Mac Gregor 26D Electric Panel

Paul Brinkley · Jun 27, 2012

What pic? Why not just replace the bad switch? I expect that would be easier than finding an exact dupe of the original panel. -Paul

oreana123 · Jun 27, 2012

check out seadog products. it is really a crappy panel with the slide on connectors. any source of high resistance is a killer of power in a 12 volt system....just saying

Paul Brinkley · Jun 27, 2012

Melt the solder on the bus, remove the switch. Not a difficult process- I did it on my 26S. -Paul

DarylA · Jun 27, 2012

You can easily remove the bus bar. Mine has 4 switches and I took it off and re-instated it. I changed it to use circuit breakers rather than fuses. If you work along the bus bar with your soldering iron and just apply gentle pressure you can spring it away from each contact. Then let the solder cool before moving to the next so it doesn't re-attach. Using a solder sucker may be helpful, but not really necessary. Its easy to solder back on once removed. You should be able to get replacement switches as many panels use them. Consider replacing all three whilst you have it in bits, it would be annoying if another went after a month!

When you've replaced the switches use the money you saved to buy LED nav lights. Mine are wonderful, they are brighter, lower power and longer lasting. 10 to 30 volt and about £13 each.

tkanzler · Jun 28, 2012

dawg2 said:
Do they still make this panel or does anyone know where to get one? Or is there another panel out there with the same features?

Sea-Dog still makes that panel. As someone else said, it's not a particularly good panel, but you can get one. My X has a similar but different SD panel, and the connections are corroded and giving me fits. I'm going to nurse it through the season, but a new panel is high on the list of winter work.

http://www.sea-dog.com/groups/1948-battery-test-rocker-switch-panel-with-gauge-horn-button

I wouldn't sweat the fuse size. If a circuit is dedicated to a unique funtion, like nav lights, then put your DMM in series and measure the current. The fuse only needs to be large enough to support the load, but not larger than the wiring can safely carry. I blew the masthead light fuse in mine, and had a 2A laying around (original was 10A) that I stuck in. Steaming light draws less than 1A, so I'm calling it good. Cheap zip cord wiring to the light isn't good to 10A continuous anyway.

By the by, how do you control the steaming (masthead) light when the only nav light control is a single switch?

Edit 1: Oops, no cigarette lighter or socket. Maybe you can pull the horn button out and put in a 12VDC socket, assuming that's what you want there.

Edit 2: Got that man disease, as the admiral says - your panel IS available, WITH the lighter. Sorry about that. :dance:

http://www.sea-dog.com/groups/1947-battery-test-rocker-switch-panel-with-gauge-lighter

tkanzler · Jun 28, 2012

Any time the engine is running and the prop engaged, you're a powerboat, whether the sails are up or not, and the masthead light must be lit. I guess there's no harm in running the steaming light when the engine is not running, but do remember that you're telling everyone else on the water that you're under engine power, so they may not consider themselves the give-way vessel, when they would be with you under sail alone.

The anchor light is only required when you're anchored in other than a designated anchorage, but I use mine always. On my last boat, when in a crowded anchorage I'd use a separate anchor light pulled up only a little on a flag halyard instead of the one on top of the mast. Crowded as in anchored for the annual fireworks display off the inlet wall. At 56 ft up, nobody is looking up there in close quarters, so I used a separate light instead, down low enough to actually be seen when the anchors come flying up and the race into the river starts.

Many such lights also use Fresnel lenses, so off-axis intensity, like the light being high above folks' eyeballs, is not good.

For 'normal' overnight anchoring, the one on top of the mast was used, regardless of designated anchorage status.

Edit: You could always break off the masthead (steaming) light with an extra switch somewhere, but still wired in with the side (red/green) and stern lights so it can't come on without them. Label it something like Sail/Power, where Power is the on position for the masthead light.

On my boat, the panel (same manufacturer, but 4 circuits) has Nav, Steaming, Interior, and VHF switches, with no anchor light on top of the mast. He used a Perko all-around white light on a tube that's plugged into a deck socket for the anchor light (and flagstaff

), and put it on a separate switch. They're sold as all-around white for small power boats, but it works well enough as an anchor light. I guess - I've never actually use it.

Paul Brinkley · Jun 28, 2012

dawg2 said:
Gotcha. But who makes those switches?

Check out Sea Dog, West Marine, Defender, anyone else who handles 12-volt electrical parts.

"1) Bow and stern light at night
2) Steaming light while under power
3) Anchor light for when staionary at anchor."

Correct. There is a way to put a switch on your mast to change between steaming light and anchor light, so that you would need only 2 switches in the cabin panel. How much trouble that would be depends on how your existing wiring is connected. -Paul

Doc_holiday · Jun 28, 2012

Mine has one receptical in the deck, then there are two sets of wires coming out of the mast with a plug on each, one for the 360 degree on top, the other for the steaming light and you plug whichever light you want into the base receptical. I have a switch for that receptical. No need to ever have both on at once.

DarylA · Jun 28, 2012

Im glad someone has brought up the question re sail/steaming/anchor... without enough switches on the control panel!

My 26m on the control panel had "Nav Lights" and "Anchor light" the strange thing is that it had no anchor light fitted! The steaming light was switched by the "Anchor light" switch.

So I fixed it all.

Firstly I fitted an anchor light at the masthead which I connected to the "Anchor" light switch. Then I put a toggle switch on the control panel for Sail/Steam. I have yet to label it but the nearly finished panel looks like this:

So now when my Nav lights are on I have the choice of Sail or Steam.

Doc_holiday · Jun 29, 2012

Just finished mine with 4 switches..

1: cabin lights
2: bow lights
3: mast lights
4: stern light

On the #3 mast, I have two cables on the mast... One to the 360 anchor and one to the steaming light. I just plug whichever I want into the deck connector.

I really need some aux switches but I'll get to that later.

Doc_holiday · Jun 29, 2012

Normally yes, but that was before I had the steaming light working in which case the anchor light would suffice and I didn't want 2 white lights on from the rear. Theoretically I could light the deck with the steaming light momentarily or see what my jib looks like at night. I actually have a 6 switch panel but it's missing a couple of the fuse holders. When I get those, I'll install it in place of the 4 switch panel and have 2 aux. The VSC inspector said that normally the stern light should be above the deck. I am not sure he explained that to me well enough. Anyway, I got my inspection sticker today. The only thing I didn't have was my battery in the battery box but I just had surgery on Monday and didn't have the strength to work through that little door to do that.

Man, we just had 80mph winds here and took the power out. It's going to be 104 again tomorrow and it will be deadly if people don't had a/c. Looks like we and the dogs will be either in the pool or in the van with the a/c on. I hope people realize that even without a/c they still have cool water and can draw a bath and soak in it if they run out of options. We have a pool but it may be time to use some Marriott points and find a Residence Inn that will allow us to bring our dogs.

Mac Gregor 26D Electric Panel

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