I think it got a little hot...

[Mike Christie 4]

Last year when I purchased my boat, a 2006 Centurion Enzo, I had the a perfect pass installed on the far right of the dash where the blank is or was. Well the installer apparently took those 4 hot wires and taped them together and stuffed them back in the dash. Couple of times last year while we were out, I could occasionally smell what I knew was an electrical fire, but thought that it was my switches that I run my ballast pumps through. I was not using a relay and the pumps pulled just about as many amps as the switch was rated to handle. I just assumed that the switches were failing and was planning on addressing it next spring. Well now it is next spring I have been spending some time cleaning up the horrible wire runs from the perfect pass install and in doing so I came across the source of what I am pretty sure is the source of my electrical fire smell. It appears that the wiring wore through the tap or the tape came off and the wire was contacting the metal brackets that holds the gauge into the dash panel. You can be the judge by looking at the attached pictures.

Anyways, my question is what do I do with these wires and how do I properly and safely dress them to prevent a future catastrophe?

[truekaotik 458]

Cut them back mike to where there is no more damage to the wire housing . Then take a "crimp cap" or a one ended butt connector and place over and crimp. Do not strip it or anything, you want the wire inside to be flush with the housing. Tape up and there should be NO problems. The tape does nothing but help them stay together and look clean. The "crimp cap" is what will secure it safely.. Then zip tie it to some wires where they are safe and not flopping around as it looks they were..

Edited March 22, 2012 by truekaotik

[Wylie_Tunes 146]

I think you have too many piggy-backing. Those need to be separated and then connected individually to a BUSS of some kind. Whether its a BUSS bar or a remote terminal stud. If they are B+, then they each need to be fused coming off the BUSS before heading to what ever device they power. That's a fire waiting to happen and connecting them all back together as they are now is still looking for trouble.

 

Next, I would be inspecting each circuit that's there, to make sure one is not shorted. The one on the left looks to be the suspect one. That heat generation could just have been due to a poor/loose connection. This equals poor continuity and heat transfer. Basically, the terminals arc and get hot.

[truekaotik 458]

I think you have too many piggy-backing. Those need to be separated and then connected individually to a BUSS of some kind. Whether its a BUSS bar or a remote terminal stud. If they are B+, then they each need to be fused coming off the BUSS before heading to what ever device they power. That's a fire waiting to happen and connecting them all back together as they are now is still looking for trouble.

 

Next, I would be inspecting each circuit that's there, to make sure one is not shorted. The one on the left looks to be the suspect one. That heat generation could just have been due to a poor/loose connection. This equals poor continuity and heat transfer. Basically, the terminals arc and get hot.

Ya know man I thought that's what I seen also, that they were piggy backed and hooked up to something... But then I went back to his post and seen this

" Well the installer apparently took those 4 hot wires and taped them together and stuffed them back in the dash" Mike....

So I figured they were just spare hot wires he wanted to eliminate...

Oops...

[Mike Christie 4]

Thanks trukaotik. I figured capping them would be the answer, but wasn't sure if I should just cut them and cap them. Thought there might be another step like tracing the run of wire and making sure it wasn't compromised elsewhere.

[truekaotik 458]

Mike, you can trace the run to be safe. It seemed the damage spot was the culprit, but ya never know and good catch

I would be more concerned with what Wylie said. It does look like they have metal connectors jumping across them.. Are they connected to anything? My solution would of only been if they were just 4 seperate unused hot wires. Not powering anything... Just looked like they arc as you said on some framing, you crimp them seperatley.... But Wylie has your solution if they are piggy backed together..

Edited March 22, 2012 by truekaotik

[duramat 462]

Holy Moly! Ya, you got/had some issues. Like true and Wylie mentioned, Id track all wires to verify there isnt a short or other damage elsewhere. Wylie hit it on the head with them wires going to a terminal strip/buss and fuse them if necessary. You lucked out bro, the Surf Gods are watching over ya

 

The sparky in me says the installer ought to be spanked

[Mike Christie 4]

Just to clarify, the wires are not being used. These were the wires that ran to the back of the gauge blank. Based on advice from you guys I am going to cut off the burnt up part, trace the run an check for other damage. Cap them and put them behind the dash correctly.

 

(null)

[Wylie_Tunes 146]

What do you mean not being used? It looks like a 12g ground wire that came off of something, and has had 3 additional 14ga ground wires piggy-backed off it. What ever the original wire was hooked to may no longer work due to its lost ground, but the others where working. Its either pulling too much load, a loose connection that overheated, or a short.

 

No mater what, I would not recommend twisting those 4 wires back togehter.