New electric panel

[rbjenterprises]

I am looking for a new electrical panel. My C30 was built in 1989 and although the panel is functioning and safe it does not have any expansion room left and the standards that it was made to were economic not durability.

Our boat will never leave the fresh water lake that it is in so over the top quality is not needed. Good functioning is what I am looking for. I have the skills and knowledge to build it from scratch but I am looking for a something to give me a start.

Has anybody got any pictures of a Catalina panel with automotive type fuses. I think that may be the best tradeoff in protection and price. Any other ideas. I know I can get a whole replacement from Catalina direct but that is more than I want to spend.

 

[Stu Jackson]

You raise a couple of issues here. What expansion space do you need? Our 1986 C34 has what I would guess to be an even older panel than yours, it includes fuses and switches, not breakers. In all the years the PO (12 years) and we (16 years) have had the boat, neither of us felt the need for "expansion" of the panel. He added a Loran C unit and wired it to the stereo switch (he didn't have a stereo!). I removed the Loran and added the stereo. Other than that, the left side is for lighting, the right side is for services like fridge, macerator pump, shower sump, stereo, etc.

My conclusion with our panel? If it still works, keep checking the wiring behind it, make sure the crimps are clean and tight, replace if necessary and sail the boat.

If you want/need expansion, you could consider adding a sub-panel.

 

[hvbaker]

I updated my panel by replacing breakers and switches and adding led indicator lights to show service to the ac panel and active ac circuits. I also added a digital volt meter.

 

[Capt jgw]

My 1969 Columbia 36 came to me with a panel comprised of three separate six breaker panels, one AC and two DC. They must have been added one at a time s they were three different brands! I cleaned up the system by cutting a piece of 1/8th inch aluminum plate large enough to cover the area. I gutted the original panels and mounted all the breakers, meters and lights on it. The hard part was drilling all the holes straight and true (I don't have a drill press). I also added a few extra breakers for later expansion and painted the panel to match the interior gelcoat, with the boat name and Columbia logo. It looks like a factory install and wasn't that hard to make.