Electronic Panel...need to make...

I currently have a boat that I just purchased this past Thursday, with my father. We are trying to convert it into a bass boat. As of right know I am trying to put an electrical panel for: 1. Aerator Pump (pulling in water from external source), 2. Livewell Pump (recycling water in livewell), 3. Bilge Pump (excrete water that gets into boat), 4. Navigation Lights, 5. A 2nd Fish Finder in front of boat). The way that I wanted to construct it was with toggle switches and in-line fuses, that I was going to purchase at Radio Shack. What I was wondering was by what ratings I should go by because most of the switches are rated 3 or 10 amps @ 125V. I am going to have just one 12V battery hooked up to all of the electronics, including the trolling motor. I also have one battery for the motor, which is electric, to supply power to the starter. If you have any reccomendations on how I should setup all of the electronics to conserve power let me know. Oh, I also want to setup the in-line fuses in the case that there might be any short and to prevent fires and possibly put a little light behind the switches so that it will light up the little signs I will have so that it can be seen at night. So yes that means I want to put a lamp holder, or two, with bulbs behind the panel....thanx

 

FYI, hamilton marine and others carry a panel with about 6 or more switches and fuse holders prewired for about $20.

Jim

 

I make up a few of these a year and Radio Shake isn't the place to buy your parts. The cheapest way to go, but requires more effort and looks the worst is a bus bar, in line fuses and switching of your choice. This set up will get you there, but as more connections and therefore more to go wrong.

Next is the combination fuse block bus bar rig. A bus bar with old type automotive style fuse holders (AGC) built in. A little bit of an improvement, fewer connections.

Next up the line is a switch panel. The cheaper versions of these have a few circuits each with their own fuse (panel mounted) and a switch next to it. You'll need a 5 or more circuit board to do the job you describe and two of the switches will need be replaced with DPDT switches for the NAV and BILGE circuits. The NAV circuit is actually two different settings. The first is the nav lights, in your case a bow light (green/red combo) and a stern light (white) The second setting is ANCHOR or just the stern light burning. This requires a DPDT (Double Pole Double Throw) switch with a jumper installed. The center position is off. The BILGE circuit needs another DPDT but a special one for bilge switches. It has a momentary on position plus an on position and the center position is off. This is so you can run the pump when you want to bail her manually, turn it off or set to run in automatic mode.

Next up the line is a breaker switch panel. The same deal as a switch panel, but there are breakers and no fuses.

There are other choices, but I think distribution boxes are above the need for a bass boat.

All of these panels can be had in "splashproff" and "waterproof" the bus bar described first if done right will be barely spalshproof.

Personally I make my own up as the need comes up. The factory built ones don't have the switch combinations I need or look out of place in the location I'm interested in mounting or I don't have the room so I make a custom installation on the dash or where ever wanted.

Other things to think about are lights to indicate if the circuit is live (I'd use LEDs to save lots of power) You could use lit switches for this function. Extra circuits in case you want to add something down the road. Battery switch, battery condition gauge(s) Solder all connections and use shrink sleeve on every connection to wire. Use only marine grade wire and equipment, anything else will not hold up. In fact, most marine grade wire (AWG) is bigger and better then automotive (SAE) or hardware store stuff. The same "size" wire if marine grade will be about 10% larger and have more conductors inside, plus is tinned for corrosion resistance with a water proof jacket.

Trust me, I've done it the other way and it sucks . . .