Rewire your Parker

[Russell Wilson]

This is how I cleaned up the wiring on our 2006 2520XL​

To start I removed the excess wire, installed new terminals and connected the 2 parallel #6 AWG battery positive cables on a Blue Seas Dual Bus 150 Amp Busbar. From there I install 2 Blue Seas 7035 helm mounted 40-amp breakers that also work as switches (see picture). From the breakers I ran #8 AWG to 2 Blue Seas ST Blade Fuse Blocks with Ground. I divided the Electrical into 2 categories, Electronics and Additional Accessories, which gave me a switch for each panel. This took care of all the electrical circuits that I added and plenty of room for additional items in the future. If you look closely, you will see the wires that feed the Parker Switch/Breaker Panel coming from the main terminal block.
Another reason for doing this is that I was able to remove all the inline fuses buried deep in the electrical harnesses, previously inaccessible.

As for the Existing Original Parker wiring, I install a new ground bar (vertical in the picture) and a horizontal terminal bar to shorten and clean up the Parker Panel circuits.

The wires you see in the picture with blue terminal ends feed the cabin light, 12-volt power outlet, and a Blue Seas Twin USB charging outlet mounted on the electronics cover.

Recently I was reviewing the wiring diagram for my Boat, as I reviewed the schematic and compared it to the actual, questions arose that couldn’t be answered by Parker.

The Schematic shows the ground bar in the bilge to be connected to the negative on the battery but that wire did not exist.

(See highlighted schematic and bilge ground bar)

The only wire that connected the ground bus to the battery was the gas tank ground and it was tied to both the battery and the bilge ground bus per schematic.

This is an easy fix if you know it needs to be done. I would suggest you check this, if it is the same as ours, I would talk with your dealer or Parker for an explanation, my question was directed to the Parker engineering staff and they never answered my direct question about this.

When installing the electronics cover many times by myself, It became much easier once I install a strip of ¾” PVC at the bottom to rest the lip of the cover on while I installed the screws at the top. (See Picture)

P.S.

Since I took this picture, like all things electrical, Things Change.

• A new VHF Radio
• A new Fusion RS70 Stereo
• The hydraulic steering fill has move to the to top of the helm to make way for,
• A new Lenco Led Indicator Integrated Trim Tab Switch (Much Deeper Than Original)

 

[Andy]

This is how I cleaned up the wiring on our 2006 2520XL​

To start I removed the excess wire, installed new terminals and connected the 2 parallel #6 AWG battery positive cables on a Blue Seas Dual Bus 150 Amp Busbar. From there I install 2 Blue Seas 7035 helm mounted 40-amp breakers that also work as switches (see picture). From the breakers I ran #8 AWG to 2 Blue Seas ST Blade Fuse Blocks with Ground. I divided the Electrical into 2 categories, Electronics and Additional Accessories, which gave me a switch for each panel. This took care of all the electrical circuits that I added and plenty of room for additional items in the future. If you look closely, you will see the wires that feed the Parker Switch/Breaker Panel coming from the main terminal block.
Another reason for doing this is that I was able to remove all the inline fuses buried deep in the electrical harnesses, previously inaccessible.

As for the Existing Original Parker wiring, I install a new ground bar (vertical in the picture) and a horizontal terminal bar to shorten and clean up the Parker Panel circuits.

The wires you see in the picture with blue terminal ends feed the cabin light, 12-volt power outlet, and a Blue Seas Twin USB charging outlet mounted on the electronics cover.

Recently I was reviewing the wiring diagram for my Boat, as I reviewed the schematic and compared it to the actual, questions arose that couldn’t be answered by Parker.

The Schematic shows the ground bar in the bilge to be connected to the negative on the battery but that wire did not exist.

(See highlighted schematic and bilge ground bar)

The only wire that connected the ground bus to the battery was the gas tank ground and it was tied to both the battery and the bilge ground bus per schematic.

This is an easy fix if you know it needs to be done. I would suggest you check this, if it is the same as ours, I would talk with your dealer or Parker for an explanation, my question was directed to the Parker engineering staff and they never answered my direct question about this.

When installing the electronics cover many times by myself, It became much easier once I install a strip of ¾” PVC at the bottom to rest the lip of the cover on while I installed the screws at the top. (See Picture)

P.S.

Since I took this picture, like all things electrical, Things Change.

• A new VHF Radio
• A new Fusion RS70 Stereo
• The hydraulic steering fill has move to the to top of the helm to make way for,
• A new Lenco Led Indicator Integrated Trim Tab Switch (Much Deeper Than Original)

View attachment 32203

Nice, neat installation; great information! It had never occurred to me to remove that cover; I had thought about it, but I didn't know if it had been installed with adhesive/caulk.... I will do as you suggested and install a PVC strip at the bottom. It will make working back there a breeze!
UPDATE: I went to the boat to see what it would take to remove our cover. Ours is a 2013 2520XLD, so maybe different than other years?.... It would not be a simple item to remove. I was hoping it would be a quick-fix to be able to remove when doing any work under there. It isn't. If I was doing a retrofit as you did, then it would be well worth it, and probably a necessity to remove it... but not for me, for small projects The top is 'trimmed' off with 'carpet- covered' molding. The fuse panel, Lewmar master switch, cabin light, wood 'catch-all', shelf and such would need to be removed. And, there is a pvc molding surrounding the entire cover; maybe 6-7 pieces...

 

[dbaja]

Beautiful!!!

 

[Russell Wilson]

Nice, neat installation; great information! It had never occurred to me to remove that cover; I had thought about it, but I didn't know if it had been installed with adhesive/caulk.... I will do as you suggested and install a PVC strip at the bottom. It will make working back there a breeze!
UPDATE: I went to the boat to see what it would take to remove our cover. Ours is a 2013 2520XLD, so maybe different than other years?.... It would not be a simple item to remove. I was hoping it would be a quick-fix to be able to remove when doing any work under there. It isn't. If I was doing a retrofit as you did, then it would be well worth it, and probably a necessity to remove it... but not for me, for small projects The top is 'trimmed' off with 'carpet- covered' molding. The fuse panel, Lewmar master switch, cabin light, wood 'catch-all', shelf and such would need to be removed. And, there is a pvc molding surrounding the entire cover; maybe 6-7 pieces...

Andy,
Here's some pictures of our electronics cover 2006 2520XL The one modification I made was to flip the access door so it opened down.

 

[Andy]

Andy,
I hers some pictures of our electronics cover 2006 2520XL The one modification I made was to flip the access door so it opened down.

Hi Russell, good idea on flipping the door down! I had installed a latch and bungie that holds ours up; that at least gets it out of the way... I see they did not install the DC breaker panel, nor the Lewmar windlass master switch on the side of your panel; that makes for easier removal of the panel... the cabin light is in the same location. The molding that you have surrounding the top and sides is the same molding we have on the sides and bottom, but our top is 'wrapped' with the 'carpet' material.... all and all, your 2006 looks about the same as the 2013....

 

[Bodick93]

Looks great. That bus bar in the bilge, though is on borrowed time. The bus bar and screws are experiencing a lot of wastage. You have such nice wiring and terminals I would want to better protect them I might pull and clean or better yet replace the buss bar. On the next one, bed it like you would any other hardware, in some sort of sealant. Once the connections are clean and reconnected, spray with your favorite corrosion inhibitor meant for electrical connections. Intermittent problems will pop up, and the power wires usually get the blame.

 

[Russell Wilson]

I plan on replacing it ASAP I didn't know this busbar existed since it is right up next to the deck in the bilge, not until I reviewed the electrical schematic did I look for it.

 

[A-K]

Nice work

 

[Big_Chet]

This is how I cleaned up the wiring on our 2006 2520XL​

To start I removed the excess wire, installed new terminals and connected the 2 parallel #6 AWG battery positive cables on a Blue Seas Dual Bus 150 Amp Busbar. From there I install 2 Blue Seas 7035 helm mounted 40-amp breakers that also work as switches (see picture). From the breakers I ran #8 AWG to 2 Blue Seas ST Blade Fuse Blocks with Ground. I divided the Electrical into 2 categories, Electronics and Additional Accessories, which gave me a switch for each panel. This took care of all the electrical circuits that I added and plenty of room for additional items in the future. If you look closely, you will see the wires that feed the Parker Switch/Breaker Panel coming from the main terminal block.
Another reason for doing this is that I was able to remove all the inline fuses buried deep in the electrical harnesses, previously inaccessible.

As for the Existing Original Parker wiring, I install a new ground bar (vertical in the picture) and a horizontal terminal bar to shorten and clean up the Parker Panel circuits.

The wires you see in the picture with blue terminal ends feed the cabin light, 12-volt power outlet, and a Blue Seas Twin USB charging outlet mounted on the electronics cover.

Recently I was reviewing the wiring diagram for my Boat, as I reviewed the schematic and compared it to the actual, questions arose that couldn’t be answered by Parker.

The Schematic shows the ground bar in the bilge to be connected to the negative on the battery but that wire did not exist.

(See highlighted schematic and bilge ground bar)

The only wire that connected the ground bus to the battery was the gas tank ground and it was tied to both the battery and the bilge ground bus per schematic.

This is an easy fix if you know it needs to be done. I would suggest you check this, if it is the same as ours, I would talk with your dealer or Parker for an explanation, my question was directed to the Parker engineering staff and they never answered my direct question about this.

When installing the electronics cover many times by myself, It became much easier once I install a strip of ¾” PVC at the bottom to rest the lip of the cover on while I installed the screws at the top. (See Picture)

P.S.

Since I took this picture, like all things electrical, Things Change.

• A new VHF Radio
• A new Fusion RS70 Stereo
• The hydraulic steering fill has move to the to top of the helm to make way for,
• A new Lenco Led Indicator Integrated Trim Tab Switch (Much Deeper Than Original)

View attachment 32203

Wow! I'm having mine pulled and rewired now. Hope it comes out as nice as yours!