Urgently need electric panel help

njlarry

njlarry

.
Sep 23, 2009
1,475
O'Day 34-At Last Rock Hall, Md
More chores trying to get my 34' seaworthy and actually start sailing.
Working on panel today while installing new Raymarine Auto Helm (PITA!).
The Sea Talk connectors are so big I had to remove some non-functioning cables from the pedestal guard rails and then from the panel and ended up cutting some wrong wires on the panel. Now the right (port) side of the panel is dead.
Two questions;
What do the two round fuse holders connect to on the starboard side-(left side facing the panel), and what does the single round fuse holder connect to on the port side-(right side facing panel)?
On the port side, to what does the white wire coming off that single round fuse holder connect to?
Appreciate any help to get things right again!
 
Apex

Apex

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Jun 19, 2013
1,212
C&C 30 Elk Rapids
oh dear....Hopefully someone can chime in with the same boat, but likely wiring is far too custom in order to be able to simply describe locations in a panel. Do some google searches on DC circuits to gain some rudimentary knowledge of the electric, and then start reading MaineSail's posts. He also has a website that is very helpful in how to properly connect items.

Good Luck, wiring is simple if you are carrying on in a safe manner, make sure to have the battery fully disconnected when working. Batteries are no joke.
 
Euphoria2011

Euphoria2011

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May 24, 2011
139
Oday 28 Windmill Harbor Hilton Head, SC
I would use a voltmeter on each wire and open and close dc circuit breakers to see which breaker supplied power and from there you might could tell what that wire was for. Same thing with other wires, check to see if its a ground wire ss well.
 
SailingCal21

SailingCal21

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May 30, 2006
354
Oday 34 Chesapeake Bay
Let's start with a picture of the panel that you're talking about. I have a '81 O'Day and can't relate to your description.

No doubt you've already learned one lesson; measure twice, cut once. While mostly used for cutting wood and other stock, good advice for wiring too.

Also, best to disconnect all batteries and shore power prior to cutting and pulling wires for both safety and fire hazard purposes. Shore power can kill and the batteries are capable of melting insulation and causing a fire immediately if you somehow get across the positive and negative terminals with an errant wire or miss-connection.
 
njlarry

njlarry

.
Sep 23, 2009
1,475
O'Day 34-At Last Rock Hall, Md
I have pics but cannot figure out how to post them. I can email them.
My DC panel has six breakers over two round old style automotive fuses on the left side and seven breakers over one fuse on the right side. Most of
the breakers are labeled but the three round fuse caps are not.
 
njlarry

njlarry

.
Sep 23, 2009
1,475
O'Day 34-At Last Rock Hall, Md
Let's see it the pics came out ok.
Hard to tell from the rat's nest where the three bottom fuses go to. Why not use breakers on all the circuits?
 

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SailingCal21

SailingCal21

.
May 30, 2006
354
Oday 34 Chesapeake Bay
pics came out great, what year is your 34? Your panel
is somewhat different than my '81.

I suspect that the fuse holders were added by a PO as new electronics were added. You'll have to trace the wires to know for sure which components are supplied by them.

Getting back to your issues, upon inspection of the back of the panel you'll see that one side of each breaker has a bus bar screwed or soldered to it on each side of the panel. The other side of each protection device will go to the electrical device(s) that it is protecting. The added fuses will most likely not have a bus bar, and instead will have a wire soldered to it that supplies 12VDC to it from either the battery or one of the bus bars.

Measure voltage on the busses from batt. common to the buses for +12VDC. You've probably cut the wire the wire that jumps from the left side of the panel to the right. From your pic, I see that there is a ribbed black covered wire that looks like it's coming from the battery switch to the left side of the panel bus. That is probably supplying the electrical panel.

To bad the the PO used all white wire, and didn't label it, no choice but to get a buddy to "wiggle 'n chase"the wires around the boat.
 
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njlarry

njlarry

.
Sep 23, 2009
1,475
O'Day 34-At Last Rock Hall, Md
It is an 84.
Had not considered that the fuse holders were PO installed.
Was hoping not to have to resort to wire wiggling-will
bring some scotch.
Thank you.
PS anyone considering the Raymarine Seatalk system
please know in advance that the connectors are relatively
large and may not fit in the pedestal rail with other wires.
 
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