Identify brand of DIN rail terminal blocks

[SimonNZ]

Hi there

Can anyone ID the type of DIN rail terminals on our 1994 Beneteau Oceanis 400?

I need to make some minor changes - really just removing old circuits no longer in use, but I'm not familiar with how these work so wanted to read up and get some spares before I start.

cheers

 

[Maine Sail]

They have used numerous vendors. but you can't go wrong with Wago

 

[jviss]

That's actually pretty cool! 'Though I haven't deployed any yet, I purchased some DIN rail and PCB mounts for some small circuits I wanted to install on my boat, like low voltage disconnects and timers.

What are yours used for, @SimonNZ ? Looks like perhaps a patch panel from boat wiring to breaker panel, or something like that.

 

[smokey73]

Cool - makes for a tidy installation. Wish my panel may looked that tidy.

 

[SimonNZ]

@jviss exactly as you say, it's a patch panel.

Previous owners have added things on top, or removed kit and left the the outlets behind. The cables are labeled but not perfectly, so there's still some volt tracing required to figure it all out.

The upper section are all inputs either from batteries or breakers; the lower are outputs to loads. I don't yet know how to add/remove cables from the terminals, or what the button shaped inserts do between them - they might connect/disconnect the load from source, or something else.

It looks as though you can fit the terminal on the cable, then plug it in and out of the rails but I don't know how that works mechanically yet - hence looking to identify the exact model so I can research, before poking and pulling them around.

The objective is more of a one to one relationship to loads. At the moment, 'VHF' on the breaker feeds more than one item on board, for example.

 

[jviss]

FWIW, short article on DIN rail terminal block ABYC compliance:

Terminal Connector Compliance By Ed Sherman, Sep 1, 2016

 

[SimonNZ]

That's very interesting, thanks. Notice how his picture is similar to my larger, lower rail in some ways but mine appears to have stacked connectors on top.

If anything mine is over-engineered with additional parts that could be taken out to improve reliability. How easily that can be done, I don't know yet!

 

[jviss]

@jviss exactly as you say, it's a patch panel.

Previous owners have added things on top, or removed kit and left the the outlets behind. The cables are labeled but not perfectly, so there's still some volt tracing required to figure it all out.

The upper section are all inputs either from batteries or breakers; the lower are outputs to loads. I don't yet know how to add/remove cables from the terminals, or what the button shaped inserts do between them - they might connect/disconnect the load from source, or something else.

It looks as though you can fit the terminal on the cable, then plug it in and out of the rails but I don't know how that works mechanically yet - hence looking to identify the exact model so I can research, before poking and pulling them around.

The objective is more of a one to one relationship to loads. At the moment, 'VHF' on the breaker feeds more than one item on board, for example.

Very cool, thanks for the detailed response, Simon. (I take it it's Simon? I'm John, or, preferably, "jv."

I love it! My not-that-old U.S. made boat has some very 1930-ish terminal blocks behind the breaker panel. Then, again, they work! I would like to install a couple of DIN racks, as I mentioned earlier, but it's not high on the priority ladder.

 

[MaryEllaRose]

As Maine Sail replied, there’s numerous manufacturers. Where things get tricky is when it comes to bridge bars to gang terminals together, end plates, etc. You may find it wise to stick to one particular brand just for sake of continuity.

 

[SimonNZ]

Hi jv, yes it's Simon

I've done a bit more research and asked around, if I find any more out I'll post here. DIN rails are a great way to neatly fix multiple different devices and are apparently used on trains which are subject to vibration. Not sure how common they are on boats.

@MaryEllaRose thanks. Agreed, I'm trying to find out what models these are, for continuity and tidiness.