Replacing the switch panel on a NON PARKER

[TheOtherLine]

So, I bought another boat last week. It's a BBB (Baby Boomer Barge), otherwise known as a pontoon boat. It's a used boat and it needs some work including figuring out the switch panel wiring. The existing panel is not marked, there's a bunch of wires that control who knows what and I feel like I need to replace the panel or at a minimum label the switches.

I am going to put it out the sage restorers of old boats for:

Advice on how to figure out what each switch does. Some wires I can trace back to the source. GPS for example. But, others lead into the hull and there is no access.

How to test the switches to see if they are getting power?

Is it easier to just start from scratch and run wire (nav lights, anchor lights, water pumps, etc.,) from each source?

This boat doesn't have much in electronics. Just a Garmin echo 100. No stereo, nothing. Sure seems like a lot of wires on the panel... (see pic)

All guidance appreciated !!


TheTriple B



The Panel Back



The Panel Front

 

[Megabyte]

I think the first thing I would do is to take inventory of everything electrical (including wire size and color), then go through each circuit with a multimeter.
Put some blue painters tape next to the switches to mark each one temporarily as you track down each circuit.

On that boat, I can't imagine you would have many systems.
Nav lights, horn, bilge pump (if it has one), and then accessories such as the GPS and VHF.

You might find that some of those switches don't power anything, and are just a 'placeholder'.

 

[TheOtherLine]

Thanks Kevin. Nice logical approach.

Is there a way for me to test the depth finder by applying power directly to the unit with say, one of those 12v battery jumpers. I just want to see if it will turn on. I couldn't get it to turn on when it was connected to the wiring on the boat. Maybe I didn't turn on the correct switch....

 

[Megabyte]

Check first to make sure she doesn't have a battery master switch somewhere.
If she has one, it might not be of the type of switch you are used to, so it could be easy to miss it.

As for the sounder, yes.
You could make up some long jumper wires with battery clips to power it up and see if it is working.
Those jumpers might be useful in checking other systems out as well.

Good luck and have fun with her!