Helm-dash Switch Panel upgrade

[552Evo]

G’day all I’m doing some work on my boat at the moment and currently have a 6gang switch panel.
I’ve already got plans for adding an extra 2 switches so I’m looking at replacing a he 6gang with an 8gang panel or 10gang would be nice.
I know the more switches the better but I don’t want to crowd the helm dash just yet by adding a second panel.
I was looking at one of these,

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F181908971001

But I am guessing the overall quality might be questionable, I don’t know ?
Does anyone have this type of panel ?

I’ve had a look around some of the big marine supply shops but to me the switch panels on offer there look the same as the fleabay versions.

Can anyone suggest a simple good quality switch panel with at least 8 switches ?
I’d prefer the switches all in one row so I just extend the existing cut out rather than have to add another cut out, and deal with an off centre second panel.
Where to buy them or a brand to search for ?

Thanks


Saltwater fishing, boat mad but has a job that gets in the way.

[scottar]

Check these guys out https://newwiremarine.com/custom-marine-switch-panels/ - will all come down to how much you want to spend and how much room you have. If it is going to get wet a lot, I personally am not a fan of "Carling Switch" type arrangements as they rely on a simple foam or rubber gasket to stop water getting in behind the dash. You can silicone the switches in but it is very fiddly - can't get any excess where it isn't wanted. If it will stay dry - all good. Jaycar have a modular housing so you can make up whatever sized panel you require or will fit in the allocated space which I have used on my own and on clients rigs - once again with judicious use of silicone for waterproofing. Only thing with it against what you put up is that it will require neat and accurate cutting. It is nowhere near as big so it may be unsuitable if you have an existing hole to cover too.

[552Evo]

Thanks for that scottar,
I might go check out jaycars range see what that’s like, before I go I’ll measure up the space and see how many I can neatly get away with.
The link you added is cool too, so hey do nice work,but I’ll see what I can get local.

My boat is a centre console with a T-top. There’s a moulded clear screen that wraps around the dash.
So far the only time it gets wet on the dash is when I’m hosing it all out after a day on the water. Even then it’s more of a wipe over with a clean wet rag coz that’s where the Simrad, vhf, Mercury screen, etc etc are located.
What I’ve got now is a black panel with 6 toggle switches behind a rubber gasket and the stick on labels (dime a dozen type) so the carling switches might be as good as that anyway.
I like the idea of adding as required anyway so as I said I’ll check out jaycar, thanks.


Saltwater fishing, boat mad but has a job that gets in the way.

[Noelm]

I have had great success with Carling rocker switches, been in my console, exposed to the weather for years now, and they are still perfect (fingers crossed)

[Fed]

If you only switch things that don't have their own switch then you'd probably have 2 or 3 spares on your existing 6 switch panel.

[Dignity]

EVO, a piece of black poly carbonate for the dash is an easy and nice looking replacement for the dash if required.

[ranmar850]

I'll second Scottar on the Newwire marine. I used them for my new boat. After you've spent hours trawling online for a switch panel, you start to think that there is just one factory producing about 4 types of panels, and they all just re-brand Blue seas put out a pretty splashproof item with toggle switches. Like this one https://www.whitworths.com.au/blue-s...ion-fuse-panel But they are not cheap. 6-switch units are common, plenty of 8's, but gets harder if you want to go more . Depends how wet you think it is going to get, also. If you don't need real splashproof ability, a carling type switch will do fine--the yanks commonly use them in their big open cc's. And New Wire marine will come in cheaper than anything you can find online locally. With NWM, you can pick your material surround type, number of holes, and backlit or illuminated switch--I used one of their stock panels. IIRC, supply of panel and my choice of switches for a 16 switch came in under A$300 delivered. I wired them myself.

[552Evo]

Thanks fellas, Noel ,Fed,Dignity and Ranmar.

I'll keep the black poly idea up my sleeve for round 2 in a few years
I have seen that idea before.

I was at Whitworths 2 weeks ago chasing nmea gear for the fuel data I wanted and looked at their range of switch panels then, but never saw the 8 up option, maybe I'll order that online. It looks very similar to the 6 up version already installed.

Currently I don't think there's anything on the 6 up panel I can get rid of, they each need individual control.
1-Nav lights
2- anchor light
3- spot light
4- deck wash/live tank pump
5- deck/under gunnel lights
6- bilge pump manual over ride

The other accessories have their own on/off switch, vhf and Simrad.
The plan for the extra 2 switches are the transom underwater lights and a few overhead deck/work lights.

I'm in the middle of sorting out the new fuel flow sensor installation now, so I've ran the under deck cable for that and the supply cable for the transom lights. I just have to organise the wiring so it's not too much of a birds nest.


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[scottar]

I have had great success with Carling rocker switches, been in my console, exposed to the weather for years now, and they are still perfect (fingers crossed)

The issue is not so much the switch itself as water getting past the mounting flange seal and dripping into whatever is below it - in a lot of boats the main distribution buss bars / fuse blocks or things like radios and stereos. On a personal level I never rely on rubber gaskets supplied with panels to seal to a dash regardless of the type of panel - never seen one that actually keeps water out.

[ranmar850]

LOL. I started with being" six not quite enough" then realised 12 wasn't enough. Then settled on 14--NWM only did 12 and 16 on their pre-cut panels, so I measured up, crossed fingers and ordered. Then upon reading the material for the Axioms, came across the recommendation that the displays have switched supplies , as they will have a small steady drain when off. So there goes my 2 spare
How the hell can you need 16, you say. Well, here's the list

1)VHF
2) NMEA 2000 network power
3) Axiom 7
4) Axiom 9
5) Anchor lt
6) nav lts
7) cabin lights
8) LED floor lighting
9)Overhead deck lights
10)Underwater lights
11) Accessories--am/fm radio, dual USB charger, cigarette lighter outlet
12)Freshwater pump
13) livewell pump
14) Deckwash
15) manual Bilge pump
16) windscreen wipers

nothing out of the ordinary there, IMO, apart from the windscreen wipers. Unswitched stuff includes the Auto Bilge pump, Remote control spot, Auto Pilot drive supply, Trim tabs, --these are all fed direct to their switchgear from the fusepanel.

[scottar]

Yep. Got to be a pretty basic boat these days to get away with a 6 switch panel.

[Dignity]

I suspect your Axiom 7, Axiom 9, VHF, AM/FM Radio, Cabin Lights and poss8bly the LED flooring lights should have their own on/off switches, whether you run them through a seperate fuse panel is a question you should be looking at for ease of access to the fuses, thats 6 extra switches you really don't need to have. I went down that path once but it got out of hand so have reduced switches to minimum.

[ranmar850]

All switches are first fed from the fuse panels. I detest inline fuses on boats, messy and usually hard to get at. I stacked two 12 fuse panels The switched tails then come back to a terminal strip. Apart from the need to find room for the strip, and extra terminations, this makes life so much easier. You have an easily accessible point to terminate the actual +ve from the device you are powering without having to do it on the rear of the switch panel. And you also have a readily accessible point to test if things go pear shaped. Stuff which is not switched from the panel is also run direct from from the fuse to the same terminal strip. I bought a set of cheap little clip-on wire numbers which make life easy when identifying what is what.

Raymarine recommend that the Axioms have their external power supplies switched, as they will draw some standby power even when off. probably just the backlighting on the on/off switch, but there may be more. The floor lighting has no separate switching, so it must be powered from the switch panel. Am/fm radio, yeah, perhaps, but there is one thing I like about having it all switched. When I get off the boat, I only have to look at the switch panel. Everything off means everything off. Conversely, when I step on, sometimes in the dark, I have laid the switches out so that the first eight switches from the top gives me everything I need to start, and the floor lighting being switched from one of those switches lights the area without fumbling for a separate switch.
To each his own, works for me; I just don't like reaching all over for built in switches, rather have it laid out logically and centrally. Just my incipient OCD manifesting itself

[Dignity]

Interesting, I just installed battery monitors ($12) for start and house batteries as I decided to seperate the different circuits, if either circuit is on then that monitor displays and I can see it easily. Previously only the Trim Tabs switch used to light up but with new ones they don't as they have a seperate switch.

[Fed]

Feeling a bit left out here.
I only have 2 switches.