How to Connect a Boat Switch Panel (Beginner's Guide)
Content
Having extensive experience as an electrician, I created this manual so that anyone with even the most basic knowledge of electrical systems can easily assemble a boat control panel.
Read everything carefully so you don't miss a single key detail of the process.
In general, wiring a boat control panel requires finding a good panel and a battery, preferably a lithium-ion battery with at least 100 amps, connecting the battery to the fuses with thick wires (10-12 AWG), and then making connections to all electrical components through the auxiliary switch panel. .
Below we will go through all these steps in detail.
Getting the source to the rudder of the boat
The helm is where all of the boat's controls are located, and your goal is to transfer battery power to the helm.
This is where you will install the battery breaker panel along with the fuse box distribution panel to protect the electronics from overload.
Wiring Options
Depending on the location of your batteries, you can either use a short cable or route the wiring properly through the boat.
Since many components will be powered by batteries, it is recommended to use thick battery wires.
- Smaller boats can get by with 12 AWG wire because there will be fewer appliances on board and they are not typically used for long haul. Most inverters on small boats are also low power and are typically only used to power light electrical equipment.
- Large boats will require 10 AWG or thicker wire. Of course, this is only required for boats that are typically over 30 feet in length.
- These boats consume more energy because the appliances installed in them also have more power and provide more comfort, which is associated with more energy.
- Using cables with a high AWG rating can cause tripping or damage, and in extreme cases even fire.
Connecting the Battery to Components
It is important to do this with the correct diagram so that you do not make mistakes when connecting components. Here are the steps required to connect the battery to your electrical components.
Step 1 – Positive wire
First, the positive wire from the battery will go to your main circuit breaker, where you can distribute it to the fuse block switchboard.
The fuse box is critical to keeping your electrical appliances safe in the event of a sudden power surge or battery failure.
Step 2 - Negative wire
After that, the negative terminal can be connected by tying all the negative wires from your components directly to the negative rail, which will also be connected to the negative cable from the battery.
Step 3 - Switching the Boat
The positive wiring of each component in your boat will go to any assigned boat switch on the battery switch panel.
The Switch Panel is a component that will give you the necessary control over the individual components. Depending on the device each switch is connected to, you will use the company recommended wire gauge.
Step 4 - Fuse Box
The other wire will connect your components to the fuse box.
Check the amperage ratings of each electrical component you use and use the correct fuse to power it. Some elements, such as lights and fans, can be combined into one button, as long as they do not consume too much electricity together.
This is only recommended for smaller boats, as for larger boats you can create zones to separate lighting.
Once all connections are made, your battery will be able to power all connected components.
Battery
Given that the boat must navigate water that takes you a long distance from any mains, batteries are a natural alternative.
Luckily, we now have batteries that can store an incredible amount of energy and last a long time. Of course, that much power can also be dangerous if not handled properly, so you must use proper battery protection.
Boat batteries also have positives and negatives just like any other batteries and in order for them to handle any load you need to complete the circuit from the positive end to the negative end with the load in between.
When planning to install a battery on a boat, you need to figure out your energy needs and install a battery that can support that load for the designated amount of time.
Main battery switch
As we just discussed, batteries are incredibly powerful, and while they can power all the electrical components and devices on your boat, they can also fry them easily if the batteries aren't working properly. For safety reasons, each boat must have main battery switch or switch that can isolate the batteries from all electronics on board your boat.
Traditionally used switches have two inputs, that is, two batteries can be connected to them at the same time. You also have the option to choose whether you want to use one or both batteries by selecting the appropriate setting.
How long does a marine battery hold a charge?
The answer to this question depends not only on the type of battery you are using, but also on the amount of power you are getting from it. If it is used regularly, you can calculate how much power you can get from your battery on a single charge using a simple formula.
If the battery has a capacity of 100 Ah, it will be able to work with a load of 1 A for 100 hours. Similarly, if a 10A load is constantly used, the battery will last 10 hours. However, efficiency also plays a role here, and most batteries can deliver 80-90% of their rated capacity when in use.
If you leave the battery unused, the amount of time it takes to fully discharge depends on several conditions. This includes the quality of the battery, the type of battery used, and the environment in which it is left. For traditional deep cycle batteries, the goal is to make sure the voltage doesn't drop below 10 volts.
This can be even lower for lithium batteries, which can be brought back to life as low as 9 volts. However, this is usually not recommended. For your battery to work properly, you must use it regularly and recharge when it runs out.
How does an onboard marine charger work?
Onboard marine chargers are very popular among boat users due to the way they work. The best thing about these chargers is that they can be left connected to the batteries without causing any problems. The onboard marine charger is designed to work in three stages, including the following: (1)
- Bulk phase: This is the start of the charging process when the battery is low. The charger provides a big power boost to re-charge your battery and start your electronics and even your engine properly. This is only for a short time until the battery has enough charge to continue working if the charger is disconnected.
- Absorption phase: This phase is dedicated to recharging the battery and has a smooth charging pace.
- floating phase: This phase is to keep the battery charged by maintaining the momentum created during the absorption phase.
How to connect two batteries to a boat circuit
When connecting two batteries on the boat diagram, you will need to do the following:
- Choose a reliable switch with two batteries and a custom switch panel.
- Connect a second battery to the system and switchboard.
- Install the switch in a suitable location, usually near the switchboard and user panel of the switch.
- Connect the positive and negative cables together.
You can also use jumper wires for easy plug and play. Wire jumpers provide a secure grip and easy battery disconnection when needed. Now that you know how to properly connect your boat's control panel, you can easily power up your boat.
Take a look at some of our articles below.
- How to connect an additional fuse box
- How to connect component speakers
- How to make a jumper
Recommendations
(1) marine - https://www.britannica.com/science/marine-ecosystem
(2) pulse – https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/z32h9qt/revision/1
