Electrical Panel ??'s

[Bill]

Hello to all from a wonderfully warm and sunny (albeit somewhat soggy still) Oklahoma.

Well I got started on the electrical Panel project today and the area behind panel looks much better and will look even better after I epoxy a couple more wooden blocks with minibus bars mounted on them.

But my real question is concerning the "fastening' method of the panel itself. Mine just uses six #10 or 12 sheet metal screws through the 1/8" liner. Most of the holes are "stripped" out and I am want to affect a proper repair. I have thought of filling the holes with some kind of putty that hardens or something and redrilling them, but would like something a bit more secure than just drilling holes.

Any suggestions? Is there a product that "clips" over the liner and accepts screws or bolts?

Thanks in advance and spring is on the way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bill



cd25d@rhapsodysails.com

[Tom]

Hello to all from a wonderfully warm and sunny (albeit somewhat soggy still) Oklahoma.

Well I got started on the electrical Panel project today and the area behind panel looks much better and will look even better after I epoxy a couple more wooden blocks with minibus bars mounted on them.

But my real question is concerning the "fastening' method of the panel itself. Mine just uses six #10 or 12 sheet metal screws through the 1/8" liner. Most of the holes are "stripped" out and I am want to affect a proper repair. I have thought of filling the holes with some kind of putty that hardens or something and redrilling them, but would like something a bit more secure than just drilling holes.

Any suggestions? Is there a product that "clips" over the liner and accepts screws or bolts?

Thanks in advance and spring is on the way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bill

Since you've got the wooden blocks and epoxy alreadu out, how about expoxying a half by half inch woden block to the back of the liner. Screw down into that. You can also switch to machine screws rather than wood screws and epoxy nuts to the back of the liner -- be sure to grease the bolt so the epoxy doesn't glue the bolt in too. Maybe epoxy the nut to a washer first and then epoxy the washer to the liner. They also make clips that accept metal screws. They're used a lot on things like your washing machine to hold the sheet metal together. Probably your local hardware store has them, but I've never seen them in stainless or bronze so rust stains may be inevitable with them. Probably moly bolts would work too and I think the seat is aluminum and you could throw away the bolt and use a stainless one in the seat, but the seat may be too big that close to the edge. If you come up with the elegant solution, let us know.



TomCambria@mindspring.com

[Bob Ohler]

Bill,
I had the same problem with the stripped out holes on the "Aloha Spirit." (Must be a weakness of those 25D's.) I did exactly what Tom suggested above... I epoxied in wood blocks. Mine may have been a tad larger than what Tom suggests though. I held them in place while the epoxy cured with pinch clamps. I really like Tom's idea of using a machine screw/washer/nut idea though. Don't forget, if you're rewiring the panel, to make sure you leave enough slack in the wires to allow the panel to be "swung" open when service is required.
Good luck!
Bob Ohler



bobohler@chesapeake.net

[John R.]

Hello to all from a wonderfully warm and sunny (albeit somewhat soggy still) Oklahoma.

Well I got started on the electrical Panel project today and the area behind panel looks much better and will look even better after I epoxy a couple more wooden blocks with minibus bars mounted on them.

But my real question is concerning the "fastening' method of the panel itself. Mine just uses six #10 or 12 sheet metal screws through the 1/8" liner. Most of the holes are "stripped" out and I am want to affect a proper repair. I have thought of filling the holes with some kind of putty that hardens or something and redrilling them, but would like something a bit more secure than just drilling holes.

Any suggestions? Is there a product that "clips" over the liner and accepts screws or bolts?

Thanks in advance and spring is on the way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bill

Tom and Bob are on the right track. In addition I would suggest you "fully" frame in the back side of the liner with a hardwood like white oak. Next, drill into your new wood frame through the old screw hole locations in the liner using a small drill as a pilot bit, perfectly centered. Then you would drill an appropriate sized hole and install brass threaded inserts into the wood frame. They should be epoxied into place but it is not necessary. They accept standard machine screws in the size of your choice. The inserts are readily available at any decent hardware store in a multitude of sizes. That would render a trouble free repair and eliminate any fumbing with trying to align and glue washers and hex nuts, which historically never hold too well.

[Larry DeMers]

Hi Bill,

We did this last summer. I installed a complete heart Interface system of panels..charger-inverter, battery monitors, battery combiners etc.etc.
For the panel, I assembled the Heart panels individually, then used their splicing kits to gang the panels together. Once assembled, I found that the hole in the boats liner was slightly too small for the new panels, so I cut that to size, then epoxied a white oak strip on the bottom of the opening for a hinge to be applied to the bottom of the Heart Panels. A similar piece was mounted at the top of the fiberglass opening to receive the screws that keep the panel shut.

I used a s.s. piano hinge, and mounted it on the back of the lowest panel, and then through the fiberglass into the oak strip. The panel closes nicely, and when it's open I have access to it's complete back as well as the terminal strips I epoxied to the interior of that area in the boat, behind the breaker panel. A small set of knurled screws through the top of the panel into epoxied-in-place threaded inserts in the top frame piece keep the panel nicely closed.

Hey..send some of that warmth up this way..we won't be above zero for a high on Wed.-Thurs! What happened to our temps? <dive-dive!>

Cheers!

Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30 ~~~Frimly embedded in snow on Lake Superior~~~

Hello to all from a wonderfully warm and sunny (albeit somewhat soggy still) Oklahoma.

Well I got started on the electrical Panel project today and the area behind panel looks much better and will look even better after I epoxy a couple more wooden blocks with minibus bars mounted on them.

But my real question is concerning the "fastening' method of the panel itself. Mine just uses six #10 or 12 sheet metal screws through the 1/8" liner. Most of the holes are "stripped" out and I am want to affect a proper repair. I have thought of filling the holes with some kind of putty that hardens or something and redrilling them, but would like something a bit more secure than just drilling holes.

Any suggestions? Is there a product that "clips" over the liner and accepts screws or bolts?

Thanks in advance and spring is on the way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bill

demers@sgi.com

[Bill]

Thanks for the Reply Larry (and everyone else as well)

Where did you find a 6-8 inch SS hinge?

BS

Hi Bill,

We did this last summer. I installed a complete heart Interface system of panels..charger-inverter, battery monitors, battery combiners etc.etc.
For the panel, I assembled the Heart panels individually, then used their splicing kits to gang the panels together. Once assembled, I found that the hole in the boats liner was slightly too small for the new panels, so I cut that to size, then epoxied a white oak strip on the bottom of the opening for a hinge to be applied to the bottom of the Heart Panels. A similar piece was mounted at the top of the fiberglass opening to receive the screws that keep the panel shut.

I used a s.s. piano hinge, and mounted it on the back of the lowest panel, and then through the fiberglass into the oak strip. The panel closes nicely, and when it's open I have access to it's complete back as well as the terminal strips I epoxied to the interior of that area in the boat, behind the breaker panel. A small set of knurled screws through the top of the panel into epoxied-in-place threaded inserts in the top frame piece keep the panel nicely closed.

Hey..send some of that warmth up this way..we won't be above zero for a high on Wed.-Thurs! What happened to our temps? <dive-dive!>

Cheers!

Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30 ~~~Frimly embedded in snow on Lake Superior~~~

Hello to all from a wonderfully warm and sunny (albeit somewhat soggy still) Oklahoma.

Well I got started on the electrical Panel project today and the area behind panel looks much better and will look even better after I epoxy a couple more wooden blocks with minibus bars mounted on them.

But my real question is concerning the "fastening' method of the panel itself. Mine just uses six #10 or 12 sheet metal screws through the 1/8" liner. Most of the holes are "stripped" out and I am want to affect a proper repair. I have thought of filling the holes with some kind of putty that hardens or something and redrilling them, but would like something a bit more secure than just drilling holes.

Any suggestions? Is there a product that "clips" over the liner and accepts screws or bolts?

Thanks in advance and spring is on the way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bill

cd25d@rhapsodysails.com

[Murray Glue]

Bill,

I did a rewire too, incorporating a whole new aluminium panel with 18
way switching and blade fuse blocks...it is mounted over the existing opening, using things called nutserts...these are fitted into exactly the right sized hole, then expanded with a hand tool, which forces the
soft metal collar into the grp. they dont slip, turn or rust. the black epoxy coated panel is then mounted into the nutserts using stainless hex domed bolts. Looks very professional.

Murray Glue
CD30 Dayspring



murrayglue@hotmail.com

[Bill]

Thanks Murry

What is a source for these nutserts? and is the "special tool" something that comes with the nutserts or a separate purchase?

Bill

Bill,

I did a rewire too, incorporating a whole new aluminium panel with 18
way switching and blade fuse blocks...it is mounted over the existing opening, using things called nutserts...these are fitted into exactly the right sized hole, then expanded with a hand tool, which forces the
soft metal collar into the grp. they dont slip, turn or rust. the black epoxy coated panel is then mounted into the nutserts using stainless hex domed bolts. Looks very professional.

Murray Glue
CD30 Dayspring

cd25d@rhapsodysails.com

[Larry DeMers]

Hi,

I got the S.S. piano hinge from the local hardware store after checking it with a magnet to be sure. However, these are available at West Marine, Defender, B/US etc. also. Due to the size of the panel, I drilled extra holes in the piano hinge, at midship locations between existing holes. This worked out a lot better.
I have a series of .jpg's of this installation process, from old panel and wiring mess to the new panel with neatly run and seized wiring loom, numbered conductors and terminal blocks. If interested, let me know, and I will send them to you directly. (Wish I had my web site up now..sigh).

Cheers!

Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30

Thanks for the Reply Larry (and everyone else as well)

Where did you find a 6-8 inch SS hinge?

BS

Hi Bill,

We did this last summer. I installed a complete heart Interface system of panels..charger-inverter, battery monitors, battery combiners etc.etc.
For the panel, I assembled the Heart panels individually, then used their splicing kits to gang the panels together. Once assembled, I found that the hole in the boats liner was slightly too small for the new panels, so I cut that to size, then epoxied a white oak strip on the bottom of the opening for a hinge to be applied to the bottom of the Heart Panels. A similar piece was mounted at the top of the fiberglass opening to receive the screws that keep the panel shut.

I used a s.s. piano hinge, and mounted it on the back of the lowest panel, and then through the fiberglass into the oak strip. The panel closes nicely, and when it's open I have access to it's complete back as well as the terminal strips I epoxied to the interior of that area in the boat, behind the breaker panel. A small set of knurled screws through the top of the panel into epoxied-in-place threaded inserts in the top frame piece keep the panel nicely closed.

Hey..send some of that warmth up this way..we won't be above zero for a high on Wed.-Thurs! What happened to our temps? <dive-dive!>

Cheers!

Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30 ~~~Frimly embedded in snow on Lake Superior~~~

Hello to all from a wonderfully warm and sunny (albeit somewhat soggy still) Oklahoma.

Well I got started on the electrical Panel project today and the area behind panel looks much better and will look even better after I epoxy a couple more wooden blocks with minibus bars mounted on them.

But my real question is concerning the "fastening' method of the panel itself. Mine just uses six #10 or 12 sheet metal screws through the 1/8" liner. Most of the holes are "stripped" out and I am want to affect a proper repair. I have thought of filling the holes with some kind of putty that hardens or something and redrilling them, but would like something a bit more secure than just drilling holes.

Any suggestions? Is there a product that "clips" over the liner and accepts screws or bolts?

Thanks in advance and spring is on the way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bill

demers@sgi.com

[Murray Glue]

Bill,

I am unable to recall where I sourced them, but it was from a specialist fastenings outlet. The tool is sold with the nutserts.
Maybe try somewhere that sells just fastenings ( bolts nuts rivets etc ). I am in Singapore right now so I am away from my records.

Good luck...

Murray



murrayglue@hotmail.com

[Bob Luby]

As long as we're talking electrical panels are there any that are
compact? - i.e lots of switches in a small space? I want to add circuits to my 25D, and I did- using a rats nest, but it would be nice. as well as safer to have just one panel for everything.

Any reccommendations?

BTW - Get some sailing in for us frostbitten ones, languishing far from the Travellift.



Rluby@aol.com