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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

30 amp MAXI fuse "block"

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redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3474 Posts

Initially Posted - 11/09/2014 : 09:43:44

<rant on>
In my neverending attempt to wire the boat correctly, often delayed due to limited funds, and the neverending array of products that come out weekly at the chandlery...

What a mess of fuse products...... AMI, ANL, ATO, ATM, AGC, MEGA, GMA, MIDI, MEGA, Class T, type ZE ... and the local West Marine only stocks a partial supply of any one product line. You can ALMOST complete any given project...

What ever happened to an office of Standards???

I'm sure I've selected something that will be replaced with a "better" design of fuse within the year.

</rant off>

I added a 30 amp Maxi fuse block (red) just after my 100 amp MEGA/AMG fuse block ( black ). One primary wire to the catalina electrical panel and another to a blue sea fuse block I added. Soon I will add another to have one for each gang of 5amp fuses in each panel.

...

ANyhoo... ain't it a thing of Beauty... Now I can burn down the boat by some other method.

On to the Grill...

Edited by - on

redeye
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Response Posted - 11/09/2014 : 09:53:31

Oh.. and should you attempt to replicate my setup, be aware that the MEGA/AMG fuse block I used has been redesigned and is no longer available...

( edit: 11/15/14 Still available.. but not stocked in my local west marine )

Apparently they are selling [url="http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|328|2290021|2290030&id=2263629"]this[/url] now.

Edited by - redeye on 11/15/2014 10:13:13

pastmember
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Response Posted - 11/09/2014 : 09:55:47

Your wires look small, especially the feed from the maxi block to the MEGA block. The hot wires leaving the Maxi are two sizes, the small one I would run to a device, (compass, radio, depth sounder, etc) but not to a panel that would feed multiple devices. Isn't paranoia wonderful.

Edited by - on

redeye
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Response Posted - 11/09/2014 : 19:52:00

<< Your wires look small. >>

They are #6 and #8 rated for 65 and 50 amps respectively. The jumper from the 100amp to the 30 amp is #6 wire rated 65amps.

Currently My draw would not hit 30 amps with everything on board turned on. ( unless someone snuck in a dc cigarette lighter plug in coffee maker

)

Anyhoo.. when I add the second 30 amp maxi fuse I will add a second jumper from the 100amp fuse to the second 30 amp maxi block.

The wire size and the fuse limits the number and size of circuits I can add on either panel.

They do look small in the picture... and thanks for lookin at it Frank. Not paranoid, I've run the numbers on every circuit. The fuses would blow before the wire would burn up.

My main panel has #6 wire running to it rated at 65 amps. My main panel is allowed 6 - 5 amp fuses and those circuits each pull less than 5 amps protecting the wire going out of each.
...

The additional blue sea fuse block I added could hold many circuits, but I know my limit is 30 amps. If I had anticipated any larger draw I would have run larger wire, or I will add it as needed.

The primary OEM wire I removed was 10 awg rated for 30 amps.

ANyhoo.. again thanks for lookin.. an open discussion is educational. THe only thing I've ever used that I don't know the draw is charging a cell phone... anybody know what they draw???

Now... back to that Grill...

Edited by - redeye on 11/09/2014 19:57:04

redeye
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Response Posted - 11/09/2014 : 20:08:53

it was an incredible weekend.. low 60s with lots of sun.. the leaves are just starting to turn.

Edited by - on

DavidBuoy
Admiral

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USA
707 Posts

Response Posted - 11/10/2014 : 06:28:36

I have some inline fuse holders for some future projects of mine. Are these not recommended vs a fuseblock?

I've got a bunch of wiring coming up on the boat and am not very experienced. I've been trying to read up and have some help from a dock buddy who is very experienced but electrical has always been one of those things a little bit beyond me.

Electrical I have coming up..
-Just wired a light for the table in the cabin.
-Wiring in a supersub in the bilge
-Wiring in a bilge alarm with separate float
-possibly wiring in a big old pump on a manual switch for the oh *** moments
-Rewiring wires for the mast inside the cabin and up the mast and all new fixtures in the mast

Anyway Ray, what I'm tryin to say is road trip to MD to help someone with some wiring?

Edited by - on

redeye
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Response Posted - 11/10/2014 : 11:25:49

<< I'm tryin to say is road trip to MD to help someone with some wiring? >>

Pretty funny... I'll come up there and drink your beer and sail, but wiring...

I've worked as an electrical apprentice for about a year and every wiring job takes a LOT of time to do so I would not be in any hurry. especially marine wiring, where you could just lay off and go sailing on any given day.

Happy to review your design anytime... but just keep in mind I'm not an electrician, but glad to help you review your options.

Inline fuses are fine but.... they are usually hidden cause the wiring is hidden, and often hard to get to to replace the fuse, but there are certainly times when it is the best option.

I've got an inline fuse on a power boat fish finder that everytime someone disconnects the battery the leads flop around and ground out and blow the fuse... wire a lot of inline fuses and you end up with a snakes honeymoon on the battery terminals...

Edited by - on

redeye
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Response Posted - 11/10/2014 : 11:31:12

I think Most of your bilge pumps now adays have 2 power leads, and one ground.

One power lead is manual ON.
One power lead is automatic ON.

one ground.

You wire them to a 2 way switch that is up On manual, middle off, and down automatic. ( or left right )

Edited by - on

Akenumber
Navigator

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USA
247 Posts

Response Posted - 11/12/2014 : 18:57:10

I used a blue sea panel at work the other day, very impressed. Easy to lay out and even has a functional cover. My go to when I redo my wiring.

Edited by - on

redeye
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3474 Posts

Response Posted - 11/13/2014 : 07:36:49

<< a blue sea panel at work the other day, >>

which one?

Edited by - on

awetmore
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USA
1144 Posts

Response Posted - 11/15/2014 : 09:02:49

quote:
Originally posted by DavidBuoy

I have some inline fuse holders for some future projects of mine. Are these not recommended vs a fuseblock?

They are hard to keep track of and locate when a fuse blows. A proper fuse panel will keep things much better organized.

For small always-on circuits (bilge pumps, solar chargers, etc) either of these BlueSea fuse blocks work nicely:
https://www.bluesea.com/products/5025/ST_Blade_Fuse_Block_-_6_Circuits_with_Negative_Bus_and_Cover
or
https://www.bluesea.com/products/5035/ST_Blade_Fuse_Block_-_6_Independent_Circuits_with_Cover

The first one is nice because it also includes a ground bar and so it is an all in one item. The second one is nice because you can set up more independent circuits. I have mine subdivided into two sections using jumpers, one section is switched behind the main house circuit switch and is used for always on circuits (heater and bilge pump). The other is wired directly to my house battery and is used for charging circuits (solar, alternator, shore power, battery monitor).

If I were rewiring a Catalina 25 I'd look at this panel:
https://www.bluesea.com/products/8023/Traditional_Metal_DC_Panel_-_8_Positions

That should offer enough circuits and the Bluesea stuff is very nice to work with. Circuit breakers are nicer to work with than switches and fuses on switched circuits.

Edited by - on

redeye
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Response Posted - 03/08/2015 : 09:46:12

So... anyhoo..

I added another Maxi Fuse holder so now I've got 2 primary circuits with 30 amp protection past the 100 amp block coming off the battery.

One is 10 awg wire marine grade tinned stranded copper going to the main switched panel. I like the look of the original panel.

The other circuit is 12 awg marine grade tinned stranded copper going to an unswitched Bluesea Fuse panel ( and I have replaced the 15 amp fuse with a 5 as shown in the picture ) THIS FUSE needs to be a 20 amp fuse to protect the wire and since the fuse holder is only 30 and lower I've got to rewire my primary to 10agw NOT 12agw.. ( Thanks Frank for seeing that ) Part of the reason I write up this stuff is to find my mistakes... not being a professional sailor!

A voltage regulator is putting power into the battery from the solar panel and the voltmeter always reads 12.5 to 13.2

The agm battery was installed new on 6/10

Ray in Atlanta, Ga.
"Lee Key" '84 Catalina 25
Standard Rig / Fin Keel

Edited by - redeye on 03/08/2015 10:04:52

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.