Is this any use?

[Daltonia]

I recently bought a boat (built 2014) and on the roof is the below terminal box. Can anyone tell me what use this may be? I cannot find anything in the boat documentation and I don't know where it goes to within the boat. Many thanks for any insights.

[Paul C]

Its a waterproof enclosure, normally they'd be a mains junction box but without anything internally, it could be used for lots of other purposes too. Without knowing your boat electical system I can only guess. The only thing that tends to be on the exterior of a boat, but that needs wires brought internally, are solar panels. Items like shoreline connection sockets are typically mounted in a way that means the connections present on the inside. Lights/horns normally have their cable entry directly behind them although its possible the wires might be run externally a distance then enter the interior in a different place.

[Higgs]

My guess is that originally something was attached to those wires. The piece of equipment was removed or became redundant and the wires were cut and housed in the junction box for future use. Do you know if they are live? Hopefully they are only 12v.

[Alan de Enfield]

Is it an 'overflow', so that when the batteries are fully charged the excess can discharge overboard and avoid a battery explosion ?

[RLWP]

Is it an 'overflow', so that when the batteries are fully charged the excess can discharge overboard and avoid a battery explosion ?

 

It can't be - it's on the roof. OK, the positive voltage bubbles will rise up and dissipate safely, but the negative ones can fall into the cabin causing depression. Such vents MUST discharge overboard at gunwale level

 

Richard

[Alan de Enfield]

I can see then that I will need to extend the 'black' copper lined pipe that I have.

 

(Snotty for you !!)

[BargeeSpud]

As there do not appear to be any of the "knock out" blanks missing from the box, I'd say it's a feed for a piece of external equipment of some sort which was never fitted. Put a voltmeter across the cables, or a bulb, & see if there's power there.

[bizzard]

Its someones lunch box, with coloured spaghetti sticking out.

[RLWP]

Its someones lunch box, with coloured spaghetti sticking out.

 

Liquorice bootlaces

 

Richard

[Paul C]

At the risk of asking the obvious, where do the other ends of the wires go inside the boat?

[Alan de Enfield]

At the risk of asking the obvious, where do the other ends of the wires go inside the boat?

 

In the 1st post the OP states :

 

"I don't know where it goes to within the boat"

[ditchcrawler]

I bet the owner planned to fit solar and never did it

[Dinz]

Possibly just there ready for an outside requirement that never got fitted?

Example;- Power feed for self pump out kit? External lighting? etc.

As above see what power is on it.

Do you have an unmarked switch on dist. panel or on the wall?

[magnetman]

 

I bet the owner planned to fit solar and never did it

Yes, or maybe a wind turbine

Or a large electric horn?

Edited September 4, 2016 by magnetman

[Paul C]

 

In the 1st post the OP states :

 

"I don't know where it goes to within the boat"

 

I know. But if you wanted to use the wires, you could do a bit of investigation etc. I thought a 2014 boat would have an RCD and that included a (complete) wiring diagram too, is that not the case here?

[magnetman]

What if it had been retrofitted? Perhaps they had a large solar array and took it to another boat just snipping off the wires.

If the solar panels were on top of the box it would weatherproof it so you wouldn't actually need the knockouts altough ideally you would use them in a proper installation.

[Paul C]

Presumably somewhere on the boat, for example in an area close to other electrical equipment, there are a corresponding pair of thick red and black wires not connected to anything, or connected to something with a fuse missing etc. Who knows??

[matty40s]

I recently bought a boat (built 2014) and on the roof is the below terminal box. Can anyone tell me what use this may be? I cannot find anything in the boat documentation and I don't know where it goes to within the boat. Many thanks for any insights.

Could be a power supply for Sat Dish or similar, could also be a terminal for solar/wind power connections.

You would have to hunt for the other end of the cables to find out. If they terminate in a 12v fuse box with all your other wires, then it's a supply, if they just end up loose and disconnected, probably the soar/wind option.

[Alan de Enfield]

 

I know. But if you wanted to use the wires, you could do a bit of investigation etc. I thought a 2014 boat would have an RCD and that included a (complete) wiring diagram too, is that not the case here?

 

Shall I cut and paste the whole of the original post, or would you go and read it yourself ?

 

"I cannot find anything in the boat documentation"

[MtB]

They are not the type of wire normally used for solar installations. My guess would be a wind turbine used to be on the roof.

[Paul C]

 

Shall I cut and paste the whole of the original post, or would you go and read it yourself ?

 

"I cannot find anything in the boat documentation"

 

The enquiry was in relation to whether this boat had an RCD. Hope this clarifies it for you.

[magnetman]

Maybe an externally mounted beer fridge?

[Sea Dog]

My guess would be that there are similar free ends coiled up and unused somewhere near your batteries or electrical distribution panel.

 

It doesn't really matter what the original owner intended them for; what matters is that they could be a handy addition for you later on should you need to get power to or from where that box sits. Don't snip the wires off to remove the box until: a. you've first sorted the other (supply) end; b. you're sure you'll never need the facility.

[Daltonia]

Thanks very much for your replies. I checked the wires with the multimeter and there is no voltage. I wish to put solar panels on the roof one day, so perhaps they may be useful. The boat was fitted out by Brayzel, so I'll email them with the query and hope they find time to reply. They must go somewhere!

[tagulablue]

did you buy from owner or broker... quick call to them saying sorry to bother you but could you tell me what this was used for??