My current project, I'm building an AC power panel, it has to fit in a narrow space and so nothing premade will fit. In the course of researching this I've had an inspiration for another project, I'm wondering if this is a common upgrade, and if anyone has done it. My current DC panel, 11 switches, has toggle switches and fuse holders. The fuse holders are round screww cap type. My thought is to swap out all the fuse holder with push button type circuit breakers. The breakers im looking at are like 5$ a piece, i just have to see what will fit. Seeing somthing tripped and being able to reset it rather than digging thru my collection of fuses for the right one seems a nice upgreade. I'm too cheap and lazy to build a panel with circuit breaker/switches. Anyone done this? Any thought recommendations or pitfalls to be aware of? Thank John
Replacing fuses with circuit breakers?
- Thread starter John rolka
- Start date
Most push button circuit breakers, like the Blue Seas ones, are reset only and cannot be used as switches. Their toggle breakers can be used as switches.
A panel could easily be made for the toggle breakers.
A panel could easily be made for the toggle breakers.
I'm responding without any deep level of expertise, but first thoughts are:
- I don't remember through the years ever seeing marine grade push-button resettable fuses. I would think marine grade would be a must -- or at the very least they be fuses that are designed for potentially wet environments. Seems that push-button fuses that I have encountered (mostly already a feature on some sort of home electrical equipment) are sort of loose between the button and the fuse housing and don't strike me as very moisture tight.
- Do you blow a lot of fuses? If not why change? (If just because it's an interesting project, I get it!)
- How's the condition of the rest of your existing panel? I ask because a few years ago I encountered at a nautical swap meet a switch/fuse panel off a early vintage Catalina (pic attached). I've cannibalized it from time-to-time when I needed switches for projects (non-boat.) A couple of the switches I removed were in questionable condition. The wire that leads into the switch housing on one simply fell off when I removed the switch from the panel. So you might want check your panel before spending any time modifying it. Could be you discover that your panel really needs replacing and you could end up finding a way to fit a new panel into the tight space.
- I don't remember through the years ever seeing marine grade push-button resettable fuses. I would think marine grade would be a must -- or at the very least they be fuses that are designed for potentially wet environments. Seems that push-button fuses that I have encountered (mostly already a feature on some sort of home electrical equipment) are sort of loose between the button and the fuse housing and don't strike me as very moisture tight.
- Do you blow a lot of fuses? If not why change? (If just because it's an interesting project, I get it!)
- How's the condition of the rest of your existing panel? I ask because a few years ago I encountered at a nautical swap meet a switch/fuse panel off a early vintage Catalina (pic attached). I've cannibalized it from time-to-time when I needed switches for projects (non-boat.) A couple of the switches I removed were in questionable condition. The wire that leads into the switch housing on one simply fell off when I removed the switch from the panel. So you might want check your panel before spending any time modifying it. Could be you discover that your panel really needs replacing and you could end up finding a way to fit a new panel into the tight space.
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If so, I'd concentrate on fixing whatever's causing the over-current condition rather than making it easier to live with.
The AC side would be my biggest concern. This is not house wiring and wiring to marine standards is critically important. Be sure you are wiring to marine standards for the AC side..
*AC double pole main Breaker breaking hot & neutral
*Reverse polarity indicator
*AC main powers AC single pole branch breakers
*If AC panel more than 10' of wire from inlet you will need an additional breaker
*AC neutral/white is never bonded to AC ground/green on-board unless at a new source of power when operational. (inverters, generators or isolation transformers are new power "sources")
*AC grounding/green is always bonded to DC ships grounding.
*The green wire should have a galvanic isolator (bare minimum) if plugging into shore power.
*Consider using an ELCI as your main breaker. These meet current marine safety standards.
*Don't forget GFCI outlets where required. Such as heads, machinery spaces, and galley.
As for the DC system whether you use fuses or circuit breakers is a non-issue other than making sure the circuit breakers are manual reset only..
Thanks for the responses, I'll clarify then share the results of my research so far. The current panel is switched and fused. The fuse holders are screwing type glass fuses circa 1984. My plan of action is to replace the fuse holders with push button circuit breakers, maintain the current switching, there is only 1 circuit that regularly blows and that's my water pump mascerator pump, I have a toggle between them and run them one at a time off the same circuit. The culprit is the mascerator. Results of my research and trials. The throat on the circuit breakers is approx 5/16, the fuse holder 9/16. The exterior cover for the circuit breaker covers the hole and the installation as is, in the oversize hole works though it's sloppy, and the row of 6 vertically with the oversize holes risks to be sloppy, my solution I'll either have a piece of plastic laser cut with proper dia holes and centers or just fab my own backing plate of aluminum or plastic just to hold all the things in the correct location. This will give me on my existing panel, the same row of switches with the circuit protection by breaker in place of the fuses. I mocked up on, taking out the old fuse holder, the thing just crumbled, 30 year old plastic... I'll share a pic of the AC panel I made to fit on the exist panel. These breakers are 6$ a piece. Thanks, hope this info is helpful to anyone contemplating a similar project. Regards John Rolka
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John
In the pic you posted showing your AC panel are the 2 main 30 amp breakers separate or are they a double main breaker without the link between the toggles? The reason I ask is that a proper 30 amp main breaker is unique - with or without the toggle link one breaker cannot trip without the other tripping.
Looks nicely done.
In the pic you posted showing your AC panel are the 2 main 30 amp breakers separate or are they a double main breaker without the link between the toggles? The reason I ask is that a proper 30 amp main breaker is unique - with or without the toggle link one breaker cannot trip without the other tripping.
Looks nicely done.
John:
Will you post the url link to the $6 push-button reset circuit breakers? I've got a project or two of my own for some DC ancillary gear where using your fuse type might be more convenient (and even cheaper) than installing a standard glass type fuse holder and fuse.
tks
Will you post the url link to the $6 push-button reset circuit breakers? I've got a project or two of my own for some DC ancillary gear where using your fuse type might be more convenient (and even cheaper) than installing a standard glass type fuse holder and fuse.
tks
I finished the DC panel project. I drilled out 1/8 in plastic to hold the CB's tight. The panel had switches and fuses on 3/4" centers and the new CB exterior rings fit well except for some tolerance issues, the rings on the new circuit breakers are like exactly 3/4in dia. Here is a pick of the new thing. Yes I posted the AC panel previously, only one picture uploaded, I was trying to do a couple. There were also some issues with the lengths of the wiring, since the circuit breakers are a bit larger on the backside, I ended up redoing all the daisy chain distribution wiring, there were more than a few melted connectors.
