[eherlihy]

Hey D!

Pleez loose:

• the wire nuts - keep them out of the bilge too
• the ammeter
• the trailer plugS (there were two of 'em)
• the fender washers

Here is a wiring diagram of what I did on my boat. You could use this as a template for yours;

 

[eherlihy]

Pilot lights would be BEST on a rheostat, so that you can dim them to what ever level is appropriate. Put the rheostat where the blower switch is now.

As for the appearance of the package,

 

[eherlihy]

Consider this an educated guess; one is positive for the entire panel, and should be fused. (this is the RED AWG10 in my diagram earlier in this thread). The other is probably for the field coil.

Note that when I did the upgrade of my alternator from the stock Motorolla 50A to a Leece-Neville 90A, the field coil wire was not needed. I initially had installed it because I found a reference somewhere that it was used. After I started the engine for the first time, the alternator ran 90A AC though this wire, and I smelled smoke. Fortunately, I cut the wire before any collateral damage was done.

 

[eherlihy]

Recommendations:

• ADHEDIVE LINED HEAT SHRINK crimp connectors
• Only fuse the wires to the ignition switch, and fuel pump.
• Select the amp rating of the fuse to based on the ampacity rating of the wire. Or better yet, select the wire to exceed the expected load, and then put the correct fuse to protect that wire.

 

[eherlihy]

If wired correctly for your alternator (ahem), the field coil should not need a fuse. In fact, adding a fuse would likely introduce a voltage drop in the field coil, which could result in the voltage regulator registering low voltage, and cooking your batteries (reference page 88 of Nigel Calder's Boat Owner's Mechanical and Electrical Manual). Worse, should the fuse blow, you would probably cook your batteries (ibid, page 94).

 

[eherlihy]

Looks GREAT. Now you can't sell her.