brman
Well-Known Member
companionway is a pretty good place though, accessible from most places in the cabin and in the cockpit without going below?
Switch panel wiring question
- Thread starter alahol2
- Start date
Lodesman77
Well-Known Member
Getting to the switches from the cockpit requires fumbling in a recess you can't see into. To be fair - if they were easier to see they'd be more exposed to any incoming water. From down below I'd say getting to the companionway or chart table is about the same.
alahol2
Well-Known Member
A neat solution. I did very seriously consider it... for about 5 minutes. I had visions of a nice big switch board and a mimic panel just above the chart table. The thought of removing the head, side, under shelf, over berth linings and re-routing all the wiring (not to mention the cost) caused my enthusiasm to evaporate somewhat.
Lon nan Gruagach
Well-Known Member
In mitigation I submit a couple of 'before' pics. All the wiring is in the slot under the bridgedeck which is rather narrow. It is almost impossible to use busbars that are screwed to the base because you can't see what you are doing when trying to attach wires. The wires need to be long enough to pull the switch panel(s) out onto the cabin step to do any work.
I may or may not submit any 'after' photos because it is still not going to look anything like the photos of some of the superb wiring I've seen on here.
And this is what you do......
You have bags of room in there.
Your (optional) principal is:
Make a new panel that fills the opening.
Bring all wires to one end of opening (in the bottom picture), form them into a bundle, leave them long enough to make a "swan neck" (that crosses the opening and then attaches to your switch panel)
On the back of the panel mount your connector system (on stand offs if necessary to make room for the switches)
That way you wires are neat and tidy, you can pull out the panel and connections to a place that is easy to work.
This is the back of some equipment wired this way:
alahol2
Well-Known Member
Hmmm, yes. The back panel, on which the engine control panel, switch panel and master switches are mounted, had to be cut in half to get it out from under the bridgedeck. I made a new back panel in 2 pieces to get it back in. There isn't any way the whole panel could be made demountable and fitting bus bars/connectors to the back of it is just not going to be possible.. The bundling of wires and 'swan neck' are sort of happening (more of a duck's neck). The negative busbar and connectors for multiple circuits I think will be fitted to the baseboard of the slot. As they will be done with Wago connectors I wouldn't have to use tools under there to make amendments in future.
It's a case of slowly, slowly catchee monkey but the end is, finally, in sight.
Lodesman77
Well-Known Member
It's actually a lot easier than you would think - removing two pieces of headlining which are just ply panels - so about a dozen screws, nothing to be unstuck or glued. Taking out the piece at the head of the quarter berth allows you to route wires from the companionway across the top of the wet locker to the quarter berth, from there turning through the bulkhead you have a straight run to the new position with all the wires laid out neatly above the next piece of ply headlining. The switch box was easily and cheaply made with ply covered with leathercloth.
Arcady
Well-Known Member
Take one wire from the spade terminal on the switch and fasten (ring terminal) to one terminal on one of these:
Use these links to link individual terminals into one common terminal to which you will fasten all the live wires that need to be controlled by the single switch.
A typical use would be to connected all four nav lights (port, starboard, stern and steaming) to one switch.
dk
Well-Known Member
Quote
Neater labelling will have to wait until my wife opens her Christmas present (a Brother 'garden' labeller).
/Quote
Love it!! I might well try that one too!
Neater labelling will have to wait until my wife opens her Christmas present (a Brother 'garden' labeller).
/Quote
Love it!! I might well try that one too!
alahol2
Well-Known Member
OK. Finally got everything finished, panels back in and all circuits tested.
It's still not pretty back there but at least there's some sort of logic, wires are (scruffily but accurately) labelled and they are bundled rather than emulating a snake mating frenzy.
Photos for the amusement of professional wiremen and the delectation of any bodger worse than me.
Thanks for all advice/assistance.
It's still not pretty back there but at least there's some sort of logic, wires are (scruffily but accurately) labelled and they are bundled rather than emulating a snake mating frenzy.
Photos for the amusement of professional wiremen and the delectation of any bodger worse than me.
Thanks for all advice/assistance.
Lon nan Gruagach
Well-Known Member
Take it from a professional wireman.... thats a good job you have done there.
One thing I would suggest. When you add cables to a bundle that is already cable-tied, remove the ties that are already there.
One thing I would suggest. When you add cables to a bundle that is already cable-tied, remove the ties that are already there.
Lodesman77
Well-Known Member
Looks good...
PaulRainbow
Well-Known Member
I agree with Dougal. You should be very pleased with that. The Wagos do a good job of keeping that switch wiring neat, immeasurably better than a stack of piggy back spades. :encouragement:
One other comment, fancy leaving that lone choc block in the foreground :beaten:
One other comment, fancy leaving that lone choc block in the foreground :beaten:
alahol2
Well-Known Member
That's incredibly kind of you, I was expecting gentle flak.
I did wonder about that. It's the main power feed from the house master switch to the switch panel. I could probably replace it with a big butt crimp. Would that be better?
I did wonder about that. It's the main power feed from the house master switch to the switch panel. I could probably replace it with a big butt crimp. Would that be better?
PaulRainbow
Well-Known Member
That's incredibly kind of you, I was expecting gentle flak.
I did wonder about that. It's the main power feed from the house master switch to the switch panel. I could probably replace it with a big butt crimp. Would that be better?
If it's too big for a Wago a crimp and some heat shrink would be nicer than the chock block.
alahol2
Well-Known Member
Way too big for a Wago so a shrink wrapped butt crimp it will be, thanks.