What material for electrical back panel?

[Ward H]

Looking through the forums I sometimes see that somebody doing a DC wiring upgrade will install the components on a panel, then install the panel in their boat.

What material do you like to use to build a electrical component panel for things like ANL Fuse Blocks, wire terminal screw strips, wire hold downs, etc.?

 

[dlochner]

There are a number of choices, in some cases I've epoxied a block of wood to the hull or fiberglass bulkhead. Or you can get fancy (and pricey) and use the Weld Mount system. For simple wire runs I like self-adhesive wire tie mounts that have a screw hole. The self-adhesive part holds it in place while I install the screw, the ones that aren't self-adhesive tend to end up in the bilge before I get them secured.

 

[TomY]

I like plywood. I'm currently building a new DC distribution and switch panel for my boat. It has to fit the original cabinet so I can't use any stock panels.

I'll be mounting terminal strips, busbars, fuse blocks into the 1/2" plywood carcass I'm building in a warm shop, that will be installed in the boat in the spring.

Plywood doesn't warp - much, and holds screws. I'll paint it white so it's easy to inspect and do work behind the switch panel.

I'm using 1/4" Lexan (polycarbonate) for the actual switch panel, but that would be a poor choice for a panel for busbars, etc; you'd have to bolt stuff.

 

[LeslieTroyer]

I used .177 ABS. It is inexpensive, non-conductive and cuts with wood tools. I buy at onlinemetals.com

Be sure and post the results

Mahalo

 

[Ward H]

Here is one area I want to neaten up. Hard to see to the left is a very overloaded DC negative bus bar. Over time I want to add another DC neg terminal strip, put in a terminal strip for the positive runs between the loads and switches and add an always up ATC Fuse block, Blue Sea #5025.

The other panel will be in the battery compartment holding 4 ANL Fuse Blocks connected together with copper bar to create a positive bus bar, ACR and a negative bus bar.

 

[Maine Sail]

I generally use Weld-Mount studs and 1/2" Starboard, Seaboard etc.......

 

[dlochner]

Ward,

Take a look at the Blue Sea 360 Panel Wizard. It makes for a very neat installation, albeit more expensive than a DIY solution. I've used a couple of them in different places.

Here's one installation. The black panel is 3/16" black starboard.

 

[Maine Sail]

Just to avoid confusion I think Ward is asking about what is referred to as a Back Plane..

This would be an example of a back plane shown during the wiring process...

 

[brazenarticle]

Ward - hope your plan includes getting rid of those trailer tail lights that illuminate the panel. I replaced them on the Catalina 28 with a short strip of red LEDs. That saved a lot of battery power and improved the look of the panel. For the backplane I used 1/2 plywood painted white screwed to strips of ply epoxied to the hull.

 

[Ward H]

Just to avoid confusion I think Ward is asking about what is referred to as a Back Plane..

That's what I'm looking for. What material do you use for the Back Plane?
Thanks

 

[Maine Sail]

That's what I'm looking for. What material do you use for the Back Plane?
Thanks

Starboard or Seaboard, I stock both so never know which is which as they are basically the same product....

 

[Ward H]

Ward - hope your plan includes getting rid of those trailer tail lights that illuminate the panel.

Yep, that is on the list.

Thanks Maine.

 

[Allan12210]

Just to avoid confusion I think Ward is asking about what is referred to as a Back Plane..

This would be an example of a back plane shown during the wiring process...

Beautiful layout. I have been wanting to clean up my mostly stock electrical panel for years (aka the "rat's nest"). I've slowly been accumulating the parts, but the layout has held me up. My first step would be to move all the ground wires to a bus bar on a back plane. That could at least move 1/2 of my 12V wires away from the backside of the panel. The mixing of 120V and 12V has always been a concern.

 

[uncledom]

The mixing of 120V and 12V has always been a concern.View attachment 145898

I am always wary of installing high voltage next to low voltage. The rule of thumb is that all wires that lie next to one another should have the rating of the highest voltage. So in theory for safety sake all wires that touch 120v/240v wiring should be at least 300v rated. They even make ethernet cable rated to 600v for use in control cabinets. I don't know if it's in the ABYC rules but it should be.

 

[jssailem]

Ward, granted that you can always make the lines lay down in a neater pattern. But as old boats go, your structure is not on the Oh My God rating scale. It is a lot better than most.

 

[Ward H]

John,
Yes, not as bad as others I've seen photos of but I like things neat. And I like doing electrical work, always have.
My current plan, subject to change by the hour, is to install the back plane and slowly add the terminal strips and move the wires to the terminal strips one by one. What I want to do is avoid adding to the confusion when I add new accessories.

Allan,
Here is the link to the AC panel cover I will be installing on my panel. The surveyor said it was required to keep someone from accidentally putting their arm on a live connection while working inside the panel.
https://www.catalinadirect.com/inde...ectrical-master-panel-ac-safety-box-small.cfm
It separates the AC from the DC connections.
Maybe it will give you an idea.

 

[LeslieTroyer]

Ward - you can also raid the better half Tupperware drawer for a cover , it works great and reduces leftovers

Mahalo

 

[jssailem]

• Take pictures of the wires. Print them out in color images. Then you have a record of what went where. Just in case your fingers start getting ahead of your brain. Where did that brown 12 awg wire come from?

 

[Allan12210]

Allan,
Here is the link to the AC panel cover I will be installing on my panel. The surveyor said it was required to keep someone from accidentally putting their arm on a live connection while working inside the panel.
https://www.catalinadirect.com/inde...ectrical-master-panel-ac-safety-box-small.cfm
It separates the AC from the DC connections.
Maybe it will give you an idea.

Excellent reference. Thanks.
The more examples of back plane layouts I can see the better I can start laying out mine. I will probably keep all the high voltage wires going directly to their respective breakers. The positive 12 volt circuits will go via terminal strips. I am trying to see if one long one will work or several short ones. I just don't want to create a similar jumble of wire. Some of my wires come up from the bottom while others enter that space from the top.

 

[IStream]

Excellent reference. Thanks.
The more examples of back plane layouts I can see the better I can start laying out mine. I will probably keep all the high voltage wires going directly to their respective breakers. The positive 12 volt circuits will go via terminal strips. I am trying to see if one long one will work or several short ones. I just don't want to create a similar jumble of wire. Some of my wires come up from the bottom while others enter that space from the top.

I had a similar situation with wires coming in from top and bottom (and left and right) and found that having two ground strips, one upper and one lower, really helped neaten things up and my panel isn't much taller than yours.