Wiring Panel

[cSickNick]

Guys,

I could use some advice. I need to clean up some wiring. The best choice that I see is to buy a Blue Seas 8 position electrical panel #8261 and mount under the steering column. By adding this panel, I can clean up a lot of wiring, fast.

I am hesitant to do this because I fear that this size of a cutout will weaken the area around the steering helm. I do not want to end up with the steering helm in my lap in heavy seas! [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

My other thought was buy individual switches/fuses and make custom panel where the gauges are presently mounted. This would be more pricy/work and possibly be too crowded.

Any other options? There is not much room around the helm on the 20' Seafari's. [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

Thanks in advance …. Nick [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]

[Miles Offshore]

csick- I used the 8 gang blue seas and like it a lot. Im not sure about your location though- I would be afraid of hitting switches with my knees when running ???they are very easy to clean up that wiring. Maybe you will end up replacing the wires for everything you hook up and then end up rewiring the whole boat like I did [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]. Ive posted this pic (so dont bash me,lol) before but Ill post it again [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

wiring from the back side
New rewiring job on the back of the console

front look
front side

closer up


wondering how good shes gonna look with my new leaning post!

[warthog5]

Having built a custom console with limited space. I had to work hard to cram all the stuff in that area. Here's the pix's of the mockup.

http://www.classicmako.com/projects/xshark/bw24.htm

[cSickNick]

Thanks for the pics guys.

Are those fuses or the reset breakers?

Also, curious on what you guys have wired to the 8 switches.

Still thinking, not sure what to do yet ....

[PipeDreamsMarine]

Where's that guy with the Grady....Gw20..something...[img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img] .He redid his panel from scratch.. Nick. .ask him...

[gw204]

Nick,

Don is correct. I replaced one of those goofy simulated wood grain panels on my Grady with some black Rowmark engraving stock. The original toggle switches and separate indicator lights were replaced with illuminated rocker switches. All circuits are fused. My implementation was more involved as the panel also contained all of my gauges. I will try to post pics or a link to the project tonight for you. My ISP completely screwed my website and I haven't had the time to fix it yet.

It's really not that difficult, just a bit time consuming. The wiring was tedious as each wire is custom sized and all connectors were crimped then sealed with heat shrink. There's only one thing I would do differently if I had to do it again. When I did the heat shrink over the female spade connectors, I did not place it over the entire connector, just over where the wire got crimped. It's not a big deal, but covering the whole thing would protect it a bit better.

I thought about using a pre-made panel, but it just wasn't right for my application. I am extremely happy with the way it turned out and I've gotten many compliments.

I finished my second panel a few months ago on my brother's 19 Grady and I should be doing a third this winter for a 29' Proline.

I'll be happy to answer any questions you might have.

I'm not gonna take credit for the Rowmark engraving stock. I got that idea from that Mako guy. Ring-something.... [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[catman115]

nick..i happened to have a picture of my sefari helm on file. I will try and post here so other people can see what yours looks like and come up with some ideas as to where to mount more switches etc.. Safari helm

[Miles Offshore]

Hey Csic- I have wired- fwd and aft bilge pumps, bilge blower, anchor and running lights, cockpit lights and courtesy lights (lots of different lights,lol). Those are fuses over top of the switches. I put a seperate line of fuses coming down the left side of the gages- they are for electronics , bait well,trim tabs, etc- so you dont have to go digging behind the console looking for a fuse in the middle of the night.I have a 35 amp breaker under the console feeding into the main hot wire coming off of the batterys for when all else fails, hopefully the engine will still run [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[warthog5]

Yes fuses, This is the one I have.
http://www.bluesea.com/product.asp?P...1=7958&l2=6609

[Miles Offshore]

"NOTE: Water resistant panel labels are not backlightable"

Thats about the only thing about the switches that I do not like- [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]