after someone else on a job. Record everything in writing drawing and photos. If you want any help get in touch, I don't charge, much like the battery on my first boat. 😀
I love doing up old boats but when it comes to sorting out someone else's evolved wiring monsters; that's when I tend to glaze over. So tempting just to rip everything out and start again. Good luck mate; you'll get there as usual.
Thanks!!! Definitely satisfying when it’s done!
Having to re wire my cat completely.
Originally done in domestic grade cable, now corroded.
You MUST use tinned cable.
Also consider having at least two batteries. You don’t want to loose power to the essentials as you left the cabin lights on too long (don’t ask). Power to your depth sounder is perhaps the most important, a dedicated battery? Navigation lights also their own battery. Autopilot is power hungry, so that to has its own battery.
Tinned cable for sure! Definitely want some redundancies! Thanks for watching!
Hey Alex ... just a thought about the bilge pumps for the amas ... you could mount a flexible solar panel on each with a battery for each. That would both get rid of that sketchy reverse thru-hull fitting set up and the need for any permanent wiring leading from the main hull. The flexible solar panels would likely get plenty of sunlight without much shadow from the sails to keep the batteries topped off, and depending on the size of the batteries you may gain the ability to extend your house service in an emergency with a temporary jumper from each ama to the main hull while anchored.
That’s a cool idea! Haven’t thought about that. Think my only thought would be weight maybe 🤔
If you were to use LiFePo4 batteries it would keep the weight down -- after all there is storage in each ama and 50 pounds in each one should balance out nicely as well as provide you with an additional 200AH of 12 volt power per side. @@AlexGoesSailing
@@robertscholz4486 lithium would definitely be the way to do it!
Whatever you are thinking about doing is likely already done. That said, my choice for the switch panel area would be to cut out the entire area and mount the switch panels on a tip-down wood panel that covers the whole area. This would provide good access to the back of the switch panels and the wiring chase for future work.
Yeah nothing beats good access!
I've rebuilt all of my boats over the years including two used Gemini's and one new 2008 Gemini. Do yourself a favor and go back to the factory wiring and give each wire a tug In my Geminis I had 1 wire pull out of the crimp end fitting on each of the 2 used boats and 3 pull out on the new one! Great designed boats, but thrown together very quickly...
Yeah I agree! Good job I like to tinker a fair bit!
I can't believe I missed saying something here about the bilge pumps and the wiring for them... please remove the wiring and take the bilge and instead spend the money in time fixing the so it doesn't leak. The bilge pumps were the last owner install as a way to fix the leaking hatch. Anyway that you or I could figure out to run wires to the foldable, movable amas will go against any boat building codes in any country and would be potentially dangerous. Amas should not be getting more water in them that a large sponge laying in the bottom couldn't absorb and I would prefer none. Fill in the recess that the hatch sits in to at least deck level or proud or get a slightly larger hatch that sits on the deck and is of a quality with enough dogs not to leak.
Solar panels and batteries for each bilge pump is not the answer either. They're adding weight and complexity and expense to something that you can fix with a properly installed hatch.
@@user-gb4hr5nt9e exactly! You couldn’t be more right!
I replaced manual jabsco with electric. Uprated the mascerator belt as they are known to snap. It's a gates belt on them. just pick the next width up on gates spec. Never been an issue in 3 years. Wife loves it.
My new one doesn’t have a belt. Think it’s direct drive which will be nice.
Probably just as well. I honestly don't fancy pulling the bowl to get to fix a belt or joker valve either.
I always have the feeling that having a ground and a 12v with heavy gauge run around the boat and then have fuses and switches where everything is (the loo, the lights, the lights outside) would avoid having to run so many cables to a central place. Then the other cable would be seatalk or another network used on boats for where information or remote switching is supposed to happen.
I have thought about that before. Not sure if it’s the price of the heavy gauge wire maybe🤷♂️
Alex. Navtex is a protocol used to broadcast weather and other data offshore to big ships. It’s still used today. NASA marine and others still make receivers today. Although these days I have a Navtex receiver app on my phone. I suspect your switch was for a Navtex receiver.
That would have been cool to have! Wasn’t sure what it was when I first looked at it.
NAVTEX ( NAVigational TEleX Messages ) designates an automatic maritime information system using radioteletype . It is part of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System . The term can also designate a message passing through this system. It is part of the tidal systems .
That’s really handy to know! Thank you!
The backward through holes need removed and glassed up watertight (in my mind anyway). The gunk on the wires looks like liquid electrical tape, its useful stuff if done right. great update 2x👍
Yeah they definitely do need to go asap!!!
Speaking as an electrician and a sailor I would rip all the wiring and start again. There is nothing worse than coming after someone else on a job. Record everything in writing drawing and photos. If you want any help get in touch, I don't charge, much like the battery on my first boat. 😀
Yeah I’m so glad I ripped most of it out! Only some good wire runs left that are proper marine grade wire. I like the pun😂 cheers!
Alex if you've not given it away already I'm after a Garmin GPS 152 for my first boat I bought in September and has no electronics...
I will check to see if I still have it tonight and will let you know!
@@AlexGoesSailing cheers
@@AlexGoesSailing any luck?
@@TheAegisClaw I couldn’t find it so must have given it away unfortunately. Take a look on eBay or boatbreakers.com
@@AlexGoesSailing no worries, thanks for checking.
amazing how bad electrics was done in the old days lol but if have multimeter and brains should be fine
For sure!!!
don't suppose you want to sell me that st1000?
It’s currently for sale with Meraki but who knows!