Switch Panel

[Grey56]

Evening all -

We've been re-wiring our '92 Sailfish recently - and I've been giving some serious though to just ordering a new panel from New Wire Marine. That said - there are many switches (which are wired) which don't even have a function (that we know of?). Example would be the Trim Buttons (also - why the push buttons above the rockers, are they circuit breakers?). Has anyone else encountered this?

 

[glacierbaze]

Yes, the push buttons are circuit breaker resets. You have four ACC switches, which are to add on accessory equipment. They may have power in, but there is probably not a wire on the spade connector which is power out. You can test that with a light.

 

[DennisG01]

Yup - those black rubber pieces are just waterproof covers. If a breaker "trips" it will "pop out" and then you resetit by pushing it back in. Right now, the rubber pieces feel sloppy becasue the breaker is not tripped. Quite common.

An assumption on the trim/tilt is that it originally worked to control the engine(s). Has the boat been re-powered? But, yes, there's no need for that if you throttle control has that function.

Is it possible your boat was originally a stern drive?

Get rid of what you don't need - but don't sell youself short. Make sure you leave at least a few extra, unused switches should the need arise later. It's relatively cheap to do this now.

 

[Grey56]

Yes, the push buttons are circuit breaker resets. You have four ACC switches, which are to add on accessory equipment. They may have power in, but there is probably not a wire on the spade connector which is power out. You can test that with a light.

Ahhh okay - figured they may be. And yes - we removed the back of the panel to look. Most do have the daisy chain but no power running to them. Honestly it's a jumbled mess - doing our best to label each one based on what we find.

 

[Grey56]

Yup - those black rubber pieces are just waterproof covers. If a breaker "trips" it will "pop out" and then you resetit by pushing it back in. Right now, the rubber pieces feel sloppy becasue the breaker is not tripped. Quite common.

An assumption on the trim/tilt is that it originally worked to control the engine(s). Has the boat been re-powered? But, yes, there's no need for that if you throttle control has that function.

Is it possible your boat was originally a stern drive?

Get rid of what you don't need - but don't sell youself short. Make sure you leave at least a few extra, unused switches should the need arise later. It's relatively cheap to do this now.

Yeah I assumed they may be the breaker - but with it being old & so much having been re-purposed I wanted to be sure.

To answer your question though - yes: it has been re-powered twice over the years. Now it even has a tuna tower with throttle controls up top as well - but it was never a stern drive: that was a rare boat from Grady back then.

Any advice is always welcome - thank you!!

 

[SkunkBoat]

Get rid of those McGill Euro oval switches! They Suck! And you'll never find enough replacements.
Be aware...The holes for those switches are smaller than the Contura switches of today.

I'm a "do-it yourselfer" but I used New Wire and redesigned my new panel with etched/lighted LED Contura switches and had them wire it. IMO its the best option.

You still need to identify what circuits you have and what may need. I'll bet you don't need 14 switches.

 

[Grey56]

Get rid of those McGill Euro oval switches! They Suck! And you'll never find enough replacements.
Be aware...The holes for those switches are smaller than the Contura switches of today.

I'm a "do-it yourselfer" but I used New Wire and redesigned my new panel with etched/lighted LED Contura switches and had them wire it. IMO its the best option.

You still need to identify what circuits you have and what may need. I'll bet you don't need 14 switches.

This is great help - and yes: I'm damn certain you're right that we don't need 14. I was going to hedge closer to 10 or 12 - the space is only 9x8 or so.

Did you end up paying for the circuity breaker buttons as well? Debating since they are all connected to the fuse block.

Would love to see the end product if you are interested in showing it off!

 

[billbass]

Send pics from the back side of your switch panel. What do you mean by “Debating since they are all connected to the fuse block”. My fuse block is 2 feet away. Breakers MIGHT like the white ones in my attached pics. What year is your GW?

 

[SkunkBoat]

This is great help - and yes: I'm damn certain you're right that we don't need 14. I was going to hedge closer to 10 or 12 - the space is only 9x8 or so.

Did you end up paying for the circuity breaker buttons as well? Debating since they are all connected to the fuse block.

Would love to see the end product if you are interested in showing it off!

Mine was smaller...about 9x6
https://www.greatgrady.com/threads/265-mods.25902/post-196921

 

[A&J Outdoors]

Fun part is figuring out what if anything is operated by mystery switches/breakers. I used new wire to make my replacement panel and switch covers. I've got it all now, just have to re-install it all..

 

[Grey56]

Send pics from the back side of your switch panel. What do you mean by “Debating since they are all connected to the fuse block”. My fuse block is 2 feet away. Breakers MIGHT like the white ones in my attached pics. What year is your GW?

It's a '92 Sailfish. To answer your question about the breakers: because so much of what has been added/changed has been run to the fuse block under the helm - I was debating the need for breaker switches given that I really only need 10-12 (that's with extras in case I add something later).

 

[Grey56]

Fun part is figuring out what if anything is operated by mystery switches/breakers. I used new wire to make my replacement panel and switch covers. I've got it all now, just have to re-install it all..

This has been our larger concern: which wires actually control what.

We recently tore out the old Raymarine & Lowrance systems & put in the Garmin Chartplotter (including running it through the hull & mounting the transducer). We absolutely labelled those lines - but everything else is just thrown in with no identification.

 

[Grey56]

Mine was smaller...about 9x6
https://www.greatgrady.com/threads/265-mods.25902/post-196921

This is great for comparison - thank you!!

 

[nightfighter]

Get rid of those McGill Euro oval switches! They Suck! And you'll never find enough replacements.
Be aware...The holes for those switches are smaller than the Contura switches of today.

I'm a "do-it yourselfer" but I used New Wire and redesigned my new panel with etched/lighted LED Contura switches and had them wire it. IMO its the best option.

You still need to identify what circuits you have and what may need. I'll bet you don't need 14 switches

Tell me more about you "had them wire it." I am on the backstretch of a fuel tank replacement on a 1993 209 Escape. New wheel and steering as well... So looking at the wiring harness and really questioning if this is the year to replace the panel and switches, or just plug and play with a few new lights getting plugged into an accessory switch...

 

[SkunkBoat]

Go to newwiremarine.com and use the E-panel builder. Oh the choices!!!!

I had them wire all the Pos and Neg jumpers to all new switches and breakers

 

[nightfighter]

And what does that leave you with to wire to the old harness? Rewire individually? This is not my strong suit. I can build fine. Electrical not so much...

 

[seasick]

There are 12 switches and 8 breakers. How are the other 4 loads protected?

 

[A&J Outdoors]

Here is a before and after, I used newwiremarine.com as well. I built the new panel there and got the switch rockers from them and rewired it myself. The 3 old switches on there are current not to any thing. I'll replace them with new ones once I add more electronics.

 

[Grey56]

Here is a before and after, I used newwiremarine.com as well. I built the new panel there and got the switch rockers from them and rewired it myself. The 3 old switches on there are current not to any thing. I'll replace them with new ones once I add more electronics.
View attachment 28645View attachment 28646

Let me chime in here - because we are still neck deep in this as well.

Is it a good assumption that the switch panel itself is wired to a bus? Reason I'm asking is - in the attempt to isolate/label everything - I'm trying to make it as easy as possible to identify all the wires.

 

[SkunkBoat]

There are 12 switches and 8 breakers. How are the other 4 loads protected?

Bottom switches get power from their own fuses on the fuse panel. There was limited space and I wanted 12 switches