New Electrical Distribution Panel

[David Sabourin]

I have finally decided to upgraded my electrical panel from the original (1987) to a new Blue Seas AC/DC panel with multi-meters for both sides. I chose a model that has 15 positions for the DC and 6 positions for the AC side. The directions that came with the equipment are pretty straightforward but I was wondering if any of you out there have had some experience doing this kind of upgrade. If so, what kinds of hints can you pass along?

I would appreciate hearing from anyone on good or bad experiences with either this product or the procedure invloved.

David Sabourin
s/v Mad Hatter 11 (still in the water where it should be)
Tracys Creek
Deale, Md

[Parfait's Provider]

David,

I replaced Parfait's electrical panels with Blue Sea and am delighted. It would have gone better if I had done a better job of labeling as I removed the old panel. I did not, but if you are going to leave the old wiring in place, it might be helpful to terminate the old wires at a terminal strip and run short wires from there to the new panel. The alternative is to add length to each wire in order to provide sufficent length to route all wires parallel to the hinge you will surely want.

The greatest advantage of at least some installations is that the panel can be hinged and opened without much trouble at all. No more pulling the panel away from the bulkhead and hoping that wires don't tear loose each time. Do hinge the panel.

I found that even 16 DC circuits weren't enough, so I added a sub panel with fuses for the radio equipment. You might want to do something similar with either fuses or breakers. The fuse panel fits easily in a cabinet out of the way. A breaker panel wouldn't be so easy to install.

These days I think Blue Seas sells all panels with backlighting. It is of large benefit. Make certain the small lighting wires don't interfere with the path between the LED and the label.

That is all I think of at the moment. If anything else comes to mind, I'll pipe up again. Have fun!

[Bill Goldsmith]

I rewired Loonsong's panel with a Blue Seas panel with both AC and DC. I made my own hinged panel so the Blue Seas can articulate. It is a great upgrade. At the same time I added a battery combiner and a third starting battery. One of these days I will take some pix.

[bottomscraper]

Label all you wires. I have one of these and it works well.

http://www.amazon.com/DYMO-LetraTag-119 ... B00005QJED

I haven't replaced the main panel on Mahalo but we did replace the two small junk "Seadog" fused sub-panels. We actually had a single 12 ckt panel custom made since nothing I could find off the shelf would fit and cover up the holes left by the Seadog panels. It wasn't cheap but not completely out of line. We got that panel from Mobile Marine Electrical Services, Inc.. It's a nice panel and they were easy to deal with. I know I took some before and after pictures but I don't have a clue where I put them.

Heatshrink tubing and good quality crimp on connectors make for a neat job. I really like the ratcheting crimp tools like this:

http://bestboatwire.com/catalog/product ... cts_id=749

They do a better job and you don't screw up many connections.

That web site "bestboatwire.com" seems to have good prices and selection but I haven't actually ordered anything from them yet.

You may want to add another ground bus if yours is overcrowded like ours.

You will probably go thru a bunch of plastic cable ties. Buy in bulk. I purchased a huge plastic jar of them in a variety of colors. I think it was from Home Depot or Lowes for something like $10-$12.

[Carter Brey]

I'm having to add a second DC distribution panel to Delphine after adding a few electronics, and also settled on Blue Seas after looking at all the options. They really make a nice product. Paneltronics, less expensive, also offers LED's but not, I think, backlighting, which is as Rich says a useful feature. Adding a hinge is a great idea. Photos, anyone?

Another thing that attracted me to Blue Seas was the fact that positive, negative and ground bus bars are included and integrated with the panel; this was a major factor in my decision since there is little room for bus bar installation where the new panel will go. It also saved me the trouble and mess of grinding away paint on the fiberglass mat bulkhead and epoxying on a wooden strip to which to screw the bars. Oh wait. I'm supposed to like that stuff.

Is it Spring, yet?

Carter Brey
Sabre 28 Mk II #532 "Delphine"
City Island, NY

[Warren Kaplan]

I do need to replace the electrical distribution panel on my CD27. Two years ago I loosened the mounting screws and pulled the panel away from the bulkhead and "gulp", there was Medusa's head scowling back at me. A wildly tangled rat's nest of just about all black wires!!

I decided that maybe my electrical panel was just fine "for now" and I ended up adding a subpanel for some additional equipment.

How big a job is it to redo a panel. I know there is a huge difference between using existing wiring and replacing all or most wires also. Can anyone give me an estimate of how much time it would take and how much stomach lining I might lose if I undertake this job this spring??

[Steve Laume]

I am planning to install a Blue Sea auxiliary panel to replace the Sea Dog fuse panel I have now. I plan to keep the original CD main DC panel. Last winter I changed out the original voltage guessing meter with a XBM monitor. I also installed a ground bar to eliminate the octopus on the back of the meter. When I do the AUX panel I should have enough breakers to split things up a bit more. Right now I have a breaker labeled NAV COM. On that breaker is the VHF and the depth sounder which make sense. A PO also spliced in the FM radio with speaker wire for powering the unit. I know I want to get the FM radio off that circuit. I am not sure how other loads should be split up. All cabin lighting is on one breaker. In general I believe things are pretty well separated and the fact that I have a fairly simple boat (electrically) helps. Could we get some good lists of how people have split up their loads to separate breakers? Boy would I love to be able to rip out everything and start with fresh wire. It will be a few more years until I run out of other projects to get to that point, Steve.

[Russell]

Something to consider, since your taking on the job of replacing it anyways, is perhaps relocating it. My surveyor pointed out, and I agree now, that its factory location, under the companionway is far from ideal, its very exposed to possible water. A new panel is on my long term todo list and when I get around to it, I am going to relocate it to the navstation.

I would also recommend more then 15 DC circuts, I have 20 on my DC panel and wish I had more.

[dasein668]

Label, label, label! And take the time to keep things neat!

Warren, when I rewired Dasein (Pearson Triton, 28 feet) from the ground up, I would estimate that I spent about 35-40 hours on the job including planning, ripping out the old, running all new wire and cable, making connections and neatening up the cable runs.

Here's my project:
Planning
Batteries and Charging
Wire and Cable
Connections and Finishing

[Leo MacDonald]

Hi Dave,

- I agree, the Blue Sea folks make a good product.
- As mentioned, you may find you do not have enough circuits. (I think I'm up to 18!)
- Stay away from Paneltronics. They cannot make a ammeter that works better than +/- 3 amps!
- Label, label, etc.
- Ratcheting crimper (Blue Sea markets one, or Electrical Wholesale/Retail outlet.
- Get a Fluke Multimeter. (Stay away from Radio Shack and Sears 'Electrical' / 'Electronics' stuff.)
- I like the terminal board idea. You do want the leads long!!

[Steve Laume]

I am not sure I understand the concept of using terminal blocks on the positive side of the circuit. I understand why a remote negative terminal block works to reduce clutter. It is pretty simple as all the grounds are tied together anyway. I can see bringing all of your cabin light wires to a terminal block and then leading one wire to the breaker. Why do you create another connection when there is only one wire going to the breaker? As I understand this it is just an interruption in the positive wire on it's way to the panel. I have seen this on other boats but am not sure I understand the logic, Steve.

[Parfait's Provider]

If you are completely re-wiring, you can make the wires long enough to allow for the hinged panel, etc. Cape Dory didn't do that, so if you want a panel that swings open, then you are forced to splice the leads somehow. I used a ratcheting crimper and hardwired to the panel with lugs, but it isn't much more difficult to put all the ugly wiring behind something and have an organized and labeled terminal strip. It does add a failure point, but it also adds a test point and a convenient way to open the circuit away from the panel.

I didn't do it; just a thought I had. I do have a terminal strip near the base of the mast.

[John Danicic]

I am planning to install a Blue Sea auxiliary panel to replace the Sea Dog fuse panel I have now. I plan to keep the original CD main DC panel. Last winter I changed out the original voltage guessing meter with a XBM monitor. I also installed a ground bar to eliminate the octopus on the back of the meter. When I do the AUX panel I should have enough breakers to split things up a bit more. Right now I have a breaker labeled NAV COM. On that breaker is the VHF and the depth sounder which make sense. A PO also spliced in the FM radio with speaker wire for powering the unit. I know I want to get the FM radio off that circuit. I am not sure how other loads should be split up. All cabin lighting is on one breaker. In general I believe things are pretty well separated and the fact that I have a fairly simple boat (electrically) helps. Could we get some good lists of how people have split up their loads to separate breakers? Boy would I love to be able to rip out everything and start with fresh wire. It will be a few more years until I run out of other projects to get to that point, Steve.

To All:

I agree with what the others say; label, label, label. Every wire near the panel should have an ID attached. It takes a little bit more time to do but it helps so much with trouble shooting and upgrading. It would be nice to have a neat, organized wiring scheme as Nigel Calder would want, but the reality is different. Neat, organized wiring one day, is added onto another day and soon the mess is back. Boat electronics/electrical needs do not stand still. Needless to say, like a lady in curlers, the behind the panel wiring on Mariah is not to be photographed or seen by others. It's a private place that I don't even let my brother see.

I kept the original panel on Mariah and added a small, inexpensive 6 switch sub-panel by Hella (Hella 62515) for the lower draw items like instruments, GPS, Auto helm, LED anchor light, refrigerator circulator fan. I will be adding another one for two cabin fans, engine blower and stereo with a few spares. These switches use spade fuses which can only be reached by removing the switch plate and accessing the back of the switch. They are not breakers per say but are a good, inexpensive way to add fused, low draw items. They fit rather nicely above the Cape Dory panel and are supposed to be "water resistant".

The Link Ten battery monitor fits perfectly in the same hole as the OE meter and is a highly recommended update by most who own one. I use ours to monitor the house bank and will, some day, get one to monitor the starter battery as well. Currently I just check on that baby with my multimeter.

One update that might be worth getting is the "West Marine battery switch parallel panel" (page 529 of the 2006 catalog) which is suppose to cover the hole of the existing 4 position battery switch. It is designed "to separate the house and starting battery into two isolated systems". Does anyone have any experience with this item?

As with Russell's comment, a new electrical panel in a dry location is way down the list. A new one with all the bells and whistles, meters, and switches would be nice, but I am still working on new sails, a heater and a couple of college educations to boot.

Sail on.

John Danicic
CD 36 - Mariah - #124
Lake Superior

[Steve Laume]

When I worked on my panel last year there was no way I could get enough slack to hinge the panel with the existing wires. Now if there is a good place to mount a terminal block I can see how I could manage it without doing a total rewire. I like the built out box idea but it will not get done this year. I still plan to do the auxiliary panel. Mine is mounted out of the way of the companion way so sea water is not a major issue. This will be a nice compliment to varnishing the vee berth area. I think I am getting the idea that I can only do so much each winter. A little wiring a little varnish sounds pretty good for this year, Steve.

[Carter Brey]

I kept the original panel on Mariah and added a small, inexpensive 6 switch sub-panel by Hella (Hella 62515) for the lower draw items like instruments, GPS, Auto helm, LED anchor light, refrigerator circulator fan.

John,

Your Simrad WP30 is one of the items responsible for the extra panel on Delphine. It spent the entire summer sitting in its plastic bag in the quarter berth, making sure I didn't wander off course. I finally installed it and hooked it up to power for a test last week. Works fine. You're off the hook.

Carter