109. How to wire up a 12v LED light on a Narrowboat

[@sarkybugger5009]

Hi James. Put a female on the positive and a male on the negative. That way, you can't reverse the cables in error. Won't matter if the lights have a bridge rectifier built in. Have fun, and sore arms. ;o) All the best.

[@TheNarrowboatThatJamesBuilt]

It would help the whole sore arm thing if I hadn’t burnt both of them twice on that f’ing candle!! Good shout about swapping male/female round. It’s funny as I was thinking to myself earlier that I must really pay attention (and be sober) when I plug all the lights in the make sure I don’t do just that - now I needn’t bother. I can get drunk as a skunk and then plug all my lights in. Cheers that’ll be more fun

[@stevenwilliams4916]

Perfect 'how to do' instructions, exactly what is needed and lacking in boat building videos.

[@NarrowboatWill]

That is such a good idea with the heat shrink. When I was a motorbike mechanic and these new Light emitting diode indicators came out it was a pain trying to connect these very thin wires to standard connectors. Now these new bikes use 3v systems with no fuses all going through the ECU. I gave up then. Cheers sir James.

[@dekockj]

I just had to go and watch ALL you previous videos. Brilliant journey so far. Your progress is astounding! Keep living the dream :-)

[@TheNarrowboatThatJamesBuilt]

Wow good on you. Thanks pal - we’re getting there !!

[@zackmacloud6214]

Just finished watching a group of people wiring up a very large model railway setup, it was quite inspirational.

[@TheNarrowboatThatJamesBuilt]

Wow - that must be connectors galore

[@milliehillie931]

Great to see a practical demonstration. Thank you for taking the time to show us how you are doing things.

[@TheNarrowboatThatJamesBuilt]

I’ve learnt lots from practical demos like this. As I said this is just one way of doing it, but it shows all the steps

[@TheNarrowboatThatJamesBuilt]

And I only burnt my forearm on the candle twice during the filming !!!

[@bazabiker4870]

Stagger the joints by making 1 lead longer than the other, rather than simply cutting straight across original connector lead. This will stop bunching up of cable in the conduit, which would occur if the solder or crimp sleeved joints are side to side and also, should the covering insulation at the joint fail or be damaged, it can't short to its neighbouring joint if staggered. Keep up the good work James

[@TheDaf95xf]

Afternoon James. I thought of you today when I saw a Narrowboat on the cut in kilcock Nr Dublin on my bike ride. Really useful tutorial 👍🏻 Your becoming really fantastic at explaining things in easy layman terms 😃 Cheers Stevie 😎

[@christinegibbins6105]

I could get the grandsons on that, they love Lego. All the best James.

[@mikekavanagh7832]

Hi there, you should be using fully insulated terminals. Any live feed needs terminating with a female terminal otherwise if it becomes disconnected it can short out.

[@lindaclements5549]

Hi James, I do not know anything about electrics or boats for that matter, but, the vlog was interesting. keep well. By the way I have had my fire lit as well. keep well.

[@colsphotography3319]

Good instructional video James, whilst it may be no use to me I did find it quite interesting especially after my 15 hours sleep 😂 Looking forward to seeing progress later and you with sore arms! 👍

[@Andy_Bailey]

Hi James, other than the last light in the sequence you will have two sets of cable for each light, using spade connectors this gets a bit messy. May be too late but can I recommend wago connectors, perfect for boats as spring loaded connection and very quick and easy to connect, disconnect and then reattach. Used them all over my boat. Plus should you want to branch off for an extra feed you just fit a connector with an extra output.

[@quebot1111]

I enjoy your diy vlogs especially when you add the humor in there.

[@johnb7644]

Morning James, Enjoyed That, just reassuring to see I’ve been doing some of my stuff right 👍👍👍👍

[@AlanLifeson]

Hi nice video. That seems like a lot of work and you have introduced 3 points of failure on each cable. Cables can pull out of crimp connectors and they can always pull apart. Personally I would have twisted and soldered each cable and covered it with heat shrink. Less likely to fail or get corroded.

[@philhonour450]

Hi James, you learn something every day ,thanks Phil

[@TheNarrowboatThatJamesBuilt]

Cheers Phil - hope you’re well my friend

[@philhonour450]

James , and another thing , at least you didn’t say “ And here’s one I prepared earlier “ . Good night and get some rest. Phil

[@TheNarrowboatThatJamesBuilt]

@@philhonour450 I’d never do that faux pas

[@JB-ek4yx]

I hope you have a good source for heat-shrink as all the stuff I've ever seen costs about the same as gold weight for weight, crazy as it's pretty much just lightweight plastic tube!

[@theworth123]

Well done, another good vid, I hadn't realised before red can be connected to blue, I shall remember that. I also thought you might burn your arm on the candle, and thought very good you didn't,, then I read the comments below, ouch....

[@chrislaunders8283]

You really should have used fully insulated FEMALE connectors on the supply cable ends, this way there is no chance of a short if for any reason the connectors become separated.

[@chevyimp5857]

Consider fully insulated terminals and adhesive lined heat shrink..nice to see you still tinkering away

[@suecox2308]

You're a good teacher, James.

[@TheNarrowboatThatJamesBuilt]

Oh thanks Sue, sweet of you to say

[@mranthonye]

Nice upload James. A professional job done there. Stay safe

[@sallyanne2103]

Well James that went completely over my head however the other half pointed out that it was worth the wait (he works in caravans so does a lot of 12v and he’s been eagerly waiting for this video 🤣)

[@josephderusso1678]

Great video as always I just wanted to mention these connections I’ve seen people use in other videos with heat shrink and solder all in one you just use a heat gun Wasn’t sure if you have seen them before or not Everything is coming out great Thank you for the great content and laughs

[@musictube250]

Why oh why??. You have just introduced 6 points of wiring to connector failure in every light. If you are going to heat shrink the wires anyway, then twist them together, solder the join and heat shrink that.

[@davidpinner4598]

Thats the best way to do the 12v, I did it that way when I converted a van to a camper, you know its never going to come apart. Amazon have a small heat gun for shrink wrap for around £17.

[@TheNarrowboatThatJamesBuilt]

Excellent - I need to do re-wiring in my car and will do the same

[@rupertdanbury7020]

Thanks James's. Im doing the same for my motorhome . Thank you 😊

[@steveroperfilms]

Most of your whole series so far would be very useful to any mobile home builder. Cheers.

[@TheNarrowboatThatJamesBuilt]

Cheers Steve - I was kinda hoping that would be the resource

[@andyince]

Decent ratchet crimping tool and proper strippers....... not those silly ones you get with a cheap automotive crimp kit! Another great vid!

[@TheNarrowboatThatJamesBuilt]

Are you saying mine are OK or the cheap variety???

[@TheNarrowboatThatJamesBuilt]

I never know where to draw the line. You can spend over a hundred on both!! Mine were kind of in the middle which is where I pitch most things

[@andyince]

@@TheNarrowboatThatJamesBuilt yours are the better ones, the cheap ones i refer to have the crimping part at the tips, you have to crush the crimps and usually dont work fist time, with yours its a firmer more secure crimp

[@TheNarrowboatThatJamesBuilt]

@@andyince oh good - relieved 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[@TheNarrowboatThatJamesBuilt]

@@andyince mine seem fine however it is quite easy to misalign and miscrimp

[@michaelburns6197]

The bullet type of crimps are more suitable for in-line connections than spades. As others have said, use the fully shrouded ones. Where you've only got one 2.5 connection to make (i.e. at the last light in a bank), you could build up the smaller cable (by the methods you've already used) so that you can use a blue butt splice (one connection instead of three).

[@MsVanorak]

Now this is in the realms of medieval alchemy.

[@stevearchtoe7039]

Good job sir!

[@markkasprzak995]

Very secure connection. Work overhead till it hurts, then take a break. Glad to see everything is coming along well. At least you’ll be able to use the hobs when you want a cuppa. Stay safe. Crack on

[@markkasprzak995]

PS. Get a heat gun

[@TheNarrowboatThatJamesBuilt]

The heat gun would help 👍🏼👍🏼🤣

[@markkasprzak995]

You’ll use the heat shrink and gun in the engine bay also

[@davidallen1418]

I am surprised you did not comment back to me about the cleaning the flue & top of the stove with out a rodding door James?

[@TheNarrowboatThatJamesBuilt]

Sorry - you kind of answered it yourself. It’s cleaned from the top down.

[@davidallen1418]

@@TheNarrowboatThatJamesBuilt That's a most unusual way James. have you run that by a stove installer/ fitter? I think that will be difficult to clean out properly.

[@randoneur]

I'd make life simpler by just cutting the connector off the light fittings. Then join the cables directly. You're never going to unplug unless something goes wrong, and even if it does you can recrimp.

[@TheNarrowboatThatJamesBuilt]

There’s another reason..... I can assemble a lot of it table height this way.....if I lost the LED connection then I’d have to do all of it above head height which there are 20 on the boat !!!

[@cskeise]

Heat shrink what a life saver... 💙👊😎

[@oscarrox]

Learnt a few useful things, thanks :)

[@robg3545]

Nice attention to detail there James, it all adds to the quality of the finish. With the very thin white wires, if you fold the bared copper back over its insulation, you can crimp onto that end and it gives a slightly stronger joint. I reckon you'll be doing a lot of connections so I recommend investing in a cheap chef's blowtorch, they are absolutely ideal for 'flashing' heatshrink, theyre thumb-operated so you can use them one handed. One of the most useful things Ive got (and Ive never done a creme brulee). And also handy for lighting a fire!

[@TheNarrowboatThatJamesBuilt]

That’s a good tip about folding wires back over insulation. Nice one. Blowtorch is good but I’m not sure how I can be trusted with that - may go for a gas cooker lighter instead

[@stevemumbling7720]

You could also stagger the connections and put one piece of glue lined heatshrink sleeve over both. And leave a circle of slack in the ceiling around the light fitting so it would be easy to get to the connections if you had to. Just out of curiosity, do you connect the negative of the batteries to the boat hull or is the electrical system just floating above ground potential?

[@TheNarrowboatThatJamesBuilt]

If I’m honest I’m still checking the answer to your q. There are 2 schools of thought it seems. Don’t connect to hull. It creates galvanic corrosion and use a junction box. Do connect to hull but in one place only - run all nets back to same spot and then to hull. I’ll get this confirmed and let you know

[@stevemumbling7720]

@@TheNarrowboatThatJamesBuilt Thanks James. Come to think of it the negative of the starter battery will be connected to the hull through the starter motor. And the negative of the leisure batteries will have to be connected to the negative of the starter battery for charging.

[@grahamwoollam4038]

Can i suggest getting a gas cooker lighter for ease of you to shrink wrap. then when you wire in situe you can not rely on a candle.

[@TheNarrowboatThatJamesBuilt]

I wasn’t going to use a candle near the ceiling !!! I’ll use exactly what you suggested - will buy one for fire anyway

[@PinkLittleElephant]

Do the connections really need to be waterproof? I hate the choc box connectors but the Wago ones are really easy to use. You would need 2 triple ones for most of the lights. The connections are spring loaded so everything is much easier overhead.

[@TheNarrowboatThatJamesBuilt]

Yes they need to be water proof. Condensation could drip between insulation and ceiling or through mushroom vent. IF it landed on the cable it could run down the cable to a connection. Many other connections, accessible ones don’t need to be so secure

[@michaelburns6197]

And I thought you were in a rush. Remember you've to go in and out with your 2.5 cables on all but the last light on each bank.

[@PinkLittleElephant]

I can see how you can prep the white connectors in advance ... But to do the same to the wires in the ceiling is going to be a right pain because it is all overhead?

[@TheNarrowboatThatJamesBuilt]

TELL ME ABOUT IT !!!!!! I’m going to do one then rest then another etc - going to take an age !!

[@PinkLittleElephant]

Also you have several LED lights in sequence, all serviced by the same switch? If so then the loops from the ceiling also need to be connected back to each other on the connection ?

[@TheNarrowboatThatJamesBuilt]

@@PinkLittleElephant yep that’s right - two cables into each connector on the lights apart from the last on circuit will just have one cable connectors

[@theverylovelymjj]

Hi James, on your search for ceiling lights did you find similar ones with individual on/off switches next to each light, rather than main switch?

[@TheNarrowboatThatJamesBuilt]

Hi Jo I haven’t come across those but in fairness I wasn’t really looking. You can a push button LED light - so you basically push the bulb and it light - switch and light in one

[@casaia]

Keep at it and don't forget that cup of tea :)

[@TheNarrowboatThatJamesBuilt]

You know - I went a whole afternoon today without a brew. I’ve made up for it now !!

[@gary.lee.galbusera.butcher]

Nice simple educational content. Now I know how to do that, all I need is to buy me a narrowboat!

[@bigKDL]

Hi another good vlog just thought I might say that I enjoyed your belt braces and safety lines lesson on crimping cables.The fitting of your battery bank if you check out www.smartgauge.co.uk then how to wire a battery bank they show all the different ways it can be done and all the the results of efficiency tests they have carried out so ensuring you wire your bank for the best results they also have massive amounts of information about electrics and electronics worth a look even if you already know a lot about it

[@TheNarrowboatThatJamesBuilt]

Nice one Big - ta

[@MrSenglish12]

James y not just solder the circuit then shrink 12v be ok

[@TheNarrowboatThatJamesBuilt]

That’s an option. Kit I don’t have though

[@michaelburns6197]

@@TheNarrowboatThatJamesBuilt Solder joints can be susceptible to vibration at the solder interface. Heat shrink will provide support but not sure if enough.

[@MrSenglish12]

Michael the motor industry has used soldering joints for years

[@michaelburns6197]

@@MrSenglish12 For in-line cable connections? Well I never knew that. I've never seen it on a car either.

[@pocketchange1951]

👍👌🇨🇦❤