SECTION 1 - DISTRIBUTE POWER
BATTERY
LOCATION - A liquid filled battery should be installed in a
battery box with a battery blanket at the bottom to absorb any electrolyte
that may leak. The battery box must be
insulated so there is no chance the terminals can be electrically
shorted. The battery box must also be vented to the outside to
release any explosive hydrogen gas that is lighter than air.
Unfortunately the space under Panache's starboard settee is too
small to include a battery box but it does provide excellent protection. So in lieu of a battery box I built a wood shelf
with fiddles for the Optima spiral cell AGM house/starter battery. The battery is secured in place with a rope that goes through 2 eye straps bolted to the settee wall; 1 eye is even with the bottom of the battery and the other is even with the
top of the battery. The bottom rope goes through a gap under the shelf, then up through a hole across the front of the battery where the two ends meet in a knot. Secured as such the battery cannot move
when heeled at 900 or bouncing in a rough seaway.
Its not often that an SJ23 is heeled at 900
but s__t happens so you may as well prepare for it. The
shelf is covered with a battery blanket nestled between the fiddles and the settee is
vented. The
advantage of an AGM battery is no leaks and no hydrogen fumes when being charged.
However, it should not be discharged below 50%.
While this
AGM battery is very secure and well protected under the starboard settee, if this were a liquid filled battery it would be difficult to check the electrolyte to determine the state of charge. Checking electrolyte would be easier if the battery were installed under the cockpit where the boat is
also better balanced laterally. The bigger and heavier the
battery the greater the imbalance. But then level is a function of
weight distribution of all the goodies stored on the boat.
Compromises again.
The alternative location is under the forward berth. But this
will require #1/0 welding cable (minimum) to offset the power loss of the
longer cable. The weight transfer forward and easier access for
battery maintenance is an advantage. I wouldn't recommend installing a liquid filled battery under forward berth. The bouncing motion will likely shorten its life, and the battery the box must be vented into the cabin to remove
explosive hydrogen gas. I hate it when things go
boom in the night!
Don't smoke or light a match!
WIRE MULTIPLE BATTERIES for EQUAL CHARGE - Many boats have a deep cycle house battery and an engine cranking battery. Some even have a third battery, usually to increase storage capacity for house use. There is a correct and a not so correct way to connect the house batteries for equal charging. While the not so correct way will still
work, but the correct way balances the voltage across all of them so they are charged
equally, ensuring optimum performance and long life. When the time comes to connect the house battery in parallel with the starter battery you can be more assured of having lots of power.
Fig 1 -
The
INCORRECT WAY to wire 2 same size/voltage batteries in
parallel.
|
Fig 2 -
The
CORRECT WAY to wire 2 same size/voltage batteries in
parallel.
|
Fig 3 - The
CORRECT WAY to wire 2 or more same size/voltage batteries in parallel.
|
 |
 |

|
These
2
batteries are NOT balanced as the battery furthest from the charge controller will receive less charge. Expect a shorter life span for the battery furthest from the charge controller.
|
These
2 batteries are balanced since they will each receive the same charge. Expect
an equal life span for both batteries. This configuration requires the least number of connectors to wire.
|
These
3 (or 2) batteries are balanced since they will each receive the same charge
assuming the wires are equal length. Expect an equal life span for all batteries. This configuration requires the most number of connectors & 2 buss
bars.
|
|
Fig 2a -
The
CORRECT WAY to wire 2 same size/voltage batteries in
parallel. |

|
These two house batteries are wired to charge equally as per the configuration in Fig 2 but with batteries installed end to end instead of side to side. The short battery to battery wires are connected to the side posts. The long charge controller to battery wires are connected to the top posts. The long wires are tucked behind the batteries and exit through the gap between them for minimal movement and to be out of the way.
This configuration can readily be rewired if one battery goes bad:
If battery A1 goes bad, remove the long negative wire and connect to A2 negative top post.
If battery A2 goes bad, remove the long positive wire and connect to A1 positive top post.
Remove the short jumper wires connected to the bad battery and tape the lugs.
These wiring changes will temporarily get you back in service and you can replace the bad battery at your convenience.
|
CHARGE DUAL BATTERIES with a SINGLE SOLAR CHARGE
CONTROLLER - The most efficient way to charge two batteries from
a single charge controller is to install a
Blue Sea
"ADD A BATTERY" switch. This "A/B" switch is basically a voltage
sensitive switch that automates charging of two batteries from a single source without manual operation of an A/B/BOTH switch. If the ACR senses a charge is present on either battery it will send the charge to both batteries. If the battery voltage drops to a preset threshold the ACR will isolate the batteries thereby maintaining the charge in the starting battery. Switching is achieved with "make before break" logic to maintain a battery connection to the output of the charge controller, thereby preventing controller failure. Its peace of mind to guarantee all your batteries are charged. The switch can be manually operated to deal with a power dilemma. I finally found the rules programmed into the ACR. Its a very interesting device.
RELAY CLOSED - All Batteries Connected in Parallel.
Battery = 13.6V for 30 seconds or 13.0V for 90 seconds. (Sensed at either the house or start battery)
RELAY OPEN - House and Start Batteries Separated from each other. Battery = 12.75V for 30 seconds or 12.35V for 10 seconds. (Sensed at either the house or start battery).
ENGINE START ISOLATION FEATURE - Momentarily opens the connection between start and house battery when the starter motor is engaged.
OVER-VOLTAGE LOCKOUT at 16.0V – If the sensed voltage at either the house or start battery terminal is >16.0V the ACR will lock out and open itself till the battery voltage drops to the correct value, thereby protecting the battery.
UNDER-VOLTAGE LOCKOUT at 9.5V – If the sensed voltage at either the house or start battery terminal is <9.50V the ACR will lock out and open itself to prevent further discharge, thereby protecting the battery.
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PRIMARY POWER DISCHARGE BUSS BARS, (BB
0)
-
If
multiple
wires are terminated on the single
5/16" stud of a battery the connection will eventually loosen and the
accompanying arcing can damage sensitive electronics. Its the
constant motion of the boat that starts wires swinging and loosens a
single post connection.
The longer and heavier the swinging wires, the quicker it loosens.
Having battery and battery return buss bars creates the space to
terminate each wire with a high quality connection
(e.g.: battery, outboard generator, breaker panel, etc.) If the buss bar is
thick it doesn't matter the order that wires are connected as the
power loss along the copper bar is negligible. If the buss bar is thin or
narrow, then terminate the battery connection in the center and the next
highest power consumer to either side of it with the next lower consumer
outside of it, etc. For minimum power loss the solar charge
controller is connected directly to the battery terminals resulting in
maximum charge voltage and least electrical interference from the high
frequency voltage pulses (PWM controller). The sensitive loads are; VHF radio, sounds
system, GPS, etc.
A buss bar (BB1, BB2, BB3, BB4) also makes it convenient to service an individual circuit
without disturbing another and makes it possible
to locate the battery in a place more convenient for servicing, good
venting (liquid filled battery) or for optimal weight distribution.
Coat all exposed
electrical connections (the buss bar, cable terminals & battery posts)
with dielectric grease to prevent corrosion. (Grease blocks out
oxygen, one of the components of combustion. Corrosion is simply
slow combustion).
While corrosion is usually restricted to the positive battery post, the same as in a car, in some cases it will attack the negative post, so coat both. An application lasts about 25 years indoors. I'm guestimating (SWAG) every 5 years in a marine environment.
Dielectric grease consists mostly of bee wax that can be washed off with
isopropyl alcohol.
Polish the copper buss
bar with Brillo cloth or fine sandpaper (200+ grit) before making a
connection to it.
Use silica bronze bolts
to secure a terminal because they are chemically compatible with copper
to prevent corrosion. The next best is greased stainless steel.
Torque the nuts and
use a flat washer, lock washer and nut on every connection. The lug always touches the buss bar.
Use a two hole terminal
on a buss bar because they don't work loose with vibration. The next
best is a single hole terminal with flat & lock washers on top of the lug.
Secure all bundled cables to something solid to prevent movement & metal fatigue to
maintain the electrical connection.
Colour code each cable to
identify polarity. Red is battery (positive) and black is battery
return (negative). If you only have black insulated cable then use red heat shrink over
the battery terminals (positive) as shown below. Install the red
on both ends of the same cable before you install it. Also
note the red and black bands at the top of each buss bar denoting
positive and negative polarity.
Pssst, don't tell anybody its tape!
-
Always install a ferrite choke
on each output cable to block noise spikes to the power distribution
panel. Its easier to install it now without the terminal installed
on the end of the heavy power cable.
Label your cables for
future identification. You will forget and someone else may be doing
the repair!

An excellent
buss bar can be fabricated from a 1/4" thick copper flat bar as shown here.
The length of the bars was chosen to match the number of terminations,
plus a spare position. The bars are mounted on thick UHMW
insulating standoffs so they can't short to earth. The wood dividers
separate positive from negative battery and the front is covered with acrylic for
impact protection. All wood is clear coated to prevent rot. This
panel is installed under the starboard settee with the battery installed
just to the left side (aft) of the plywood. The battery was
removed for this photo. It is a bit difficult to access this space
due to the companionway steps, but better if it is propped up on its
support stick.
Things could be worse!
This power distribution buss is electrically close to the battery (1.5' of
cable) and the DC power panel (3' of cable) with #4 neoprene
welding cable. Welding cable has very fine stranded cable that is
perfect to withstand the vibration on a boat. While Panache's power cables
are not
tinned, all connectors are crimped, soldered, heat shrink sealed to gas
tight and coated in dielectric grease. They have
never experienced corrosion.
NOTE - All power fed to the distribution
subpanel is filtered by several ferrite chokes to block possible RFI generated by the solar charge controller, outboard generator and other unknown
noise generators.
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EARTH GROUND (WATER)
- To bleed off electrical "noise" on the boat's ground wiring it may be
desirable to connect the battery return buss to an earth ground (water)
consisting of an underwater ground plate.
There are many ways to do this but I've always thought that a 1/8" or
thicker, half round copper pipe (2" diameter) fastened to the aft square
end of the keel would do the job. This would also require a 3/8" or
larger copper bolt at the top, protruding through the sealed hull, for the electrical connection.
Seal the bolt hole with butyl rubber and rubber grommets backed up with
flat washers/nuts inside and out.
See Siedarc
connectors or
Mark VII Wonderbar for this technique. This location would not
interfere with trailer launching. Leave the inside of the copper
pipe hollow for extra conducting surface and so water can drain out.
Bond the system earth wire to this bolt. Heck even the outboard leg touching the water might provide a good enough temporary ground for the communications. Just an idea I'm working on.
However, installing an external ground may also invite electrolysis
from an adjacent boat in the marina or from dock power. So if you
have an electrically isolated power system that is "noise" free I suggest leaving well enough alone. NOTE - When it comes to wiring for shore AC power, DO NOT wire your boat like a floating house. The electrical standards established by the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) clearly indicate that you should handle the entire boat as a grounded-type portable tool that has 3 conductors. Never ground both the hot wire and the shore-grounded neutral on the boat. The three most common errors that a boat owner makes are:
Connecting the grounded neutral wire (white) to the grounding wire (green).
Omitting (or cutting) the green grounding wire connection to the engine.
Using equipment that requires both alternating and direct current, and are not designed for a marine environment.
Read the standards before you wire. Making any of these mistakes can be very serious, if not disastrous, for a swimmer.
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------------------------
1 - POWER DISTRIBUTION PANEL FROM THE FACTORY
(Panache version 1, 1977)
-
The
factory
original
power distribution panel is pretty simple, consisting of only three
switches.
A later design included a fourth switch for a
steaming light (MAST LTS) as shown below.
Anything added to a panel was done by the owner as demonstrated by
Randy who replaced the original single pole MAST LTS switch with a dual pole
to operate either the anchor or steaming light. Clever way to improve
it without changing the panel. A schematic was never included in the
SJ23 manual as the
circuitry consisted of a single battery feed
connected to a
length of #10 solid wire soldered across the power inputs of the fuses.
The battery return for each load was wired directly to the negative terminal
of the battery instead of through the panel. Not the best method for
isolating a trouble but it works. All in all, pretty
simple and I think
for this reason, not worth mentioning in the manual.
Back in the 1970s presumably everybody knew
something about electricity! The panel was located on the
port side, above the
galley
stove. Now
there's a recipe for disaster if
I ever
saw one, sticking your hand over a steaming pot to flip a switch. I'll grant you it can be done quickly but any dose of steam to the dry
electrical contacts will hasten their demise due to corrosion.
2 - POWER DISTRIBUTION PANEL E/W SWITCHES & FUSES
(Panache version 2, 2002)
-
The
factory panel
didn't have the capacity to handle the eight circuits I wanted, so I
fabricated an electrical panel with switches, fuses and meters. It was
installed at the aft end of the starboard settee directly above the battery
for lowest power loss via the short wiring.
This location is out of
the weather and away from the cook, which is rather important if you think
that getting fed is of any significance to your existence on this planet! The
mechanical assembly should be within the capabilities of most handymen with
opposing thumbs! The wiring is fairly straight forward. If you
can't do it, find yourself an electronics "nut". Many of them are only
too willing to help in exchange for a day of sailing.
The
aluminum bar protected the switches against accidental operation from a
'sleeping giant' who likes to stretch his legs and sometimes throws gear on
the bunk. This was a lift handle I scrounged from an old
telecommunications test set.
The voltmeter at the top of the panel measures battery voltage via the red
momentary switch just below it. The 500MA ammeter below it measures
solar panel charge current to confirm operation. This meter is
probably WWII vintage. The
12VDC accessory outlet at the bottom right corner is
fused and
usually houses a USB charger. I occasionally plugged a 300W inverter
in it for AC power. Click here to see the
schematic
for this panel.
TOP
3 - POWER DISTRIBUTION PANEL E/W CIRCUIT BREAKERS (Panache
version 3, 2017) - I
pondered long and hard to fabricate a new distribution panel to replace a
working panel. I had the parts and the tools. I just
needed a justification. That materialized itself with a recurring intermittent connection
on the fuse panel that limited how much power I could draw from the panel. The new
design included 15 DC
breakers, 2 digital panel meters, 1 DC outlet, 1 AC outlet and a circuit breaker
alarm. Most of the parts came to me as surplus communications
equipment from various sites I worked at. That's when I realized that scrounging is still "viable" since a
commercially available panel of this capacity would cost on the up side of
$1000 Ca (2017). But then deep down I always knew scrounging was a worthwhile
endeavour.
Design criteria and features of this panel:
- A
circuit breaker requires slightly less space than a
switch/fuse combo making it possible to install more circuits in the same space;
in Panache's case from 8 circuits to 15.
- The contrast of a white breaker lever against a black panel makes it
easy to see the on/off status at a glance as evident in the photo.
- The current rating of a
breaker is normally sized to protect the wire. I'm using 15A
breakers and carry a spare.
- The front panel is latched closed by a couple of
brass barrel bolts and flips down on brass hinges for
ready access to the back. There is just enough
space behind the panel to prevent wire movement without squishing it. This
"squish" space
is very important so the connections are not strained and with
enough ventilation to keep it dry.
- The adjacent settee back rest can flip down to access the
back panel wiring. There is sufficient
slack in the wiring to slide the back panel sideways a bit for servicing.
-
All wiring is labelled showing from/to termination ends of a wire.
-
A toggle switch was later added to the panel to direct power to the steaming or
deck light.
-
While not part of the panel, an external LED
spotlight illuminates the front of the panel for night operation. It
is connected to permanent power to service the wiring with the main
power switched off. I will still need a head light for mobility
though.
There is usually some obstacle that rears its ugly head when developing
new hardware and I didn't want to go down the proverbial garden path of
having forgotten a circuit, an illogical layout or difficult wiring as with the
previous fuse panel. That's the
main reason why I progressed slowly with this upgrade. The thing about
low loss large gauge wiring is that it can't bend like small gauge can so
planning the component layout is important.
Q
- Ever wonder why the panel is green?
A - Its a lot easier to write on an aluminum
panel covered with Frog Tape. Then if you get it wrong, apply new
tape for a new mistake! It's also great to write a note on.
Electrical Protection - The primary function of a circuit
breaker is to protect the downstream wiring against an electrical short, loose wire, worn insulation or any other reason you can
dream of! For this reason a breaker is installed at the power
source. Take this seriously if you don't want to experience a
fire on the water or on the road. Fire is nasty stuff. The
secondary function of a circuit breaker is to leave the other circuits operational
while a defective one is isolated for service. To be totally
effective each circuit has its own breaker.
NOTE 1 - The World Single Pole Magnetic AC/DC Circuit
Breaker meets all American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) Standards, is UL
1077 Recognized, CSA Certified for Canada, TUV Certified and CE marked for
Europe.
Battery Return Wires & Single Point "Grounding" - All loads are
wired with their own battery return wire (often
mistakenly called a ground wire) terminate on a common
negative power buss, BB3. Never use a metal boat part, mast
or toe rail, for a return conductor.
LOAD RETURN WIRES - With the breaker hardware each device has its own
battery return wire (usually #10 stranded black) connected
to the common negative return buss bar (BB3) on the back panel. The battery return wire
for BB3 is a black
#4 weld cable connected to the primary negative buss bar (BB0) which is
then connected to the battery negative post. Connecting them in this
order eliminates circulating current in the wiring. If you don't
achieve single point grounding, the laws of chemistry and physics will
apply and you won't be happy with the electrical "noise" affecting your
electronics!
EARTH GROUND - At this point in time Panache has a single conductor
to bleed off electrical "noise" or static charge from the primary negative
buss to the water (earth / ground) using the immersed outboard
leg. In future I may add a sacrificial anode to prevent electrolysis of
the aluminum leg. I may also install a dedicated RF ground plate
and lightning ground in the future.
More below.
Large Gauge Battery Wires - In Panache's configuration the 12V power
is sourced from the battery positive post to the primary buss bars (BB0) and is
filtered with 2 ferrite beads to block RF noise from the outboard
generator. Then the power is
fed to the secondary buss bars (BB1, BB2), using #4 weld red cable through
out. Finally the power from the secondary buss bars is connected to
each breaker via a
#10 stranded red wire. Each breaker is connected to its load
with
#10 stranded red or smaller gauge wire. The very low power devices can operate on the smaller 16 gauge wire.
Connector Corrosion - A dry metal connection exposed to a humid
environment will corrode and deteriorate in a year, or less. This is
basic chemistry and physics, so learn to live with it. The
prevention is to keep oxygen away by coating the connection with a drop of
ATF or synthetic oil. Either oil has the advantage of creeping into an
unseen crevice for complete protection and it doesn't wash off. It
is easy to apply and if done sparingly, keeps things clean. Apply a
drop once a year for continued protection. Alternatively spraying lithium
grease or smearing a light coat of synthetic grease on each
connection also works but is definitely messy. Switches and
circuit breakers must be operated occasionally to function properly.
The wiping action keeps the contacts clean.
More below.
|
SECTION 2 - PANEL COMPONENTS COMPONENTS
& SUB CIRCUITS - Electrically the circuit breaker panel is the same as a switch & fuse panel. Physically it is quite different to incorporate the new hardware and features. In this system the positive wire is protected (circuit breaker) as close as possible to the source of power to minimize the wiring with power still on which also reduces corrosion on the power distribution wires. The description of each component below follows the power flowing from the battery to each load, which should make this easier to understand.
-
BATTERY - Optima 55AH 12V AGM battery
charged by 2 or 3 solar panels and a 6 amp generator in the outboard. See Tech Tip E01 for charging the battery.
-
MAIN DISCONNECT CIRCUIT BREAKER (BKR 0) -
A 125A circuit breaker (normally on) is installed under the starboard settee. It is wired between the house/starter battery and the primary buss bars to automatically disconnect all system power in the event of a major electrical short.
- Opening this breaker would eliminate all drain on the battery except to the charge controller.
- The charge controller bypasses BKR 0 as it is wired directly to the battery to maximize charging.
-
PRIMARY POWER DISCHARGE BUSS BARS - Nothing complicated here. Just a couple of copper bars to securely terminate the battery leads, the starter/generator cables of the outboard and the secondary buss bars. It is a safe way to distribute power to the power panel breakers.
The power flowing to the secondary the buss bars is
filtered by several ferrite beads to block RF voltage spikes from the outboard generator or a PWM solar charge controller that was previously installed.
NOTE - Panache's PWM charge controller was replaced by a MPPT charge controller in 2020. The ferrite beads were left in place to filter any noise from the outboard generator.
-
BACK PANEL (E/W Secondary Power Discharge Buss Bars, BB1/BB2/BB3/BB4 and Terminal Strips TS1/TS2) - The secondary buss bars are located on the back panel (behind starboard settee back rest) to distribute power as follows:
Terminal |
Description |
BB1 |
Switched power to circuit breakers. (transient protected) |
BB2 |
Constant power to circuit breakers. (transient protected) |
BB3 |
Load Return for all devices except the inverter. |
BB4 |
Load return for inverter (The current bypasses meter M2 so it does not burn out the internal shunt of the meter) and the transient suppressors TVS 1&2. |
TS1 |
Media receiver & constant power to 3 bilge pumps. |
TS2 |
Switched power to the cabin devices. |
Adding a back panel organized the wiring which usually creates a trouble free installation. Labeling makes it easier to find components and to trace wires. The back panel is located behind the settee just forward of the breaker panel. It rests on a vinyl grid to keep it high and dry. The wires to the breaker panel are spread out along the bottom and also rest on the vinyl grid to keep them high and dry. The connectors are not strained or squished together which is more important than you may think.
(The power on each positive buss BB1 & BB2 is protected by a P6KE transient voltage suppression (TVS) diode that drains a transient to the battery return buss BB4. These 2 diodes clamp a transient voltage in nanoseconds, effectively shorting a transient to a maximum of 36VDC before it can rise to a damaging level.)
The back panel showing BB1
(red) switched power. BB2 (red) constant power buss. BB3 (black) battery return buss bar.
BB4 (black) battery return buss for inverter to bypass meter
M2. The 3 bilge pump switches are wired to terminal strip TS1. Term Strip
TS2 is to the far right, hidden behind the fibreglass. The labelled wires are laid loose along the bottom to easily trace a problematic cable.

BACK PANEL, TERMINAL STRIP 1 (TS1). |
PIN # |
EXTENSION CABLE |
KENWOOD
HARNESS |
KENWOOD MEDIA RECEIVER |
01 |
1 - Wh |
Wh |
Speaker FL + (bulkhead). |
02 |
1 - Gn |
Wh/Bk |
Speaker FL - (bulkhead). |
03 |
1 - Rd |
Gr |
Speaker FR + (bulkhead). |
04 |
1 - Bk |
Gr/Bk |
Speaker FR - (bulkhead). |
05 |
2 - Wh |
Gn |
Speaker RL + (companionway). |
06 |
2 - Gn |
Gn/Bk |
Speaker RL - (companionway). |
07 |
2 - Rd |
Vi |
Speaker RR + (companionway). |
08 |
2 - Bk |
Vi/Bk |
Speaker RR - (companionway). |
09 |
3 - Wh |
Bl/Wh |
Antenna Power -
(not used). |
10 |
3 - Gn |
Bl/Yl |
Steering Wheel Control -
(not used). |
11 |
3 - Rd |
Rd |
Switched Power. (BKR 8, Media Power) |
12 |
3 - Bk |
Bn |
Mute Control. (not used). |
BKR 14 |
Direct connect |
Yl |
Constant Power. (BKR 14, Memory Power) |
PIN # |
POWER
(BKR 15) |
PUMP HARNESS |
BILGE PUMP WIRING |
13 |
Mult 12V |
Rd1 <- Yl |
Bilge pump 1 - starboard settee float switch. |
14 |
Mult 12V -> S1 |
Rd2 <- Bn |
Bilge pump 1 - starboard settee toggle switch, S1. |
15 |
Mult 12V |
Rd1 <- Yl |
Bilge pump 2 - port settee float switch. |
16 |
Mult 12V -> S2 |
Rd2 <- Gn |
Bilge pump 2 - port settee toggle switch, S2. |
17 |
Mult 12V |
Rd1 <- Yl |
Bilge pump 3 - port cockpit float switch. |
18 |
Mult 12V -> S3 |
Rd2 <- Gn |
Bilge pump 3 - port cockpit toggle switch, S3. |
19 |
(vacant) |
|
|
20 |
(vacant) |
|
|
BB3 |
Direct connect |
Bk |
Battery return for each device. |
BACK
PANEL, TERMINAL STRIP 2 (TS2). |
PIN # |
POWER
(BKR 09) |
CABLE |
CABIN LIGHTS, GALLEY PUMP & FAN |
01 |
Mult 12V |
Rd |
Deck Wash Pump. |
02 |
Mult 12V |
Rd |
Deck Wash Pump. |
03 |
Mult 12V |
Rd |
Post lights, fwd & aft. |
04 |
Mult 12V |
Rd |
Galley pump. |
05 |
Mult 12V |
Rd |
Port wall lights, ceiling night light, fan. |
06 |
Mult 12V |
Rd |
Starboard wall light, fwd. |
07 |
Mult 12V |
Rd |
Starboard wall light, aft. |
08 |
Mult 12V |
Rd |
Galley light. |
09 |
Mult 12V |
|
(vacant) |
10 |
Mult 12V |
|
(vacant) |
BB3 |
Direct connect |
Bk |
Battery return for each device. |
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------------------------
-
BREAKER PANEL ( E/W Circuit Breakers, Meters) -
The table below matches of the physical layout (front view) of the panel. The bracketed numbers in red denote the measured current drawn by each circuit.
BREAKERS,
(Switched Pwr from BB1)
1 RUN LIGHTS (.23A)
2 STEAM / DECK LIGHTS (S4),
(.08A, .11A)
3 INSTRUMENT & WINDEX LIGHTS (.065A)
4 AUTO PILOT (Stdby .040A, Auto
.5 to 1.5A)
5 GPS (.06A)
6 DEPTH SOUNDER (.028A)
7 VHF RADIO (stdby .38A, Lo
1A, Hi
5A)
8 MEDIA RECEIVER (4A)
9 CABIN (5 Lites
.34A, Fan
.32A, Galley pump .6A,
Deck Wash Pump 10A)
|
-
SOLAR METER -
(M1 & S1)
(.02A)
-
LOAD METER -
(M2 & S2)
(.02A)
|
BREAKERS, (Constant Pwr from BB2)
12. SOLAR PANELS (0 to 3.2A)
13. ANCHOR LIGHT (.03A)
14. MEDIA RECEIVER MEM (.2A, .18A, .005A)
15. BILGE PUMPS
1 stbd settee (.42A)
2 port settee (.30A)
3 port locker (.70A)
|
BREAKER ALARM &
ACO -
(S3, Sonalert, LED)
(0 - .12A)
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MAIN POWER SWITCH - (S0) |
10. 12V OUTLET
(10A max)
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11. 115VAC OUTLET
(25A max)
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Typical electrical load, night sail = (.6 to .7A)
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The breaker
panel flipped down to show components on the back. It may look like a rats nest but if wires are selectively picked, verified and connected during installation then all is OK. Not all wires are red or black though. It just wasn't practical to replace a perfectly good wire in an installed harness so I just crimped and soldered the correct lug on the end then sealed any exposed copper.
The bundles of wires at the hinge are left loose to prevent flex fatigue. The shielded sense wires from the panel meters (2 green circuit boards) are secured to the white cable standoff post to minimize fatigue to the meter. The slack is to permit install or removal of a panel meter.
(Its a difficult thing to photograph so please excuse the poor lighting).

Each
bank of 15A breakers is outlined with pin striping on the front of the panel for quicker understanding of switched battery on the left (NORMALLY OFF) and permanent battery on the right (KEEP ON), with panel meters and toggle switches between.
This is so another guy can find the switch! I never have this problem myself you understand! The front panel flips down on two brass hinges to access the wiring behind (above) and is secured upright by two brass barrel bolts for operation (below).
The breaker panel closed with
the 10A solar meter (M1) measuring a charge of 17.4V and the 10A load meter
(M2) measuring 13V battery voltage. This high input voltage on the solar meter
(M1)
is indicative of an MPPT charge controller.
NOTE - Not all the digits segments show on the panel meters since the power to each segment is multiplexed to minimize
consumption. They appear as a fully
illuminated
number when viewed by the naked eye. Its a clever trick that takes advantage of the slow response of the eye.

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MAIN POWER SWITCH (S0) - A Moeller Marine
battery disconnect switch (110A @ 12V) controls power (manual operation) to breakers B1-B11. This switch is equipped with a removable key to prevent unauthorized use. The power is usually switched off when the boat is unattended. If there were two batteries in this system I would install an A/B switch.
Note - The power into this panel is filtered by ferrite beads at the primary power buss.
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METER SWITCHES (S1 & S2) - S1 solar charge current. S2 load discharge current. Switches are normally off to minimize power drain.
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ALARM CUT OFF SWITCH (S3) - Switch is normally on to hear alarm and off to quiet alarm.
- CIRCUIT BREAKERS
1-11 (Fed by Switched Power from Discharge Buss BB1)
- These breakers are manually operated to switch power to each load as required. This bank of similar function breakers is clustered on the left side of the panel. Some may be left on with the power controlled by a switch on the device. You will reduce the life of a breaker by using it as a switch.
BKR 1 (Run lights) - This breaker
is sized for 3 incandescent bulbs just in case I have to replace an LED bulb with an incandescent.
(If you wish to install an LED tri-light on the mast head as an alternate to the hull mounted running lights then install a single throw double pole switch after BKR 1 to direct power to either set of lights, NOT both. It is confusing and therefore illegal to illuminate two sets of running lights on a boat. The double pole switch will ensure proper operation and legal compliance. It is common to use a tri-light for visibility in deep ocean troughs and the hull lights in a harbour.)
BKR 2 (Steam or deck light) - This breaker feeds switch S4 (single throw double pole), a 2 position switch that directs power to the steam light (up) or deck light (down). There was just enough space to install this adjacent to BKR 2 to make it easy to understand.
BKR 3 (Instrument Lights) - Compass,
knotmeter, Windex.
BKR 4 (Auto Pilot) -
Raymarine Tiller Pilot ST2000.
BKR 5 (GPS) - Magellan GPS320.
BKR 6 (Depth Sounder) -
Haweye D10DX.
BKR 7 (VHF) -
Standard Horizon Explorer GPS GX1700W.
Its useful to install a quick blow fuse on the battery return wire to protect the VHF against an air induced power surge.
BKR 8 (Media Receiver) - Kenwood KMM-BT315U.
BKR 9 (Cabin power) - This breaker feeds power to
Term Strip 2, from which all cabin power is fed (lights, fan, galley pump and deck wash pump).
BKR 10
(12V Outlet)
- This breaker feeds power to the 12V outlet located at the bottom right corner of the panel. The outlet is usually equipped with a USB adapter to charge my cell phone. A
caution about low grade USB adapters. The quickest way to determine if RF interference is your problem; shut the power off to the USB adapter.
BKR 11 (110VAC Outlet) -
This 30A breaker feeds power to
a 300W inverter that supplies
110VAC to the AC outlet located at the bottom right corner of the panel. The breaker input is wired directly to battery (BB1-11) since it draws a significant surge current when starting that can overload the charge controller. The battery return is wired to (BB4-11) to bypass the load meter shunt. The wire gauge is sufficient to drive the inverter to full output, continuously. NEVER connect the AC neutral of an inverter to boat ground as it is hazardous. Leave it isolated. Panache's inverter draws power only from the battery. As such it cannot connect to shore power where it may create an unintended hazardous ground path or start electrolysis to the outboard leg. The electrical path combinations with shore power and adjacent boats can become very complex.
INVERTER - If a pure sine wave inverter is used it ensures any 110VAC device (sensitive electronics) can operate safely without burning out. The power from a modified sine wave inverter (stepped sine wave) may burn out a device that has an inductive load like a transformer or motor but it is safe to connect a resistive load like a soldering iron. A true sine wave inverter draws about 35% less DC current from the battery than a modified one which is good if there is minimal charge capacity. An excellent example of you get what you pay for!
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Breakers
12-15 Alarmed (Constant Power from Discharge Buss BB2) - The power fed to the alarm contacts of the 4 breakers at the top right of the panel comes from buss bar BB2 (constant power), bypassing the main power switch (S0) on the breaker panel. These breakers are
normally left ON. A breaker goes to alarm state when off.
BKR 12 (solar panels) - Controls power from solar panels 1 & 2 on the sliding hatch, plus a temporary 3rd panel wired to the cockpit.
BKR 13 (anchor light) - Supplies constant power to the anchor light that switches automatically with darkness.
BKR 14 (media receiver memory)
- Supplies constant power to maintain media receiver configuration.
BKR 15 (bilge pumps) - Supplies constant power to operate the 3 bilge pumps automatically via their float switches. There are also 3 switches on the back panel to operate each pump manually.
Alarm Circuit - The common contacts of the sealed alarm contacts inside breakers 12-15 are daisy chained together (light black wire shown through each breaker) to power a Sonalert (SA) and illuminate the LED
if one of the breakers trips or is switched off (alarm condition). However,
the combined alarm signal is wired through an Alarm Cut Off (ACO) switch to silence the thing because there is nothing more irritating and interfering than a loud alarm when trying to isolate a trouble. The LED draws your eye to the alarm condition, especially at night.
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SOLAR CHARGING CIRCUIT - The combined 3A output of the two hatch mounted solar panels and the 1A of a third temporary panel are switched through breaker B12 so charging power to the system can be shut off to service the wiring and electronics safely.
(To protect a solar charge controller the
INPUT POWER MUST be switched off first, then the output power. Switching the output power off with the input power on may damage the charge controller). The output is protected with an internal 20A fuse. The instantaneous voltage and current of the solar power can be verified on meter M1 or the LED display on the charge controller. While its OK if the charge current exceeds the panel meter rating (10A) for a short time, it is not recommended. The #10 gauge wires to & from the solar charge controller ensure quick battery charging with clean power for the electronics. A third solar panel was added to offset high temporary electrical loads while working at the dock.
NOTE - By convention the exposed contacts of a shunt MUST be installed in the battery return path, so it is at a safe 0V. This wiring configuration also ensures the meter measures a "steady" DC current for a PWM charge controller. See
Tech Tip E01.
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OUTBOARD STARTER / GENERATOR
- The outboard starter / generator (6A) is connected directly to the primary buss bars (BB 0) so the starter can draw maximum power from the battery, bypassing the front panel. With the engine running the generator automatically charges the battery through the BKR 0. So far I have not seen it necessary to install a breaker in this circuit for the following reasons:
- The momentary starter switch on the outboard is normally open, creating protection. - The generator uses the same wires as the starter and has a diode to prevent reverse current flow. - The main breaker B0 will provide some automatic protection. - If I'm on board I can always unplug the outboard at the transom or switch off the main breaker, B0.
- If it should prove necessary, I will install an inline automotive fuse.
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WIRING a DIGITAL PANEL METER (M1 & M2) - Due to limited space on the front panel I installed two digital panel meters (M1, 10A solar charge) & (M2, 10A load discharge). In both meters the current is measured by an internal shunt, taking less space than an external shunt.
- The meters operate on <20MA at 4.5-30VDC that comes from the switched power buss, BB1.
Power is controlled by toggle switches S1 & S2, since I don't need to read the system status 24 hours a day! I considered a momentary switch but constant power to these meters frees up my hands if I have to service the system.
M1 (Solar Charge) - This volt sense is wired to the output of Bkr12 to confirm the presence of solar power.
M2 (Load Discharge) - This volt sense is wired to the switched power buss BB1, to measure system voltage.
The shunt wires for both meters are stranded #10 gauge for minimal power loss and accurate measurement. This is critical since every millivolt measured across a shunt equates to amps on the meter. For this reason it is important that the shunt wires have perfect electrical connections measuring 0Ω.
NOTE - The battery voltage on M2 may show up to 21V when the outboard generator is charging. This is not a fault. These meters show peak voltage, not RMS and the outboard generator sends pulsing DC power to the battery.
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- Meter M1 - A 10A panel meter wired to measure charge voltage & current from all (3) solar panels.
- Meter M2 - A 10A panel meter wired to measure discharge voltage & current to all loads except the inverter.
- Operating Power: 4-28VDC @ <20MA.
- Measuring Range: 10A via internal shunt, 200VDC with .08% resolution and 3 decimal place display. Can be field calibrated.
NOTE - The shunt can measure current in only one direction. If it is wired backwards some meters can't show a reading and others show an abnormal reading of ~2.2A. Simply reverse the wires to show the correct reading. No damage done. |
PANEL METER M1 SOLAR CHARGE (Power & Sense Leads)
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M1 LEAD COLOUR & DESCRIPTION |
(EXTENSION CABLE, M1) |
CONNECTION |
FUNCTION |
Rd - Power in |
(Rd) |
To S1 & BB1 (switched power buss). |
Meter power, on/off via S1. |
Bk - Power gnd & sense common |
(Gn) |
To BB3 (battery return buss). |
Meter power, common battery return for all devices except inverter. |
Yl - Sense volts |
(Bk) |
To BKR12, solar controller connection. |
Measure solar charge voltage. (0V when BKR12 is open). |
Bk - Shunt current sense - |
Bk |
To solar panel, negative. |
Measure solar charge current out. |
Rd - Shunt current sense + |
Bk |
To solar charge controller, negative. |
Measure solar charge current in. |
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PANEL METER M2 LOAD DISCHARGE (Power & Sense Leads)
|
M2 LEAD COLOUR & DESCRIPTION |
(EXTENSION CABLE, M2) |
CONNECTION |
FUNCTION |
Rd - Power in |
(Rd) |
To S2 & BB1 (switched power buss). |
Meter power, on/off via S2. |
Bk - Power gnd & sense common |
(Bk) |
To BB4 (battery return buss). |
Meter power, common battery return for all devices except inverter. |
Yl - Sense volts |
(Bk) |
To switched power buss, (BB1). |
Measure battery voltage. |
Bk - Shunt current sense - |
Bk |
To BB4. |
Measure negative
load current out. |
Rd - Shunt current sense + |
Rd |
To BB3. |
Measure
positive load current in. |
NOTE - If you replace a defective meter from another manufacturer confirm that the pin assignment at the connectors are identical before you plug the cord into the new meter. Usually the function stays with the wire colour which might be in a different location. You might have to splice conductors to maintain logic.
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SENSE LEAD WIRING - The panel meter sense leads are delicate and too short to reach the back panel. So I soldered them to an extension cable that has slightly larger gauge wire. (Don't be tempted to install a terminal strip next to the meter using mechanical connections. A panel meter measures very low voltage and any corrosion in a connection will create a false reading). The 2 extension cables are also secured to a stand off post to eliminate vibration fatigue at the meter connectors.
See table above to translate the panel meter wire colours to my extension cable colours. For simplicity the meter schematics above don't show the extension cables.
NOTE - The extension cable leads are labelled by function & location for future service. You will forget!
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