New boat, 393 Beneteau, my dealer was saying they intend to connect the
Hella fans I orderd to the electrical wiring for the lighting, and
upgrade the breaker. They said it was to time consuming and expensive
to run additional wiring thru the boat. This is what is normally done,
has been no problems in Benetau boats. The guage of the wire is think
enough.

I am uncomfortable with this. Has anybody done this, what were the
results?

Largely depends whether the wiring will take the additional load and
not suffer too much voltage drop. Manufacturers quite often use
thinnest cables possible to save copper=money, so with all design load
switched on there won't be any spare capacity for addl load. If the
cables are fat enough, there should not be a problem.
You need to find out the current total lighting load when all are
switched on, the extra load of the fans, the size of wire installed and
the length of the cable runs. Having done that you are in a position
to work out if it is really OK. The company will also argue that it is
unlikely that you will have everything switched on at the same time, so
it is OK. The breaker should still be sized to protect the cable - not
the size of the load.

b393capt wrote:
New boat, 393 Beneteau, my dealer was saying they intend to connect
the Hella fans I orderd to the electrical wiring for the lighting, and
upgrade the breaker. They said it was to time consuming and expensive
to run additional wiring thru the boat. This is what is normally done,
has been no problems in Benetau boats. The guage of the wire is think
enough.

I am uncomfortable with this. Has anybody done this, what were the
results?

If there were no other options but to use the switch/breaker that supplies
the lighting, then running a live from this to the fans would be OK so long
as you upgraded the breaker. They are surely not breaking into the lighting
circuit to feed the fans? It's possible the dealer has misunderstood what is
involved, and has explained this to you rather badly?

Bob wrote:
b393capt said.......

"They said it was too time consuming and expensive
to run additional wiring thru the boat."

Hi Capt.

Too expensive? I have never heard a boat yard say that?!?!? Most
likely, the person who said that is thinking "a boater in the yard is
worth two on the dock." In other words, To do it right, yes it may take
8-10 worker hours ($65/hour) to run 20 bucks of wire. The $650 to
install a 20 dollar fan would scare you off. It just don't make since
to pay that much money for a $20 fan does it? So the yard guy says they
will do it for only $65 by splicing into a lighting circuit. Ya know.
Quick and easy so you can get out on the water today!

For the yard, better $65 dollars in the hand than a disgruntled boat
owner bitching about $650 to install a 20 buck fan! So why do people
buy new boats........... so they wont have to fix anything...
reliability. Stay away from old boats, said the dealer. Do you want to
spend your time sailing or pouring money into something that will just
need fixing next weekend? Oh, and don't forget, you do not want any
thing to break out at sea do you? Think of your family and their
safety. Old boats are a bad idea. New boats are safe and reliable.

In an earlier post I asked about installing an AC receptacle. One piece
of advise was that I could "get a way" with 14 AWG wire." I chose
to use 12-3 for just the situation you are facing. Sure it is over
sized wire for the load and run................. but 10 years from now
I may want to "splice in" a branch circuit that would bump my load
to 16 amps. Time is money. Get a book and start learning or have a
VERY big wallet.
Bob

Where can you buy Hella fans for $20? Latest WM catalog list them at
$69.99. I need a couple so let me know who has them for $20.
krj

On 4 Mar 2006, "b393capt" wrote:

New boat, 393 Beneteau, my dealer was saying they intend to connect the
Hella fans I orderd to the electrical wiring for the lighting, and
upgrade the breaker. They said it was to time consuming and expensive
to run additional wiring thru the boat.

Has the dealer also said the dealer has confirmed that there isn't
already wiring in place (as there is on other B models) for the fan?
Isn't it a fact that that model's switch panel has at least two
available circuits? OTOH, why, in any event, would they want to
"upgrade the breaker" if all you're referring to is the sort of Hella
fans usually associated with this sort of (sized/configuration) boat,
i.e., ones with their own on/off switches and comparativley low load
when running?

This is what is normally done, has been no problems
in Benetau boats. The guage of the wire is think
enough. I am uncomfortable with this.

Given what (by your reference to the sort of fans involved) you appear
to be suggesting is comparatively low-load devices with a wire gauge
sufficient to take both the reading light in place and fans on the
same circuit and also that this is what this particular B-authorized
dealer normally does, why are you uncomfortable? And if despite what
the dealer says you still feel uncomfortable, have you spoken with Joe
Foss or other technical support folk at the B factory to ask their
opinion?

Has anybody done this, what were the
results?

Your checking out the yhe "yahoo groups" forums devoted to this model
and to the onext smaller and next larger models very likely will
elicit confirmation both that, as you prefer, confirmation of what the
dealer says is likely and also that a separate circuit is
comparatively easy to install too.

Where can you buy Hella fans for $20? Latest WM catalog list them at
$69.99. I need a couple so let me know who has them for $20.
krj


Hi Krj:

I guess I was a bit off in my cost estimate. Granted the below unit is
not the two speed "Jet fan" modle. ALso looks as though this small one
only draws 3.5 watts while the two speed draws 6.5 watts.

HL87178 Hella Jet Fan, 12V, Black $24.83

Just remember that WM prices are nearly twice "fair market value" or
"street price"
Bob

wrote:
Largely depends whether the wiring will take the additional load and
not suffer too much voltage drop. Manufacturers quite often use
thinnest cables possible to save copper=money, so with all design load
switched on there won't be any spare capacity for addl load. If the
cables are fat enough, there should not be a problem.
You need to find out the current total lighting load when all are
switched on, the extra load of the fans, the size of wire installed and
the length of the cable runs. Having done that you are in a position
to work out if it is really OK. The company will also argue that it is
unlikely that you will have everything switched on at the same time, so
it is OK. The breaker should still be sized to protect the cable - not
the size of the load.


If you replace the lighting on the same wire with LEDs you have spare
capacity for the fans, and wouldn't need to upgrade the breaker.

--
Kees

Turns out there is wiring already in place for six fans in the existing
wiring harnesses.

Thats the way I am going to go

Turns out there is wiring already in place for six fans in the existing
wiring harnesses.

Thats the way I am going to go