300DB Restoration Continues-Bridge Station

[AKBASSKING]

Well the madness continues!

I took all the plywood junk off the bridge deck under the steering console and I am going to replace it with 1/2 starboard. BUT.... I looked under and could not believe what I saw....a rat's nest of wires.

Most of my gages are intermitted or inoperative all together. They all worked when I bought the boat, but I think I have some grounding issues. I also found that the hot wire in the wire bundle was replaced with a separate wire and other wires added with no regards to organization.

As I crawled under the dash I noticed an entire wire bundle cut in two (pictures with the dikes, no I did not cut this). Found the warning horns all rusted, but still working. I pulled the instrument panel which is cracked and none of the strip lights (in the military we called them slim lights) worked. My stbd engine off/on/start switch also went bad, so I need to replace that too.

Sure would be nice to have a wiring schematic......

It is a mess, but with a little patients and luck I can clean it up. Debating on a new instrument panel or just use the old one for right now and save it for a future project.

Where can I get the slim lights?

A few pics to get started.

 

[AKBASSKING]

In the pictures above you will see this little box. Below is a closer look.

Anyone have an idea what it is? A relay? For what?:huh:

 

[JC_Weekender]

Anyone have an idea what it is?

Yep....junk! :smt043
:huh: Actually no?

Looks like a fun job! I have to track down my dash as well. Lots not working??

 

[AKBASSKING]

I found out it may be the voltage regulator for the EL tape lights in the dash....maybe.

It is a mess. But a good sparky can fix it!!! There was a reason I chased miles and miles of electrical wiring on military planes....it was so I could work on my SR!:smt038

 

[tobnpr]

Sounds like you're over qualified for the job, so I don't need to mention to be sure to label everything... I just picked up a Brother P-Touch; they make a special tape just for this purpose- looks real professional.

If you do an online search, you can find the ABYC standard wire colors for every application. Assuming the boat wasn't re-wired without regard to using the "standard" colors, it's pretty easy to tell what a wire is for just by color.

 

[2000SEARAY280SS]

At least you will be working on top of the boat this time. You seem to be like me and enjoy making things better. What a mission you have a head of you. there was a link on here that had all the ABYC color codes in a table. I have pasted it here.

Blk -Grounds-General
Blk/Brn -Pump Grounds
Blk/Red -Voltmeter Grounds
Blk/Org -Isolated Accessory Grounds
Blk/Yel -ignition stop
Blk/Grn -Water Level Sender Ground
Blk/Blu -Lighting Grounds
Blk/Gry -Nav Light Grounds
Blk/Wht -Battery Parallel Solenoid
Brown -Pumps-General, Bilge or Sump (Manually Switched)(Also alternator starter to Ign.)
Brn/Red -Pumps, Bilge or Sump
Brn/Org -Power feed to Auto Bilge Switches-Pumps, Fuel/Oil Tranfer or Priming
Brn/Yel -Baitwell or Aerator
Brn/Grn -Fresh Water Pump/Water Maker
Brn/Blu -Head Pump
Brn/Vio -Washdown Pump
Brn/Wht -trim pos sender
Red - Battery Feeds Unprotected
Red/Vio -Misc. Accy. Main Feed Protected (fused) from batt to trim panel.
Pink -Fuel Sender
Org/Blk -Audio System Feed
Org/Brn -Electric Head-Sanitation System
Org/Red -Wiper Port
Orange -Accessories common feed- Dist Panel to Acc switch-Anode Electrode-Mercathode
Org/Yel -Diesel Pre-heat
Org/Grn -Wiper Stbd
Org/Blu -Communications Equipment
Org/Vio -Navigation Equipment
Org/Wht -Wiper Center
Yel/Blk -Choke - Neutral saftey trans mounted
Yel/Red -Start Solenoid(starting circut), Neutral Safety
Yel/Org -Powered Ventilation, Fans
Yellow -Bilge Blowers -(also alternator DC output)
Yel/Wht -Rudder Angle Sender
Grn/Red -Stop Solenoid/Kill Switch
Grn/Yel -AC Grounding
Green -Bonding
Grn/Wht -Engine Trim in and or tilt down
Grn/Org -Engine Independent Trim down
Blu/Blk -Cabin Lights
Blu/Brn -Oil Temp Send
Blu/Red -Cabin or Cockpit Lights Port
Blu/Org -Engine Independent Tilt Up
Blu/Yel -Lighting Circuits to Remote Send
Blu/Grn -Cabin or Cockpit Lights Stbd
Blu -Instrument & General Lighting
Blu/Vio -Courtesy, Boarding Lighting
Blu/Wht -Engine Trim Outand/or Tilt Up
Light Blue -Oil Pressure
Vio/Red -Eng. or Generator B+ from Breaker
Vio/Yel -I/O Trim Up (ballast bypass)
Vio/Grn -I/O Trim Down
Vio -12v Ignition-Generator or Engine
Vio/Wht -Trim "Trailer" switch
Gry/Blk -Mast Light
Gry/Red -Spotlight Remote
Gry/Org -Docking Lights
Gry/Grn -Strobe or Beacon
Gry/Blu -Spreader/Flood Lights
Gry/Vio -Windlass/Winch
Gray -Navigation (running) Lights, Tach. Send
Gry/Wht -Anchor Light
Wht/Brn -Temp. Alarm or Indicator
Wht/Red -Fuel Alarm or Indicator -((Ignition module to Dist.)Mercury Thunderbolt Ignition)
Wht/Org -Fire Alarm or Indicator
Wht/Yel -Air Flow Alarm or Indicator
Wht/Grn -Water Press/Flow Alarm or Indicator - ((Ignition module to Dist.)Mercury Thunderbolt Ignition)
Wht/Blu -Oil Press Alarm or Indicator
Wht/Vio -Voltage Alarm or Indicator
White -General Alarm Usage, Yamaha Kill Switch
Tan - Water Temp sender
Tan/Blu -Warning system sense wire (Audio warning)
Pink -Fuel sender

 

[Upstream]

Hey Tom, that looks familiar, I just replaced my instrument panel last year. Scott Cambra does a nice job. Believe it or not, there is some method to that madness. I can give a few pointers, give me a call if you still have the number.

 

[1956olds]

Looks like prince spaghetti night,must be wednsday.My dask has a crack also but everything works,so far.This will be a project for next year,keep us posted on your progress so it'll be easy for the rest of us (yea right).thanks for posting pics also.Glen

 

[AKBASSKING]

Thanks everyone. Especially the ABYC color code. that will help a lot.

I also called Vector Imaging and he was the one that told me about the EL box and light strips. Really helpful. In the future I may have him redo both the cabin and bridge instrument panels.

I did replace the start switch and temporarily put the panel back in place as i am getting ready to transport to the boat west.

After cleaning some of the old wire out, it doesn't look too bad.

I have noticed the PO splice around some of the old plug connections. My guess was corrosion. I plan to redo it with QD connectors as I don't like the splices he had in there and opens everything up to corrosion.

More to come, but it will be a little time.:smt089

 

[AKBASSKING]

I have started on this project again. I have identified all the wiring and removed the entire bridge station. Thanks to Dennis, I was able to disconnect the steering. Yuk! That was some nasty stuff. I also didn't know the steering held so much fluid, about a quart. I marked the gages that worked with blue tape.

I plan to remove all the gages and fix the exsisting panel as I like it. Mabe later I will replace it, but I just like the original SR panel.

The console was painted blue. Does anyone know what the original color was?

The gear box lever is broke on one side ( http://clubsearay.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31957 ) and a Sea ray dealer in Seattle has found one for me, but wants $700 for it and I told him he was on dog food.

This will be a challenge but just one of many. The admiral is busy in the interior, but will start another thread. Here are a few pics. I sure could use Pietro on this one...........although I think his job would be much better than mine.

 

[AKBASSKING]

A few more......

 

[speakrdude]

That lill rusty box is your high water bilge alarm. Just removed mine from my 88 300 project. (with help from these dudes)
In working condition, not loud enough to be heard while engines running. Replaced with Radio Shack buzzer. (available in three diff. alarms) You can deff. hear this lill guy. You may want to put an override switch on it. If you have water coming in and your busy trying to fix that problem, the alarm could drve you crazy!

 

[rstaub]

Hi Tom. I have a copy of the wiring schematics for your boat (mine also). If you pm me your address I'll send you a copy in the mail. I'll also make a copy of the orig owner's manual and the orig engine manual if you like. Judging by the pictures of the upper helm you could really use them.

 

[AKBASSKING]

Hi Tom. I have a copy of the wiring schematics for your boat (mine also). If you pm me your address I'll send you a copy in the mail. I'll also make a copy of the orig owner's manual and the orig engine manual if you like. Judging by the pictures of the upper helm you could really use them.

Thanks! us sparkies always prefer schmatics:smt038

 

[AKBASSKING]

I took the steering pump out of the console along with all the other screws. Man there are some holes in this thing I will have to be creative to cover uo. Found out that my control levers are made by Morse Controls out of Hudson Ohio.

I contacted a marine store in Seattle and he finally found some in the mid-west but wanted $700 a piece! I asked where the gold was in the pot metal. If you look at the control you can see the "dog ears" that hold the cable are broke. This is the reason the PO switched the cable on the gear box to ass backwards.

I am surprised and disappointed by the quality of the console. You would think it would be one molded piece with the flybridge instead of a hole sawed out and this thing screwed to the top.......

 

[AKBASSKING]

Question:

I have this plug up on the bridge and in the cabin. What is it? (sorry for te poor picture quality)

 

[OldSkool]

I have started on this project again. I have identified all the wiring and removed the entire bridge station. Thanks to Dennis, I was able to disconnect the steering. Yuk! That was some nasty stuff. I also didn't know the steering held so much fluid, about a quart. I marked the gages that worked with blue tape.

I plan to remove all the gages and fix the exsisting panel as I like it. Mabe later I will replace it, but I just like the original SR panel.

The console was painted blue. Does anyone know what the original color was?

The gear box lever is broke on one side ( http://clubsearay.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31957 ) and a Sea ray dealer in Seattle has found one for me, but wants $700 for it and I told him he was on dog food.

This will be a challenge but just one of many. The admiral is busy in the interior, but will start another thread. Here are a few pics. I sure could use Pietro on this one...........although I think his job would be much better than mine.

Good Lord man! Someone dumped a bowl of colored spaghetti under your dash.....:smt043

 

[AKBASSKING]

Good Lord man! Someone dumped a bowl of colored spaghetti under your dash.....:smt043

Funny thing, I licked the red wire and man.......:lol::smt043

 

[Dasch Boat]

Question:

I have this plug up on the bridge and in the cabin. What is it? (sorry for te poor picture quality)

Tom, it looks like a aftermarket 12 volt receptacle. I had a similar one for a hand held spot light on my 88 WE.

 

[AKBASSKING]

Tom, it looks like a aftermarket 12 volt receptacle. I had a similar one for a hand held spot light on my 88 WE.

Thanks