Project Creep results in new DC Panel

Gene Neill · Mar 25, 2019

I'm starting on a new DC panel box myself for the Albin Vega. It will NOT be as pretty as yours, Ward.

LeslieTroyer · Mar 25, 2019

Very very nice job. Wish mine was that clean.

AaronD · Mar 25, 2019

LeslieTroyer said:
Very very nice job. Wish mine was that clean.

Same here. Nice work, Ward!

jssailem · Mar 25, 2019

Slick Ward... Some winter days spent on that job. Turned out nice.

JRT · Mar 26, 2019

Always impressive work @Ward H !

DougM · Mar 26, 2019

Thanks Ward,
Just what I needed, another project. You have done a really nice job.
Your acrylic back panel approach is just what I need. The cover on the back of my Beneteau panel was held on by four long screws that never could find their way back “home” after the cover was removed. Those same screws were holding the ground buss in place. I fastened those with shorter screws, then had no way to secure the original black poly cover.

I need an extra project like I need a hole in the head, but cleaning up the wiring is a safety priority as well.

FastOlson · Mar 26, 2019

Nice look and function. Congratulations!
I also had a local plastics supplier bend up a piece of clear acrylic for my AC breaker backside cover.
Not sure of the price, but it was around $10. or so. I brought them a cardboard pattern and they had it ready the next day.
Your wiring harness is a Lot more tidy than ours, but at least I did add a long terminal block to the hull behind the panel , similar to yours.
"More Power!" to you.....

Scott T-Bird · Mar 26, 2019

It might be heresy to say it in front of so many Catalina owners, but I like those black Blue Seas panels a lot more than the Catalina panel. It looks modern and tres bien! Nice improvement. Although, I have to say that I like my rockers more than the toggles, but you are more traditional!

I'm curious about the separate small DC distribution panel. Is that necessary? I simply have power distributed straight to the DC panel. The battery switch shuts it on and off.

JRT · Mar 26, 2019

My understanding is that is a ABYC requirement for to separate panels for AC and DC. Nice touch and great upgrade to current standards.

LeslieTroyer · Mar 26, 2019

John I think Scott was talking about the DC main on a panel below the main panel. The main has different hole spacing for the mount - so probably what drove it. Also gives him som spares for future expansion.

Maine Sail · Mar 26, 2019

John Tubb said:
My understanding is that is a ABYC requirement for to separate panels for AC and DC. Nice touch and great upgrade to current standards.

It is not a requirement to have separate AC & DC panels but access to the AC side must be isolated / covered and require "tools" to access any AC parts that are "energized.".

"11.9.1 PANELBOARDS - DC & AC
11.9.1.1 Boats equipped with AC and DC systems may have their distribution panelboards separate or combined, and constructed such that access to the DC system does not allow access to energized AC parts without further use of tools."

NYSail · Mar 26, 2019

Ward H said:
In early December I posted about one of my winter projects, Instrumentation. That project would require new power supply cables for auto pilot, chart plotter and SeaTalkng network, each with a different size fuse.
I also planned on installing a DCP battery switch to isolate the house and start battery banks to eliminate instrument dropouts when starting while under sail and auto pilot.
Mounting some DC outlets was also on my list of upgrades.
The original DC distribution panel left a lot to be desired. Push button circuit breakers for groups of circuits, toggle switches that were hard to see if they were on or off, all connected by 10 awg wire and quick connect spade type connectors. There were a few times this past season I'd have to open the dc panel and put back on a quick connect that had come loose and fallen off.
Enter PROJECT CREEP!

I decided I would make my own switch panel. I'd use toggle switches with screw connections instead of quick connects, add circuit on indicators and use fuse blocks for OCP. I studied how Tom Y, Sumner and others built their switch panels to get ideas.
I also looked at the Blue Sea DC panels to see what they had to offer. I kept going back to their 16 breaker toggle style panel. It would fit within the teak frame of the existing panel and look much neater than anything I could build.
Enter more PROJECT CREEP!

After thinking about it over a couple of bourbons, I ordered the Blue Sea panel.

I mounted the new panel right over the old panel. I made a narrow panel out of ABS sheet plastic for two DC Outlets and a Blue Sea Digital volt meter and battery selector switch and mounted it alongside the new switch panel.
To avoid having to have too many various size breakers I installed a 6 individual circuit fuse panel on the back plane. This way I could use almost all standard 15A breakers and run the loads that needed lower amp fuses through the individual fuse panel.

I then installed the new DCP battery switch below the panel. After thinking about how to fuse the new DC panel, I decided on installing a C Series 3 breaker panel I had for another project that never materialized. I put it next to the battery switch. One breaker for the DC panel, one for a future inverter install and one spare.

I left the original AC breakers in place for now. When I'm ready a Blue Sea AC Breaker panel will just fit in the remaining space next to the DC outlet panel and the Blue Sea DC panel.

Original panel
View attachment 160419 View attachment 160420

New panel
View attachment 160421 View attachment 160422 View attachment 160423

Now I'm ready to move on to installing the new sailing instruments.

I think those pictures belong in boat babe......

JRT · Mar 26, 2019

I stand corrected, I thought I read recently that they are suppose to be separated. That may have come from my Jeanneau.

Scott T-Bird · Mar 26, 2019

Ward H said:
The power for the DC panel comes from the battery switch via a 6 AWG wire. That wire needs to be fused since it is smaller than the fuse protected 1/0 to the battery switch. I had originally planned to use an ANL fuse but decided to use that Series C breaker panel. The C series breakers come in sizes up to 300A.
As @LeslieTroyer said it also gives me room for expansion as well as 100A protection for the main DC panel. Expansion includes an inverter and windlass, which I have but has a bad switch. That is a much later project.

Thanks everyone

Badass installation!

Scott T-Bird · Mar 26, 2019

Maine Sail said:
It is not a requirement to have separate AC & DC panels but access to the AC side must be isolated / covered and require "tools" to access any AC parts that are "energized.".

"11.9.1 PANELBOARDS - DC & AC
11.9.1.1 Boats equipped with AC and DC systems may have their distribution panelboards separate or combined, and constructed such that access to the DC system does not allow access to energized AC parts without further use of tools."

I have a divider that separates AC & DC in the cabinet that I made but I haven't entire enclosed the AC. I better do that! I have AC gauges that need power from DC and also the AC panel lights need DC power. I assume it is safe to make the run thru the divider?

Project Creep results in new DC Panel

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