Adding a 2nd AC Panel

[Lance Jones]

I did a search for adding a 2nd AC Panel, no luck! So, I'll throw it out to y'all.

I'll be adding a second 30a AC panel this winter to support an A/C unit and our other freezer/fridge. I am soliciting panel recommendations and locations. Thanks in advance.

[BillG]

with a vintage boat, I would look at Seaward for a replacement  AC/DC panel.  They did one for me, was the same size as the original on an 87, had circuit breakers rather than fuses.  On the AC side, it was 30 amp, 4 circuits and double poled.  I think I have previously posted photos of the panel on this forum.

[Lance Jones]

Thanks Bill; but, I'm looking to ADD a panel, not replace. However, I will check them out for something that may work and match the style.

[Stu Jackson]

Location:  Kinda like real estate, but down below on our boats, not so much.  Perhaps the location of your new inlet would help.  But if I was doing it on my boat, I'd stick it behind the sliding panel just forward of the nav station, and just to the right of the existing panel, upper or lower position.  The easiest place to put another shorepower inlet would be right next to the existing one on the coaming, and run the wiring parallel to that to the nav station and to the new panel, via the head.  While locating the new panel closer to where your loads might be could perhaps reduce wiring, any other shorepower inlet location, other than further aft, would subject the new inlet to unnecessary water spray (IIRC, you have a Mark I).  The Mark IIs have their inlets at the transom, but over the swim step, not present on the older boats.

Panels: Can't go wrong with Blue Sea.  Seaward's another option, but not necessarily to try to match your existing panel, I would think that wouldn't be required, it's separate anyway.

[Lance Jones]

Thanks Stu as always.
I just looked at the Seaward PB-5030 AC Air Conditioning Panel it looks like a dead ringer brother to what I have now except only AC, no DC. I was looking at Blue Sea as well.

[Roc]

Might want to check this out.  From the looks of things, this may be cost effective.  Also, Paneltronics is another option

http://www.wewireboats.com/index.html

[Ron Hill]

Lance : You might want to get a small custom panel like Roc recommended to fit your needs.  It has to be mounted near all of the existing electrical wiring. 
I'd mount it on the nav station side vertical panel of the hanging locker.  A thought

[pablosgirl]

Hi Lance,

Our mark I boat has a second AC panel for the 16000BTU air conditioner.  It is a Blue Sea http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|328|299263|319684|1506446&id=1324738.  It has a spare opening for an additional breaker.  It was added by the PO and has the shore power cord inlet next to the factory one.  Since the AC was installed under the V-berth, the 2nd breaker panel was located in the bulkhead separating the salon from the v-berth on the port side just above the cabinet with the drawers.  The back of the panel is hidden behind the sliding panels of the salon and the electrical wire runs from the shore power inlet along the same path as the other inlet wire, and continues down the length of the port side in the wiring chase until it reaches the 2nd AC panel in the forward bulkhead.  We added a second breaker to this panel for the 110/12v power supply to run the fridge when at the dock.

Paul

[Jim Hardesty]

Paul,  I don't want to sound like I'm a know-it -all, I'm knot.  Years ago when I research adding shore power to a previous boat, the recommendation called for a circuit breaker very close to the shore power receptical.  By your description sounds like you have an unprotected line running most of the boat length.  Because this is a safety thing, I wanted to ask.   Jim

[pablosgirl]

Hi Jim,

Not to contradict your research. It's not exactly an unprotected circuit.  There is a breaker on the dock that protects the wire between the dock breaker and the breaker on the boat.  There is only wire and the inlet plug between the two breakers, so the only risk is that somehow the wire insulation is compromised between the shore power inlet and the breaker that is 16 feet away to provide a conduit for a short.  Will moving the breaker closer to the shore power inlet reduce the risk of an electrical short?  I am not sure that will lower the risk much.  I guess that if for some reason the wire heats up enough to produce combustion, then a longer run will expose more wire to combustible material in the boat.  But if the breaker does not trip in this case then the wire from the breaker to the AC unit will heat up as well, thus exposing the inside of the boat along the path from the breaker to the AC unit.  To me, this sounds like the same risk.  What is your reasoning that moving the breaker to the shore power inlet reduce the risk?

Paul

[scotty]

Interesting.  On the Catalina 400 MKII there is a circuit breaker on the inside of the hull (in the lazarette) right next to (just after) the plug for shore power.  There are, of course, the typical switches and breakers inside the boat.  This is on a 2004 boat.  I wonder if other later model Catalina's are doing that?

[Jack Hutteball]

Our 2001 C34 MK ll has the same breaker in the same location.
Jack

[Jim Hardesty]

Paul,
Your boat your choice.  I've cruised to some fun places, that I wouldn't trust the water, fuel, or compliance to electrical code.  If it were me, I'd talk to a surveyor (at a boat show where you don't have to pay) and see if it would show on a survey.  If it would be a fix before sale, I'd put it on the to-do list.  If not it would set my mind to ease.  BTW my C34mkll has a breaker at the shore power receptacle.
Jim

[Exodus]

I believe that current ABYC standards call for an additional breaker near the shore power inlet.  I considered adding an additional breaker when I was rewiring my boat, but was advised that it is typically added wherein the wire run was going to be greater than 10 feet to the breaker inside the boat.