Breaker panel wiring

[Swanrad2]

Morning,

A very basic question this but just when I think I am starting to get my head around boat electrics I buy a new breaker panel to replace an old fused switch panel. There are four wires going into it, the first three I get, namely:
1. Lower Dash Light Negative (light on the panel)
2. Lower Dash Light Positive (light on the panel)
3. +VE (Battery)

The fourth, I don't, namely:
4. -VE Earth

Is this fourth wire there because a) its how the breaker works or b) because it is manufactured for cars and boats and therefore not necesary on a boat without an Earth connection (which we dont have because we have never had one and we don't plug in at Marina's). I was thinking that the positives would run to the switch panel and the negatives to a bus bar. I know I should figure it out or hire somone competent, but it is a last minute complication when I was hoping to do the job tomorrow and I like to figure out how everything on the boat works.

If it is redundent on the boat, great. If not do I have to install an earth bar in line of sight to the anodes or do I just wire it back in to the battery -VE Feed?

 

[pvb]

Are the switches illuminated? If so, you have to connect battery negative to the panel, otherwise the switches won't light.

 

[Swanrad2]

I get that - that's wire number 1. on my list (Lower Dash Light Negative (light on the panel))...its the second negative wire. I will try to upload an image.

 

[LadyInBed]

Could well be that the Switch Light circuit doesn't go through the breaker and the 4. -VE Earth (Battery Neg) does, so you can join the Lower Dash Light Negative to the -VE Earth which goes to the Neg wire from your battery.

 

[CLB]

Are there two separate lighting elements in play here? ie is the panel back lit, when the whole thing is powered and you also have a light on each switch when that particular circuit is powered?

 

[dk]

Looks fairly straightforward to me. It's a double-pole switch, so when you switch it on it connects the dash light pos & negs at the same time.

 

[BabaYaga]

I read the circuit image as follows:
+VE (Battery) and -VE (Earth) is the supply to the panel, that is battery positive and negative. The reason for the negative probably has something to do with lighting of the panel, as there are no negative load terminals.
Lower dash light positive and Lower dash light negative is the supply to some other equipment, through the panel, but outside of it. This item, lower dash light, is supplied as long as at least one of the breakers is closed.
Could well be wrong though.

 

[rogerthebodger]

I get that - that's wire number 1. on my list (Lower Dash Light Negative (light on the panel))...its the second negative wire. I will try to upload an image.

View attachment 67732

I would like to see some details for the switchers/circuit breakers at the bottom of the diagram showing the switching arrangements

 

[VicS]

I would like to see some details for the switchers/circuit breakers at the bottom of the diagram showing the switching arrangements

I suspect this is a panel with 6 illuminated rocker switches, a dual USB charger, a voltmeter and a power socket

Goodness knows what the reference to "dash light" is all about. A light on the dashboard of the truck for which the panel was intended I guess.

 

[PCUK]

According to the diagram the neg' is needed to power the top row of instrument/socket and the USB sockets.

 

[Yellow Ballad]

Just a thought, Lower Dash Light doesn't mean a dimmer for the LEDs when the vehicles lights are on at night does it? So A feed from say side lights (in a car say) with a seperate earth to dim the panel?

 

[ithet]

I have found that Chinese manufacturers seem to copy English wording off something similar in an attempt to provide English instructions. If you interpret the phrase "Lower Dash Light" as "Panel Illumination supply" all seems to become clear. As post 9 shows, the switches are illuminated in the Off position.

 

[Swanrad2]

Yes - I'm going to fiddle around with this panel with a view to buying a proper marine one if it is as naff a bit of kit as I think it is. Add both negatives back to the battery and remove one at a time.

 

[PaulRainbow]

"Lower dash light" refers to the switch back light. This is in addition to the switches lighting up when they are "ON". You can wire the negative to the -VE and the positive to a switch or connect it to panel lights, instrument lights, nav lights etc. (or leave both wires off if you don't want the switches lit.

You can additionally, as suggested by Yellow Ballad, connect the neg to a dimmer, which is why it's a separate terminal.

 

[Swanrad2]

Perfect - thank you all.
Constant backlight and switch light when active!
Easy when you know how.