New Switchboard

[mm5aho]

I making a new switch board this winter. Moving from a very simple 6 fused switches panel to a much bigger one with 15 switches, all backlit, LED indicators to show which Nav lights are on, and volt and amp meters.
Making this all myself.
Any thoughts on which devices could / should be coupled together (on a single switch) and whic should not?

And any thoughts about a switch for VHF radio? I've heard from some that it should be direct wired to a battery so that it could never get switched off except that the set. I don't see too much problem in powering it through a switch.

Any other good ideas I could incorporate?

[Rowana]

I replaced the original (1979) switchboard on Rowana last year.

Here's the circuits I have -

1. Tricolour )Combined unit on masthead.
2. Nav lts - Bi-colour on bow, steaming light, Stern light
3. Anchor )Combined unit on masthead.
4. VHF.
5. Instruments (GPS, Log, Depth)
6. Auto Pilot
7. Bilge Pump
8. Lights
9. Sockets
10. Radio/CD player

I don't have a plotter, AIS, Navtext, or any other electrickery gismos.

I also have a voltmeter that has a B1-off-B2 switch.

Hope this helps.

[mm5aho]

Thanks.
That's pretty close to my layout plan so far. (I'll post some pics as I do it).
I'm planning to have Nav lights; cabin light; forepeak lights; GPS; Autopilot; VHF; anchor light; deck floodlight; Log; compass light; 12V sockets; AIS. I'll add two spares incase some newfangled device gets invented during my life that I can't live without. We don't have CD/radio, no Navtex, plotter (though a notebook does this, and it runs off a socket).
I'm also planning the voltmeter to be B1 or B2 or off.

I bought as beat up old AIS receiver on Ebay rather cheaply. Dismantled it, refurbished it, replaced broken parts, cost for repairs £2.50 (+my time), and that'll be this years new toy. Tried it at home and it "sees" way out into the Firth of Forth from near Armadale. Outputs NEMA which will integrate with SeaClear.

[mm5aho]

Progress:

Where I removed the old panel. This is in the cabin looking out the companionway. The blue plastic is taped over the hole in the fibreglass in the cockpit where the engine controls go.


Old switch panel


Cut out a new panel from sheet aluminium


Powdercoated it then fitted switches meters, fuses etc


Add some spaghetti...


Mount it in a sheet of ply that replaces the old one above the engine bay and above the companionway steps. From this board a dish draining panel fold down on hinges to add some bench space. This was always very useful, so I decided to retain it and double it up as a switchboard cover.


and here in the raised position


The little boat image has LEDs that will light up (if I've wired it right) to indicate which nav lights are on etc.
The switches have a backlight when in ON position.
Have yet to install fuses - don't have enough yet.

[Camelia]

That is fantastic!

Can you do a parts list? This priject is on my to do list next winter (2014/15). I've seen a very clever design in another boat of the same type as mine and a home made swiitch panel would be the perfect answer.

[Clyde_Wanderer]

I making a new switch board this winter. Moving from a very simple 6 fused switches panel to a much bigger one with 15 switches, all backlit, LED indicators to show which Nav lights are on, and volt and amp meters.
Making this all myself.
Any thoughts on which devices could / should be coupled together (on a single switch) and whic should not?

And any thoughts about a switch for VHF radio? I've heard from some that it should be direct wired to a battery so that it could never get switched off except that the set. I don't see too much problem in powering it through a switch.

Any other good ideas I could incorporate?

You could have compas light on same circuit as cabin lights, as good chance at least one cabin light will be on during night sailing.
I will try and think of more.
C_W

[marisca]

This could be catching! I, too, am heading down the repanelling route. Why? Well, here's the before picture ....

[mm5aho]

I bought my parts from here
http://www.switchpanels.eu/
and "borrowed" his layout ideas, modified to my own size requirements.

I wanted to to all fit inside that hinged dish drainer flap thing.

I thought his silhouette of a yacht didn't look like a Rival though, so did my own. This was freehand painting with an artists type brush. Maybe not as sharp as his system.
I bought labels for the switches (fitted since that pic above) from here: http://www.asap-supplies.com/

I hope to get it all fitted and connected up by end of the year. Maybe more pix later as I get to that?

[Storyline]

mm5aho, why did you go for conventional fuses rather than resettable circuit breaker types, was it because they are cheaper or do you think they are better ?

[mm5aho]

mm5aho, why did you go for conventional fuses rather than resettable circuit breaker types, was it because they are cheaper or do you think they are better ?

Wasn't really any particular reason.
I bought all the bits from the one place, and disn't note that he head breakers.
I guess breakers are easier to reset than to find a replacement fuse and fit it, but by spreading the loads so widely I'm hoping that I will blow very few fuses anyway.
These fuse holders are very compact, so smaller board perhaps. But some breakers are getting pretty tiny too, so maybe not much difference?

[Storyline]

Yes, I think I will copy you

The rather antiquated system on Storyline has the glass type fuses and so far none have failed (not tempting fate I hope)

[Silkie]

I like the simplicity of glass fuses. If a breaker tripped my first thought would be to wonder if it was a faulty breaker.

[Fingal]

This could be catching! I, too, am heading down the repanelling route. Why? Well, here's the before picture ....

Even I, who are not an enjineer would be doing something about that. One of the many 'improvements' I made to Border Maid was of this very kind.
Before:

-and after:

[mm5aho]

Update:
Got this finished today.
Here's the closed positon:



and open (its a dish drainer when down)


Close up on panel


and fitted an AIS receiver above quarter berth while in there and fiddling with cables etc.


So all cables renewed, new home made seperate AIS antenna on pushpit, new deck gland for that, several new LED lights (all lights on drawns under 0.5A now), and for all the phones and phone like gizzmos that everyone seems to have to bring these days, 3 x 12V sockets. That makes 4 now. One in quaterberth, 2 on panel, 1 in saloon.
Big cleanup, antifoul, service engine, cooling water pump, fix a few other bits and pieces and now ready for water.
Roll on Easter!

[marisca]

While we are on the subject, mine has now changed from



to



or with all its lights on