Switch panel

[ctbass]

Let me first start off by saying I know nothing about electronics. How do you set up a switch board, what do you need, and how do you hook up all of your electronics to it. Also can you run it off a normal deep cycle marine battery. I could really use some help and look foward to your responses.

 

[ACarbone624]

What things do you want to hook up to it? How many circuits do you want to have? Do you have 1 battery or 2? Do you have the switch panel or are you going to buy one?

I don't have a switch panel, I have 2 switches mounted up by my battery. 1 for the bilge pump and 1 for my LED lights. My FF is wired directly to the battery with an inline fuse.

 

[ctbass]

I really just want to be able to hook up my fish finder to it how does an inline fuse work?

 

[Waterwings]

I'm not an electrical type either, but the fuse is designed to "blow" first, thereby saving your electronics from surges, etc. Make sure you never exceed the recommended fuse size, which would defeat it's purpose.

 

[ctbass]

Can someone take a pic of how their inline fuse fish finder and battery are all hooked up I would really appreciate that. I'm much more of a wood construction kind of guy this electrical stuff just isn't my thing #-o . But I bet if I saw it I would understand. Thanks a lot

 

[Waterwings]

ctbass,

Here's a couple of pics I took a few minutes ago. I run two batteries. One is for my depth finder, bilge pump, and rear tm. The inline fuses should be near the battery, and on the positive terminal. My depthfinder calls for a 3amp fuse, so check to see what size amperage yours calls for. Didn't check the size of the bilge pump fuse. My other battery I use for the front tm. It has a 50amp fuse w/reset button (dealer installed). I really need to get one for my rear tm (calls for 60amp), but haven't done so yet, and I just hook the leads directly to the battery. Hope the pics help.

Depth Finder & Bilge Pump In-line fuses:

Front TM hookup:

 

[BlueWaterLED]

We are in the process of designing a switch panel for our lighting systems right now. It may be overkill but it is pretty cool the way we are putting it together. We are keeping it simple with led on/off switches and we are using a couple of buss bars to connect everything properly. I will post pics when it is done.

 

[Henry Hefner]

ctbass, you can hook your fish finder up very simply if you want. Check your finder and find out what fuse size is recommended. Then purchase an inline fuse holder. The cheaper ones available at any auto parts house look like these:

Just insert the proper size fuse, connect one end to the positive (+) terminal of your battery, and the other end to the positive lead on your finder. Connect the negative lead from your finder directly to the negative terminal on your battery. If your wires aren't long enough, splice in whatever you need, just make sure to use wire at least as large a gauge as is already on your finder. That is the simplest way to do it.

 

[ctbass]

thanks so much this has really helped a lot