27FC DC Panel

[sailonset]

Hi all,
Another puzzler. We've got this ancient push-button switch/breaker panel. Odd but workable. And you can still buy the ETA breakers! But I can't figure out where the negative buss bar is! I suppose it's hanging down inside the bulkhead, but haven't wanted to pull too hard on the wires. Do I want to see what's there? Should I just cut a bigger hole, see what's inside and put in a Blue Sea panel?

IMG_0273x1200.jpg

Best,
dge

[SkipD]

My 85 FC also had a unique setup on the house DC panel. The negative bus bar was reached by going through some insulation at the DC panel opening. It was a simple exposed bus bar screwed into the surface about 4-6 inches in.

[sailonset]

Thanks, Skip,
Guess I'll just have to wiggle my hand in there a bit more. I did pick up a couple of the switch/breakers so hope to use the existing panel for a first season.
dge

[sailonset]

Well, maybe we have a Monday or Friday boat? After wiggling and pulling, it would seem that the negative "bus" is merely wires wrapped together. It has worked for some decades now, so maybe leave them be and add a couple of circuits with their own grounds. Is a limit to first-year projects!

[motthediesel]

Maybe the most frightening part of buying an older boat is surveying the wiring. Sure, maybe it started off with everything up to snuff (or maybe not?) but 35 years of additions and modifications may have created something that is the stuff of an electrical technician's nightmares.

What we should probably all do is spend some time chasing wires to produce our own individual schematic of what we have. Our boat is a first rate rat's nest of coiled (extra length) wires, stacked grounds on battery posts, and terminated wires from "ghost" installations, As I ruefully know my own (color blindness among them) shortcomings, I realize I probably won't follow this advice -- even with knowing I will one day regret it.

Tom

[tego]

Tom, We should count our blessings. Our 27's are easy to trace the old wiring. Believe me, I've purchased two much larger vessels of the same age or older, and they are infinitely worse! That's why I love this boat! I can get to anything in spite of my age (77) - and I'm color blind too. They handle beautifully, are easy to work on, and were designed according to the KISS rule! Working on it is good therapy. I'll be on mine again this afternoon in spite of the light snowfall! Ben

[motthediesel]

Yeah, your right of course, it could be much worse. I'm going to add heavy buss bars at the battery to clean that up a bit, and I'll try to straighten up some other things as well.

BUT -- I'm also adding a bunch of new stuff - ammeter, hour meter, EGT, and a second fuel gauge for the new day tank. Not to mention some kind of autopilot. I'm making a new panel that will be just gauges, key switch, alarm buzzer, and glow plug momentary. No room left for the other switches, so they will have to go in an additional panel -- so it goes.

[sailonset]

Plenty of room for a BlueSea panel with gauges in place of the ETA push breakers.
Of course the best solution is taking everything out and replacing it. Likely? Not.
Tom, did you look at the 27 (still for sale) in CT? I heard its wiring was a problem.

[motthediesel]

Tom, did you look at the 27 (still for sale) in CT? I heard its wiring was a problem.

No Ben, I did not look at that one -- I couldn't get past the Perkins Prima engine. It does have a more normal (for me) Bosch injection system, but I'm leery of the overhead cam with a weird second belt drive for the injection pump. Sounds like a timing nightmare, though I'm sure some folks have had good luck with them.