O'day 25 Electrical Panel

Ward H

Ward H

.
Nov 7, 2011
3,747
Catalina 30 Mk II Cedar Creek, Bayville NJ
Last year I bought a Blue Sea DC breaker panel and battery switch for my 80 O'day 25. Never got them installed so that is a priority on this years pre splash project list.

The original location of the panel on the bulkhead under the companionway and behind the galley sink and cutting board is not the best. Fiddle boards allow storage up against the bulkhead which then interferes with reaching the DC panel.

I am going back and forth between mounting the new panel in the same location for ease of wiring or finding a new location for it, which could add a lot to the labor of extending and/or running new wires.

Any thoughts or suggestions??
 
sdstef

sdstef

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Jan 31, 2013
140
Hunter 28 Branched Oak Lake
Ward H said:
Last year I bought a Blue Sea DC breaker panel and battery switch for my 80 O'day 25. Never got them installed so that is a priority on this years pre splash project list.

The original location of the panel on the bulkhead under the companionway and behind the galley sink and cutting board is not the best. Fiddle boards allow storage up against the bulkhead which then interferes with reaching the DC panel.

I am going back and forth between mounting the new panel in the same location for ease of wiring or finding a new location for it, which could add a lot to the labor of extending and/or running new wires.
I rewired my Oday 25 and thought about relocating the panel too. I decided to leave them installed where they are. Two 5 rocker switch panels side by side. I didn't want to find a way to cover the hole in that bulkhead and it has the red formica on it, plus, it is out of the way from getting knocked around . Actually as far as access goes it isn't too bad. I made a harness from my breaker buses which I mounted on the aft side of the bulkhead just inside the cockpit hatch on starboard side. Then mounted the harness to the aft side of bulkhead leaving about a foot of wire to make the connections and to be able to dismount the panels from the wall and pull em out over the counter top connected. Both batteries are there and I mounted my inverter on that wall too. The shore power enters that area too.
Click to expand
 
Erieau

Erieau

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Apr 3, 2009
209
Oday 25 Erieau
I built a new breaker panel and mounted it next to companionway, to starboard. It covers up the old instrument holes too.
 

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Ward H

Ward H

.
Nov 7, 2011
3,747
Catalina 30 Mk II Cedar Creek, Bayville NJ
sdstef,
Yep, if I tried to move the whole thing I am afraid the project would grow to be too big for what I want to do this year. I might just shift the DC panel to the right where I can access it from the quarter birth and put the bat switch in place of the old panel. I plan on using blind screws in the bulkhead teak so both could easily be removed and like you, leave a bit of wire bundled together to give me the room to do so.

Joe, I have that photo in my "ideas" folder but forgot where it came from. Nice panel. Is that set into the fiberglass bulkhead or is it a box mounted on the bulkhead?
 
Erieau

Erieau

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Apr 3, 2009
209
Oday 25 Erieau
Thanks for the kind words.
The box is about 2 inches deep, is surface-mounted, and is just deep enough for the switches I selected.
Getting the wires run up there was a pita, but I like being able to switch from the cockpit.
 
Technodad

Technodad

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Sep 30, 2009
139
81 O'Day 23-2.......... Kiwi Magic Oakville, Ontario, Canada
hi Ward

Here are the changes I made to my 23 which is probably similar to your 25.


1/2 marine plywood cut to cover existing opening.






Plywood battery box (previous owner) in the port lazerette modified for switch and power strips.
 
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