Busbar Or Similar 12v Distribution Point In Open Tinnie

[Towknee]

Hi,

After a free outings in the boat, I’ve found a few things I want to repair/ change. One of them is replace the bilge pump and replace the nav lights with new LED lights.

The boat has a switch panel with 5 of the 6 switches wired up. The previous owner wired the negative feed from the battery to 5 wired in a blob of solder. It is doing the job but hard to rewire individual items and not as tidy as I would like.

When I wired in the new sounder I ran a line direct to the battery. But I don’t want to do this for every item. 

What have other people done in open Tinnies as the only busbars I can see are not close to water proof or water resistant. 

Cheers

towknee

[Junky]

G'day Tony. 

 

Go to whitworths and get yourself a blue seas fuse panel. Fuse panel. 

There is a 6 block panel available as well. These are marine grade components. They're not waterproof as such but will cop splashing. 

The negative buss bar is built in at the top of the panel.  Simply run wiring from battery to the fuse panel. Positive to the bottom contact under the fuse slots and the negative to the top contact above the buss bar. Now the panel is live and ready however it will need a fuse inserted to make the contact live so don't stress. 

The switches on your switch panel should have 2 contacts on the back of each switch. Simply run positive wiring from the fuse ports to your switch panel for all 6 switches using a different fuse port for each switch (should be the bottom terminal on your switch that you conect to) 

Now the positive from a device (bilge) will go to the other terminal on your switch panel, and the negative will go to the top of the fuse panel. Read the manufactures specs and check the current draw of the item and fit the required fuse. There should be power now.

You can have all 6 switches wired up ready so that when you get something new it is simply wired to the switch. They're not live until you fit a fuse. 

Now for your sounder that doesn't need a switch because it has one of its own, simply cut off the inline fuse and wire it straight to the fuse panel. If the inline fuse is .5amp then fit a .5amp to the fuse panel. 

Very simple and the the most reliable way to wire a boat imo...trust me,  I've done a few. Also...no more chasing those bloody inline fuses,  not that your boat is hard to get around but some are. 

Mounting the panel can be either on the back of the seat or better still if you have a little console or box then in that is preferred. 

 

If this is hard to understand then I can post wiring pics. 

 

Here's mine. 

[Drop Bear]

I have an open boat and made up a ply wood box that I siliconed the joins to waterproof it. I then just put the switch panel on this. 

[Towknee]

Thanks for your thoughts Gents. Think I may lash out and buy the blue sea Switch panel that has the fuse holder inbuilt. Just need to check dimensions.

Box is a good idea Drop Bear. 

 

[Drop Bear]

6 hours ago, Towknee said:

Thanks for your thoughts Gents. Think I may lash out and buy the blue sea Switch panel that has the fuse holder inbuilt. Just need to check dimensions.

Box is a good idea Drop Bear. 

 

Yep they look mint.