How to add a switch panel?

[cmedsailor]

After adding various things I have run out of switches on the main 12V switch panel of my boat.
Could someone explain me if it is easy and how I could add an additional (smaller) switch panel to the existing one?
Thanks

 

[VicS]

After adding various things I have run out of switches on the main 12V switch panel of my boat.
Could someone explain me if it is easy and how I could add an additional (smaller) switch panel to the existing one?
Thanks

If you are thinking of near to the existing one and if the supply wring from the battery to existing one is heavy enough just extend it to the new panel.

If not close then run new fused wiring from the battery isolator or bus bars as appropriate. Like wise if the existing wiring may not be heavy enough for the increased load.

 

[vyv_cox]

Not exactly what you are asking but having a custom made switch panel is surprisingly economical. There have been several threads about this in the past, sign-writers make them, like this one for example http://www.lymmengraving.co.uk/ I had a simple one made in Wrexham last year to take my engine switch panel, fuel gauge and solar panel controller, unfortunately I no longer have pics of it. I paid £30 for it.

 

[William_H]

I would suggest that you can reshuffle switch usage and labelling possibly doubling up services on any one switch. If necessary then you add another small panel to further divide up switching. So Nav lights might be cobbled together or sub divided into anchor light steaming light nav lights etc. Or internal lights might be cobbled together relying on switches on the fitting or a separate sub panel in a convenient place.
Always on services like bilge pump gas alarms etc could be moved to a panel near the battery.
If you can and wish to make another panel similar to what you have then just extend +ve but across but if you can't make it look like it matches then acknowledge the difference with smaller sub panels. olewill

 

[Tammany]

I was in a similar situation when I bought my boat but decided to rip it all out and start again as i wanted breakers rather than fuses but you can just buy another small switch panel instead and just add to it. What size wiring feeds the existing panel? If it's thick enough just add a positive jumper from the existing panel to the new one. I have 8 awg positive & negative from the house battery that feeds a jumper connection/bus bar behind my wiring panel. To this is connected my main fuse panel, and bilge control panel. Here is my panel before I installed it. I rewired the fuse panel as it was messy when I bought it and I'm a bit of a neat freak on electrics and every connection is soldered with soldered spade terminals where fitted. I also rewired the whole boat using tinned copper. The original 1970's standard copper wiring was unusable as had gone black with corrosion hence why should always used tinned copper or solder everything. I also rebuilt my ancient yanmar engine control panel too.

Here is the panel before installation.