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Cable Organizing

Started by SRanger, February 26, 2011, 09:02:12 AM

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SRanger


Saw some cable protectors at an office store...the kind that run across a threshold.  Maybe slice off an inch or so and then glue it where you need it.  More of a cable separator in my mind.  Run the pairs to a given device in one track, other devices in separate tracks.  Could do a combo of bundling and separating with velcro who knows.  My existing wiring frustrates me to death.  What a rats nest.  If it ever warms up am trying to get out straightened out.  Should make it easier to add more circuits for downriggers and such.

Something like this
http://www.cabletiesandmore.com/floorcordcoverkit.php

So who worries about interference when bundling cables...like the transducer cable bunched together with antenna cable...or the compass mounted to close to other electrical components?
99 19' Arima Sea Ranger HT,  Honda BF130/BF8.
88 17' Arima Sea Ranger ST,  Yamaha F80/Merc 8 (sold)

StreamFixer

I have read somewhere one device's wiring will sway the compass. 

Mine always points north no matter which direction I go so I'm good  :doh:

StreamFixer
'01 Hewes Sportsman 18
'14 Yamaha 90
'01 T8 w/ solas 4 blade
'19 Minn Kota 80# (Alterra)
'97 19SC w/ Salt Boss Top


"By the grace of God we travel upon the rivers and sea..
They, like He, are mightier than me."  Mike Jesperson aka 'Nalu

Enniberg

The further north you go, the more fish you will catch - it's all good! :party:

Quote from: StreamFixer on February 26, 2011, 09:20:33 AM
I have read somewhere one device's wiring will sway the compass. 

Mine always points north no matter which direction I go so I'm good  :doh:

StreamFixer
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people. (unknown)

Threeweight

Seeing as how I had the fine folks at the Coast Guard Aux pound this into my head over the course of several classes, I'm going to take us down a little tangent...

A magnetic compass never actually points "true north".  It points to magnetic north, and currently the magnetic north pole and the actual geographic north pole are a few hundred miles apart! 

The closer you are to the poles of the earth, the greater the amount of error this introduces (divergence between true north on your charts and the magnetic north pole).  This is called "compass variation."  At the bottom of any marine navigation chart is a compass rose, which is calibrated to correct for the amount of variation in the area covered by the chart, and it lets you figure out how many degrees off of your compass' "north" reading you need to steer to correct for the error.

Large chunks of metal, and electrical cables, can warp the magnetic field around them slightly and introduce another error called "compass deviation".  The greater the current being carried by the cable, the more deviation it causes.  This is much harder to correct for, and better just avoiding it by mounting the compass and electronics a little bit away from each other.

In both cases, if you are only using your compass to get a general idea of direction, or to figure out short 1-2 mile route, no big deal.  If you are fishing off shore and you have to navigate 5-10 miles by compass in the fog, it is a very big deal.

Sorry for the moment of geek... to the original question, I wouldn't worry about shielding cables in a boat, you have options for routing them so they do not cause interference (power cables run up the starboard side of my boat, transducer cables up the port side, compass mounted 18" or so from my radio and switch panel, 12" or so from my gauge clusters.)
Former Sea Chaser 17 owner
Defiance 250 Admiral, twin Yamaha 150's and T9.9

"Never turn your back on fear. It should always be in front of you, like a thing that might have to be killed."
       --- Hunter S. Thompson

woody

Remember 3Wgt, deviation East, Magnetic least.  Deviation West, magnetic best.

Thats from 50+ years ago when I was a radarman in the RCAF.

Woody (the reigning Geek)

fishing eagle

#5
3Wt and Woody .... you are both correct and on track.

Now can you use a sextant to navigate by the stars and double check your compass?
(Reel Delight) a 2001 Sea Ranger 19, 2003 Honda 90, 2010 Yamaha T8 w/power tilt, Panther T4 steering system, Hummingbird electronics, & Scotty 1116 electric downriggers.
U.S. Navy Veteran, member of U.S. Power Squadron & Past President of Lake George Fishing Alliance (Retired & ready to fish!)

StreamFixer

FE

I guess you have not spent much time in the NW.


We don't have stars visible often enough to have reliable navigation opportunities.  We have, however, learned how to reliably navigate by knowing which side of the rain drops the moss grows on.   :whistle:

StreamFixer
'01 Hewes Sportsman 18
'14 Yamaha 90
'01 T8 w/ solas 4 blade
'19 Minn Kota 80# (Alterra)
'97 19SC w/ Salt Boss Top


"By the grace of God we travel upon the rivers and sea..
They, like He, are mightier than me."  Mike Jesperson aka 'Nalu

croaker stroker

#7
My boat came with a compass that was meant for a car. When I would go out to sea, it would shake up and get bubbles all under the plastic dome (kind of like one of those Christmas snow domes).
1987 - 17' Sea Pacer - 2004 Evinrude 90 E-tec
1985 - 15' Sea Sprinter - **SOLD**

"Ex Tridente Pax". 🇺🇸

fishorcrab

Of greater concern to the compass than the wiring, are speakers in your hand held FRS or VHF radio in the cup holder close to the compass or that VHF or CB radio you mounted in the kick panel.  Unless magnetically shielded, those speakers have a larger magnetic field than any of the wiring.  Cell phones may also be a problem if laid down near the compass.

The permanently mounted radio speaker's idle magnetic field can likely be tuned out but not the hand held that is put down in a slightly different place each time.   

How many people magnetically calibrate their compass when a radio is mounted or even when a new compass is installed?  Unless you periodically do the compass calibration, how do you know where it really points?

Search for "ritchie compass calibration" in Google.  There are more than 2000 hits.
SC16 Yamaha 4s 90
SP17 Honda 4s 90  - Croaker made me do it. :)

SRanger


Great info from All!  I think I might need one of them foil hats if this is any geekier:)  I was surprised to find the compass wired or at least grounded to other instruments and gauges.  Never even knew they needed calibration.  I learn the best stuff on this site!
99 19' Arima Sea Ranger HT,  Honda BF130/BF8.
88 17' Arima Sea Ranger ST,  Yamaha F80/Merc 8 (sold)