electrical redo

[bltnme]

The next project on my work in progress while I still use it 221 is the electrical.
The electrical has had little upgrades since 1996. I am having a local shop make me a new side panel cover. When removed I noticed that the all the switches came off the main power switch. This seams like a poor or old school way of doing things. What would be the upgrade here? I was thinking a main switch at the console with quality connectors for all accessories? What about breakers, are the push button that appear to be OEM still considered a good route? Also, the wiring is a mess(going on 22yrs. old), I'm thinking of pulling the fuel tank and replacing all the pumps and wiring. Is this something for any marine mechanic or whom? Sorry for the long set of questions, thanks for any and all advice.

[bltnme]

The next project on my work in progress while I still use it 221 is the electrical.
The electrical has had little upgrades since 1996. I am having a local shop make me a new side panel cover. When removed I noticed that the all the switches came off the main power switch. This seams like a poor or old school way of doing things. What would be the upgrade here? I was thinking a main switch at the console with quality connectors for all accessories? What about breakers, are the push button that appear to be OEM still considered a good route? Also, the wiring is a mess(going on 22yrs. old), I'm thinking of pulling the fuel tank and replacing all the pumps and wiring. Is this something for any marine mechanic or whom? Sorry for the long set of questions, thanks for any and all advice.

Just reviving my post, anybody?

[BigMouth]

After wiring a boat, Champion, and almost all other bass boat manufacturers gathered all the slack into a wad and tie wrapped it. They then tie wrapped it in an out of the way location. It's akin to 10lbs of poo in a 5 lb bag. Adding or removing wires for replacement was a pita so when I rewired mine I cut all the old wire out, and replaced with new. Used liquid black tape and slid shrink tubing over the connections. Wire is expensive so have a plan, lay it out and keep a cold one handy! Good luck!

[sonnyvann]

Yeah I had a need to get into the wiring and saw how messed up they did it...no wiring standards used on Bass Boats. ChampioN makes a great boat but the wiring sucks. Five hot wires twisted together and crimped and same with the negatives. I found my problem and fixed it, but I CAN'T STAND IT...gonna have to re-wire under the console. I am thinking about using a small Pelican Box as a junction, mounting a Hot and Negative bus inside, and then routing all to it. Not sure yet. If anybody has done a re-wire help a brother out with some ideas.

[swestermann]

A buddy and I rewired my father in laws boat that was from a online wiring company I cant recall the name but you told it what type of boat and the approx. length I used the heat shrink connectors so that they would be water tight, each connection that wasn't crimped had the connectors that have automotive style where no water is "supposed" to enter. The switch panel for the dash used circuit breakers instead of fuses for each separate run of wire and I left a couple extra switches for add on stuff. We ran a piece of pvc inside the hull along the top/bottom piece seam to keep it dry and looped some 550 cord to bring new circuits through if needed. Then ops checked everything all new pumps, switches,lights, gauges, 1 fishfinder everything worked great then the boat was sold.

[Tx Champ]

...no wiring standards used on Bass Boats.

All major bass boats have a wiring scheme. It may not be an industry standard, but Champions all have the same scheme, see below.
ea

...ChampioN makes a great boat but the wiring sucks. Five hot wires twisted together and crimped and same with the negatives.

Champion wiring is pretty straight forward. Your issue sounds like someone got in there and haywired it which is what you get when 98% of the jake legs say they're "gonna rewire my boat".

The main colors for the wiring harnesses or DC distribution Champs up until the MegaLink are ...

Red - 12vdc from the battery positive post to the power switch (via 20A breaker).
Orange - Switched 12vdc from the power switch. That supplies power to most other things, electronics*, livewell timer, courtesy lights & other console switches
Blue - Instrument Lights
Purple - Switched 12vdc from the ignition switch. That supplies switched power to the tach, fuel guage and back to the engine.
Black - Ground. there should be a ground buss under the console for the black wires to attach to that is connected to the battery's negative post.
Gray - Anchor and Navigation lights.
Brown - from the livewell timer or bilge switch to the pumps

* Some sonar units may be wired to the unswitched 12vdc side of the power switch or directly to the battery. Owner preference.