Fit new switch panel. Advice please

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ferroboat

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My main switch panel is full, can I fit a new one to run along side it by wiring straight from battery terminals to a new battery isolator switch then through an in line fuse to a new small panel ? The batteries are four 6V (Varta 91801) each giving 240ah wired together to give 24V.
 
Do you mean a 2nd main battery switch ? If so why ?

That should not be necessary as long as the switch can handle the load of the 2 panels.

You could run the new feed to the existing switch, but even that should not be necessary if the feed to the 1st panel can handle the current for the two panels. Just pick up power from the 1st board to feed the 2nd.

BUT where is the protection for that run (those runs)? It should be as close to the main switch as possible and I would certainly not suggest an inline fuse. They are prone to giving poor connections and are a pain in the neck to get to and replace.

I would feed the panels(s) from an appropriately sized circuit breaker/switch immediately after the main switch.
 
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the fuse by the battery is there to protect the supply wire to the fuse board.

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Quite. But I would not use an inline fuse for this critical job.

Edit. Or have I misunderstood what you meant ?

There should be a separate fuse or breaker immediately before the feed to the panels and sized to protect that cable run. This is not the same as a fuse protecting everything that comes straight after the battery
 
So, just to get it in my mind,if I can find out where the power is coming in to my main panel I can then run a cable from there to the proposed second panel. I do not have one of those isolators that has the one, two, or both switches, but two completely independent engine starting and domestic systems that have their own independent isolator switches. I am going to pop down to the boat now and have a look at the back of the panel. Fingers crossed!
 
Assuming the feed to the first panel is of sufficient size wire the 2nd panel straight into it, if they are both in a dash or instrument close together panel a separate fuse is unnecessary and could be a pain to get at anyway. If the feed isn't large enough or is already overloaded it can be changed to a larger one to feed both panels to keep the wiring simple but this depends what you are adding in with the second panel. If all you are adding are lights or small loads in the 2nd panel consider the diversity factor, how many circuits are you going to use at once realistically? What is the total load on your feed going to be? You'll know if you've got it wrong because it will blow the fuse protecting the feed cable. Personally, unless I was adding items in the 2nd panel using large loads I'd just link them both together and go boating!
 
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Assuming the feed to the first panel is of sufficient size wire the 2nd panel straight into it

[/ QUOTE ][. . . off the feed to the first panel.] Agreed, provided always (1) that no part of the feed to the second panel runs through a wire that is of a lower rating (smaller cross-section) than the feed to the first (unless of course the feed to the first is rated much higher than is necessary for the fuse you are using) and (2) that you connect it in such a way that the fuse protecting the feed to the first panel also protects the feed to the second.
 
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