New Switch Panel

Please click on any of the pictures to get a full size image

The fuse panel of most older yachts seems to be a bit of a bug bear.

This is my original fuse panel. 12 switches and fuses.

During the last few years I have been running new "tinned" AWG 12 cable round Nimrod with an eye on getting a new panel.

You add a stereo / chargers / GPS / cockpit lighting / fridge..... and on and on and on.....

As you keep doing this you find that you have multiple electrical items wired to the same switch and that 5AMP fuse is now 15 or 20AMPS. I ended up with more and more cables coming to a really small panel.

The tipping point came when I when to install the new windlass (details of which can be found at (windlass-replacement-2013-2014).

You can see the new power cables for the windlass (LHS).

So where do you find a new switch panel.

What you end up with is more of the 6 way fuse panels or custom made panels.

Or you do it yourself.....

I fabricated a wooden frame for the panel.

Wood, Oak from my wives uncle's kitchen he was replacing.

Purchased my toggle switches / LED's and fuse holders (The fuse holders are mounted on the rear of the panel and are standard car style spade fuses rather than glass round fuses costing $$$ each.

With the help from my friends at a local print shop we mapped out a graphic using all the available space on the panel.

Several careful hours of drilling and soldering later and we have a brand new custom switch panel designed specifically for my needs.

New switch panel up and running.

The graphic at the bottom with the holes in will have red/green/white LED's depicting the Nav lights in use.

This pic shows the brightness control for the LED's and the Windlass thermal fuse.

The brigtness of the LED's can be tuned down or off as required.