How many circuits?

[Tomska]

OK, I'm finally ready to tackle my cabin electrics. Having worked out what I want and where I want it, I now need to decide how to wire it all up, and the first thing I'm not sure about is how many circuits to use. At one extreme (for the saloon at least), you could simply run a left and a right circuit with spurs off it for all the appliances. At the other extreme, you could run a separate circuit for each appliance. I suspect the ideal scenario is somewhere in between.

 

This is what the initial plan looks like with the appliances below numbered on the plan. Any suggestions on how to group them? Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

Outside

1-2 Navigation lights

3 Roof light

4 Horn

Wheelhouse

5 Instruments (ammeter, rev counter)

6 wheelhouse light (1 strip light)

Engine Room

7 Starter motor

8 Engine room light

Bathroom

9-10 Light (2 spots)

11 Whale gulper

12 Toilet

Bedroom

13 Light

Saloon/Galley

14 Water pump

15 Whale gulper

16-19 Saloon lights (2 pairs spots)

20 Galley light 1 (trad angled spot)

21 Galley light 2 (trad angled spot)

22 Hall light

23 Cooker ignition

24 Fridge

25 Stereo

26-28 x3 car lighter sockets

[stuart]

Personally I think I'd keep them all seperate !

 

Perhaps put some of the lighter loads onto the same circuit, some of the lighting perhaps? Just make sure that you have more than 1 circuit for lighting though or if the fuse goes you'll be in complete darkness trying to fix a fuse/bulb !

[RobinJ]

OK, I'm finally ready to tackle my cabin electrics. Having worked out what I want and where I want it, I now need to decide how to wire it all up, and the first thing I'm not sure about is how many circuits to use. At one extreme (for the saloon at least), you could simply run a left and a right circuit with spurs off it for all the appliances. At the other extreme, you could run a separate circuit for each appliance. I suspect the ideal scenario is somewhere in between.

There may be considerations which complicate the issues, such as if instruments etc. are connected to the engine battery, you may want lights to work if the engine is turned off (could be important with the engine light/wheelhouse light).

I tend to separate items by location and function, so toilets and water pump may be fed from a single feed to the bathroom, but separate to the lights. You may want more than one lighting circuit, either because of load, or because if a trip goes, it still provides some light. Much will probably boil down to the loading on each circuit, but some items you may wish to keep completely separate others not.

Some items such as clocks and bilge pump may have to be supplied from a separately fused direct feed?

[Malarky]

Hall and 1 galley light. Other roof lights, horn spot and nav, fridge cooker stereo?

[Smelly]

Did mine roughly the same as Robin's above and it works fine.

 

in brief answer to your title though... 1 more than you think you'll need, there'll be something you either forget or want to add later

[oldade]

OK, I'm finally ready to tackle my cabin electrics. Having worked out what I want and where I want it, I now need to decide how to wire it all up, and the first thing I'm not sure about is how many circuits to use. At one extreme (for the saloon at least), you could simply run a left and a right circuit with spurs off it for all the appliances. At the other extreme, you could run a separate circuit for each appliance. I suspect the ideal scenario is somewhere in between.

 

This is what the initial plan looks like with the appliances below numbered on the plan. Any suggestions on how to group them? Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

Outside

1-2 Navigation lights

3 Roof light

4 Horn

Wheelhouse

5 Instruments (ammeter, rev counter)

6 wheelhouse light (1 strip light)

Engine Room

7 Starter motor

8 Engine room light

Bathroom

9-10 Light (2 spots)

11 Whale gulper

12 Toilet

Bedroom

13 Light

Saloon/Galley

14 Water pump

15 Whale gulper

16-19 Saloon lights (2 pairs spots)

20 Galley light 1 (trad angled spot)

21 Galley light 2 (trad angled spot)

22 Hall light

23 Cooker ignition

24 Fridge

25 Stereo

26-28 x3 car lighter sockets

 

 

 

 

Hi

Just a thought what if you are going ashore and about to lockup and you spot a light still on at farend of the boat how do you switch it off ?

 

If you have put it on its own circuit you can trun it of from the fuse panel it saves you having to walk to thr front of the boat.

 

Handy if you are late and in a rush.

 

Thanks

ADE

[Tomska]

Thanks all.

[smileypete]

Hi,

 

For the domestic wiring on a boat of that size I'd have a 'backbone' cable pair running along the boat This would use fairly thick cable (eg 10/16/25mm² or a mixture) and a suitable 'master' fuse.

 

Then I'd have several 'area' fuse panels, say bedroom/bathroom/galley/saloon each in a fairly accessible place, and supplying nearbly lights, pumps etc. These would use fairly thin cable (1mm² or 2mm²)

 

cheers,

Pete.