We were discussing my deck wash above, which I haven't progressed with, due to the above.... but I have to get mt head around this voltage drop thing.
I may have miscalculated one wire run down back, I have a separate bilge pump auto switch beside the helm, ran pos. and neg. wires forward to buzz bars behind the helm,,, the bilge pump draws max 7.5 amps and the float switch wouldn't draw to much, so used 4mm auto tinned 1.84mm2 wire, ran that down the back direct to the bilge pump and float switch, but thought I'd check the voltage drop just to confirm..( after I'd soldered everything up of course) it's about a 3.5 to 4 meter run down back one way and the voltage drop calculator is telling me that it is to much of a voltage drop to use that wire,, didn't honestly enter my mind at the time, just thought it was rated to 22 amps, which well covers the 7.5 amp draw, but it seems, voltage drop in 12 systems was way more than I'd figured. Everything behind the helm is wired with the same 22 amp wire, but nothings more than a metre in distance. Bugga !!!!
May well force my hand now, rather than re doing all my good soldering work at the switch, to simply keep the 4mm wire, and just fit a waterproof relay ( as Gultch mentioned he did) down back and do the same for the deck wash set up as well, as previously talked about..
What's the amp usage of those suitable relays ?? I suspect they wouldn't use that much yeah ??
Still shocked me that over a 3.5 to 4 meter run, there was so much voltage drop !!..
Anyways, new aluminium tank arrived yesterday, just getting some packers glued on the bottom of it ready to fit in. Managed to get 140 litres and it's now moved forward about 400 mm compared to before, More centrally positioned, so along with the other weight saving options, not hanging off the transom anymore, the extra weight of the up coming 4 stroke, should be negated....
if I can get this bl""dy wiring done.....
Col