I shifted from doing cabinetry in the aft HVAC closet to focusing on electrical. My Boatamalan painter says the headliner has to be installed before he can spray the ICA clear top coat on the salon and V-berth mahogany. But before the headliner can be installed, I have to do all of the wiring. Most of that will involve running 12vdc lighting circuits and speaker wires, plus installing the plywood bases that the speakers and lights will attach to. Before I get to that, I want to wrap up some 240/120vac stuff.
The main power panel
I like the look of that tinted epoxy.
New ammeter donuts
My old Constellation 52 had ammeters so you could monitor power consumption and make sure loads were balanced. This Roamer only came with a voltmeter, but I plan to install NOS ammeters that match the voltmeter. For now, I’m just installing the donut current transformers on both hot legs and running the wiring up to where the ammeters will be installed. I’ll put the gauges in later, after the sanding and painting is done.
The OEM bilge pump plate and switches sure look nice
The original screws that attach the plate to the panel were deteriorated chromed bronze. I decided to replace them with stainless, so I ordered a bag of 250 #4 3/8″ oval head screws since the same ones are used on all of the OEM cabinet hinges and other hardware. But when I went to install them, I discovered that #4 is too big! Turns out Chris Craft used #3.5 screws! I haven’t been able to find a source for stainless screws in that size. If anybody knows where to find them, please leave a comment and let me know!
Tangled mess
In preparation for powering up the 12vdc breaker panel, I opened up the salon cabinet service chase. Though it looks like a tangled up mess of wires in there, the permanent wiring for the boat is actually well secured and organized. The messy wiring is for the various passive infrared alarm sensors I installed after the rat bastard thieves cleaned me out back in 2014.
Speaking of which, my insurance company, Chubb, has informed me that they’ll not be renewing my policy. Apparently, one claim for the burglary and another for the Nor’Easter damage earlier this year was too much. So now, on top of the usual complications of a busy life, I’m shopping around for boat insurance.
Tracking down a wire gives me a chance to clean some hidden sandblasting residue
Wrapping up the aft AC circuit panel
NOS fuel line makes good chafe protection
I’ve had this 1/4″ ID fuel line for a long time. It’s old enough that I wouldn’t use it in a fuel system, but it comes in handy as chafe protection.
That’s better than a sharp metal edge
Prepped for epoxy and insulation
US Composites 635 epoxy is good stuff
Apply epoxy, then staple the Buffalo Batt insulation in place
Not bad!
Long as I’m in here…
Might as well install the PEX water lines for the washing machine
I’ll finish this install later
Confounded by an ebay seller
Because this is an aluminum boat and aluminum loses to copper when they come together in damp environments, I’ve been trying to eliminate as much exposed copper as I can during this refit. Water condensing on copper or bronze, then dripping off into the bilge can carry copper ions that can attack the hull. So instead of using bronze PEX fittings, I thought I’d try plastic ones that were advertised on ebay. Turns out the plastic ones are for a different, older type of PEX. They don’t work with what I’m using. So the water line install will have to wait until I order more proper PEX fittings.
Next up in our 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Powering Up the 12VDC Breaker Panel.
1969chriscraftroamer46 