If it ain’t broke….don’t fix it – Electrical panel

[Miss Kathleen]

The electrical panel is one of those items that were, IMO, never “fixed” and has been subjected to a little remodelling.

Much of the panel instrumentation, being designed for a 110V volt system, was dysfunctional for a 230V system. There were also items i.e. generator controls that would never be used.

The remodelling involved shortening the panel, and allowing it to be made more ‘vertical’. The photo shows how the base was pulled out a tad and the top moved closer allowing a more ‘vertical’ look. Visually it appears that there is more space in the area.

Old panel

1) Trimmed, and the top section removed leaving only the circuit breaker section. AC circuit breakers on the left and DC on the right.

Top panel

1) Sports two digital gauges – AC & DC, volts and amps – and the bilge pump controls

Centre panel;

1) A soon to be installed AC selector switch (Inverter / shore power)
2) Inverter control
3) Navigation light selector switch (Anchor, steaming, sailing)
4) BEP Marine DSCM battery monitor / tank levels (water & fuel)
5) Switches (with LED indication) for items that are ‘ON’ almost all the time i.e. water pressure, gas, lights, electric toilet, fridge. This has also ‘freed’ up some circuit breaker for other uses.
6) Bilge pump counter switch

Right hand panel;

1) Solar panel control. Switches added to select the solar panels as I do not always have all solar panels on when boat is not in use.
2) Old GPS to monitor progress that will also have an AIS input

The panel is not complete;

1) There are a few ‘rogue’ circuit breakers (white toggles) in the DC section that need to be replaced with red toggles.
2) AC selector switch to be fitted
3) Labels
4) Panel work on bulkheads to be repaired

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