DIY electrical panel

The whole instrument and engine switch panel on my boat is made of ply with a leathercloth covering. It was built in 1978 though so perhaps Regs have changed since then?
 
Thanks for all the responses guys. PCUK, looking nice!
I’ve cut the wood, drilled the holes and the varnish is drying right now.

Will wire it up and fit it next week.
Thanks again
 
Rather than start a new thread I going to ask if I’ve screwed up here.

I’ve wired my home made panel as, battery +, fuse, switch, load. Is this ok or should it be battery +, switch, fuse, load?
Does it make a difference?

BTW, I’m pretty proud of my home made panel ?
 
Gixer said:
Rather than start a new thread I going to ask if I’ve screwed up here.

I’ve wired my home made panel as, battery +, fuse, switch, load. Is this ok or should it be battery +, switch, fuse, load?
Does it make a difference?

BTW, I’m pretty proud of my home made panel ?
Click to expand...

On mine setup I have the fuse as close to the battery as possible then my main battery switch so mine s battery +, fuse, switch then to my individual switch/circuit overload, rated to the subsequent wire/load wiring. then each load circuit.

Do please post a picture of your home made panel
 
FlyingGoose said:
if any one is interested i have used these guys and their work is great
Gauge Panels
Click to expand...

I hope he pays you for the advertising.

Gauge-Panel-fascia-only-1-Aperture-500x500.jpg
 
Gixer said:
I’ve wired my home made panel as, battery +, fuse, switch, load. Is this ok or should it be battery +, switch, fuse, load?
Does it make a difference?

BTW, I’m pretty proud of my home made panel ?
Click to expand...
When I made a small 6 way panel I also chose to put fuse before switch.
I would be interested to know what items you used to 1) distribute the incoming battery positive to the various fuses and 2) connect to the various positive load wires.
In my experience it is difficult to find suitable hardware, especially on a small panel.
 
BabaYaga said:
When I made a small 6 way panel I also chose to put fuse before switch.
I would be interested to know what items you used to 1) distribute the incoming battery positive to the various fuses and 2) connect to the various positive load wires.
In my experience it is difficult to find suitable hardware, especially on a small panel.
Click to expand...
Bluesea make stuff for exactly this. I used a larger one as I have more circuits but this takes care of the input distribution and fuses.
 
Buck Turgidson said:
Bluesea make stuff for exactly this. I used a larger one as I have more circuits but this takes care of the input distribution and fuses.
Click to expand...
Thank you, looks neat, but is based on using blade fuses. Presumably the OP would want some type of fuses accessible from the panel front side (I certainly did)?
 
BabaYaga said:
Thank you, looks neat, but is based on using blade fuses. Presumably the OP would want some type of fuses accessible from the panel front side (I certainly did)?
Click to expand...
Why?
I open the panel to get to them. Well I would if they ever blew which so far (3 years) they haven't.
 
BabaYaga said:
When I made a small 6 way panel I also chose to put fuse before switch.
I would be interested to know what items you used to 1) distribute the incoming battery positive to the various fuses and 2) connect to the various positive load wires.
In my experience it is difficult to find suitable hardware, especially on a small panel.
Click to expand...

I used MCB mounted to the back of a box with DIN rails with a common rails connection to one side of the MCB block.

E0010738-1.jpg


I have 4 blocks of 16 each, some think its overkill to have a circuit breaker/fuse for each item but I prefer to isolate each item separately.

The cover panel is reverse engraved black coated clear perspex, deigned by myself and engraven by a local company.
 
Blimey I wasn’t expecting so my responses. Thanks guys.
Buck - that was the response I was looking for.
BabaYaga - I’ve soldered the wires to each side of the though panel fuse holders and just used 15amp spade connectors for the rest

No Photo’s i‘m afraid, don’t want you all to see my inability to cut holes on the same parallel, and my solder joints, although strong look like someone’s sneezed on them.

I'm happy though ?
 
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