Beware Wiring Schematics on Older Boats

[CaspersCruiser]

I am posting this as a heads-up for owners of older boats and for prospective buyers of them.

The wiring schematics for my 2012 R27 have errors and omissions. For example, the “Ranger Tug R-27 Power Distribution” schematic in the owner’s manual on page 34 has a couple significant errors and omissions. It is dated 10-21-10.

1. On my boat as wired, there is a cable connecting the two house battery positive posts as one would expect on batteries connected in parallel to increase capacity. That cable is not depicted on the owner’s manual schematic.

2. According to the same schematic, the only appliances powered through the Thruster battery switch are the bow and stern thrusters. On my boat, that is incorrect. The windlass is also powered through the Thruster battery switch. Inexplicably, if one takes the owner’s manual schematics as gospel, the windlass doesn’t exist! It is nowhere to be found. That omission caused me to go on a wild goose chase a couple years ago. I simply did not know that the windlass was powered through the Thruster battery battery switch.

There are other errors such as fuses on Power Distribution Panels (PDP) not being in the position as depicted on a laminated sheet inserted into the owner’s manual. The CO detector in the wiring schematics, on the location depicted on the laminated sheet, and on the wiring at the PDP is labeled “O.C. Sensor”.

I am certain there are other errors. I just haven’t found them yet. Hopefully, Fluid Motion cleaned up their act on later models.

 

[rpmerrill]

Bill,
You are right about the CO detector. Mine is labeled O.C. also. I just chalk that up dyslexia. (Or is it lysdexia?)
My old detector timed out last month. New one is battery powered and in a more proper location.

I did notice recently that the windlass is missing. With all our discussion about it's wiring, I was wondering/hoping that the foot switch controls are entirely independent (parallel) of the helm controls. I know they can't be in series but just wanted to see it on the diagram to be sure. If I run into one of those "gymnastic" delays re-wiring the foot switches, I'd want to still have a working windlass.

I'll find out next week.
rich

 

[Martin610]

In my opinion you need to be aware of design deltas on ANY boat. The Fluid Motion boats are often fully fitted out with features and therefore a bit complex.

In an engineering process there should be a detailed design that the builders adhere to as best they can. There are usually multiple builders in different places. They often can't follow the design 100% for several reasons. Sometimes they don't have the parts, things get done out of sequence, project schedules, are just a couple reasons. With something complex like a boat the builders are supposed to track changes and create an "as built" drawing at the completion of the job. However time and cost often prohibits that. Product management makes the cost decisions, not the engineers.

The schematic is a starting point, you usually have to work things out from there.

In my case we produced designs, that my team tested, and would then be deployed to phone company offices all across the country. It was amazing how creative things could get when we did trouble shooting! But using the design to level set the respective teams knowledge we always got things fixed. As boat owners we can too.

 

[CaspersCruiser]

In my opinion you need to be aware of design deltas on ANY boat.......

There is a difference between a design delta and complete omission of a major power-using system such as the windlass.

 

[OverTime]

The manual I use for my R-29 CB has a completely different engine in it than the one that is in my boat! 😀