Replacing panel breaker buttons
Printed From: CorrectCraftFan.com
Category: Repairs and Maintenance
Forum Name: Boat Maintenance
Forum Discription: Discuss maintenance of your Correct Craft
URL: http://www.CorrectCraftFan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=48145
Printed Date: November-15-2024 at 8:04am
Topic: Replacing panel breaker buttons
Posted By: DockDoc
Subject: Replacing panel breaker buttons
Date Posted: October-14-2019 at 3:42pm
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Not sure how much sacrilege I'm performing here... I don't have much faith in these OG '93 breaker buttons on the dash. They've worked OK, but the terminals look corroded, and the plastic is failing (one broke when I pushed it recently). Found https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000MMFIZS/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1" rel="nofollow - these switches on amazon, tried one out. Had to expand the hole a tiny bit but no big deal, otherwise it was plug and play and feels very sturdy. I got the rubber boot as well although don't think I'll bother with it, too sticky feeling and attracts dirt/dust. Any reason not to replace all 10 breaker buttons with these? They're pretty cheap, very solid feeling. I realize they're not breakers themselves, but I've already installed a new spade fuse bus under the dash and plan on wiring power from that (via a nice new 8 gauge wire from the battery) to these new switches so that shouldn't be an issue. One installed with rubber boot:  ------------- 1993 Sport Nautique PCM 351w, no ProTec |
Replies:
Posted By: gt40KS
Date Posted: October-15-2019 at 2:39pm
My dash - I'm one of those that doesn't necessarily follow that hardcore line of keeping it original though.   They work extremely well and were relatively inexpensive. New panels were carbon fiber I cut to fit the existing panel openings. Having said that, Carling switches are a bit more modern looking. The older style toggles you found have sort of a retro look, so I suppose it's a matter of your personal aesthetic taste. ------------- JCCI 1995 Ski Nautique GT40 |
Posted By: MrMcD
Date Posted: October-15-2019 at 3:22pm
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Your dash looks professionally done. I too worry about those push button switches. I expect one to break nearly every time I touch them. ------------- |
Posted By: DockDoc
Date Posted: October-15-2019 at 3:56pm
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Nice, yeah I think that looks great. At some point I'd like to replace the panels as well, both sides are cracked and barely held on with crappy little screws. I was thinking some black anodized aluminum panels might do the trick. ------------- 1993 Sport Nautique PCM 351w, no ProTec |
Posted By: Jonny Quest
Date Posted: October-15-2019 at 4:43pm
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Those are circuit breakers combined with the on/off switch. The toggle switch that you reference in the link is simply an on/off switch. Nautique Parts sells replacement breakers for an OEM replacement: When I refreshed the dash in my 1994 SNOB, I replaced all the breakers. Easy job. https://www.nautiqueparts.com/product/20-amp-breaker/" rel="nofollow - LINK 2.5 amp – used on bilge pump and auto bilge pump 6-8 amp – used on blower 8 amp – used accessory 1 & 2 10 amp – used on navigation light, anchor light, and accessory 20 amp – used on ignition (main) JQ ------------- Current 2003 Ski Nautique 206 Limited Previous 2001 Ski Nautique Open Bow 1994 Ski Nautique Open Bow Aqua skiing, ergo sum |
Posted By: DockDoc
Date Posted: October-15-2019 at 5:00pm
Yeah that's a good point, however I've run a new large gauge power line to a new spade fuse bus under the dash. The "ignition" switch supplies power to the rest of the dash, and is now fused through that bus (which is also still fused through the big breaker on the engine. So everything is still protected and these switches cost much less than the breakers (and I like them more). ------------- 1993 Sport Nautique PCM 351w, no ProTec |
Jonny Quest wrote:Posted By: gt40KS
Date Posted: October-15-2019 at 5:44pm
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Yeah JQ, I thought about the factory 'replacement' breaker/ switches at first also.... for about 2.2 seconds. Nope.. In short, bad design for the placement of the switches, IMO. If they were located in a closed panel in a closed location, such as a cuddy hold or cabin, I probably wouldn't mind them. But honestly, the whole style isn't my taste anyway ... they seem cheap and clunky to me. I know some don't care for the look of Carling switches either but as I always say, each to their own. Breaking the circuit at the switch is a good idea in theory I'll admit. I just don't like the execution in this case. To me the blade-based fuse block and switches I have now not only looks better (to me) but serves the same purpose and has decades of marine use with far less problems than the CC factory switches of this era. And really, when was the last time anyone popped one of those breakers anyway? And if you did, doesn't that point to an issue somewhere in the line? So resetting it and going on about your business doesn't really make sense and certainly won't fix the underlying issue. But I know for some it's a 'keep it original' thing. So once again, each to their own.  ------------- JCCI 1995 Ski Nautique GT40 |
Posted By: Gary S
Date Posted: October-15-2019 at 6:45pm
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Nothing to do with originality and I really hate to say this but those toggles look like something a Bayliner would use. Someone has found those push button breakers in the past here a lot cheaper than oem prices, and once again they have lasted 26 years. Doubtful your Chinese replacements will have the same life span. ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1711&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1966&yrend=1970" rel="nofollow - 69 Mustang HM SS 95 Nautique Super Sport |
Posted By: DockDoc
Date Posted: October-15-2019 at 7:05pm
Appreciate the honesty, if I could find the breakers super cheap I'd consider it for sure! ------------- 1993 Sport Nautique PCM 351w, no ProTec |
Posted By: Gary S
Date Posted: October-15-2019 at 7:35pm
I have looked but cant find Dreaming's thread. Maybe Ken can.  ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1711&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1966&yrend=1970" rel="nofollow - 69 Mustang HM SS 95 Nautique Super Sport |
Posted By: Jonny Quest
Date Posted: October-16-2019 at 1:13pm
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The cost for the OEM style breakers is $9.95 each on www.NautiqueParts.com. Not too bad. They used to be $20+ each. JQ ------------- Current 2003 Ski Nautique 206 Limited Previous 2001 Ski Nautique Open Bow 1994 Ski Nautique Open Bow Aqua skiing, ergo sum |
Posted By: DockDoc
Date Posted: October-16-2019 at 2:35pm
The https://www.nautiqueparts.com/product/circuit-breaker-switch/" rel="nofollow - correct part , best I can tell, is $24 and up. They have cheaper ones with screw terminals used on older boats for around $10. Anyway, this is a non-starter for me. These switches look and feel solid, their appearance is pretty subtle, and I'd rather a switch than the sketchy-feeling push on/off breakers. ------------- 1993 Sport Nautique PCM 351w, no ProTec |
Posted By: RealDeez
Date Posted: October-16-2019 at 7:37pm
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[Redacted] ------------- Lake James, IN 93 Sport Nautique |
Posted By: DockDoc
Date Posted: October-16-2019 at 8:08pm
I'm not sure if you read my post above... I ran a new 8 gauge power and ground to a spade fuse bus under the dash (off the main breaker). Then the dash power comes off a fused spot on that bus. So everything is just as protected as it was before, except with new wiring. ------------- 1993 Sport Nautique PCM 351w, no ProTec |
Posted By: desertskier
Date Posted: October-16-2019 at 8:45pm
| Not a big deal but I like being able to push the main ignition switch and kill power to everything as the system was originally designed. At the end of the day you will need to check the position of each switch. I guess you could add a switch somewhere to disconnected the system from the battery but the original one is pretty simple. |
Posted By: RealDeez
Date Posted: October-16-2019 at 9:52pm
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My bad. Wasn't so much didn't read as misread. My brain must have ignored the word "fuse" and just read spade terminal or something. Forget I said anything. ... post redacted ------------- Lake James, IN 93 Sport Nautique |
Posted By: gt40KS
Date Posted: October-17-2019 at 12:29am
Yep, one switch and everything's off. Except for the automatic bilge.... that's wired (and fused) direct to the house battery. ------------- JCCI 1995 Ski Nautique GT40 |
Posted By: DockDoc
Date Posted: October-17-2019 at 12:33am
I'm not changing that design at all. The "Ignition" switch is still the only switch that gets constant hot from the battery. It supplies power to the rest of the dash (with the exception of the stereo in my boat, I gave that dedicated power from an accessory switch just to isolate it from dash components, intentionally). This is the same as factory wiring, I just replaced the power source with new / higher gauge wiring. Functionally identical. ------------- 1993 Sport Nautique PCM 351w, no ProTec |
Posted By: MrMcD
Date Posted: October-17-2019 at 2:16am
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If you guys are in there and doing some dash wire work I hightly recommend upgrading the hot and ground wire that feeds the cigaratte lighter. I do not smoke but use my plug in for using my spot light at night. My spot light is a 1,000,000 candle power unit I have used in 3 boats now. First time I plugged it in to my 95 Nautique the current draw melted the cigarette lighter. I installed a new one with proper sized wires and it has worked just fine ever since. I think the light is about a 6-8 amp draw. ------------- |
Posted By: desertskier
Date Posted: October-17-2019 at 12:33pm
So are you maintaining a fuse for each circuit or just relying on the one new ignition fuse? I was looking at your fuse box post and the box doesn't appear to allow for multiple inputs and looks like it is connected directly to the battery. http://www.correctcraftfan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=48124&KW=&PID=577366&title=finally-got-around-to-adding-dedicated-wiring#577366" rel="nofollow - fuse box post |
Posted By: 8122pbrainard
Date Posted: October-17-2019 at 5:53pm
A concern of mine as well. ------------- /diaries/details.asp?ID=1622" rel="nofollow - 54 Atom /diaries/details.asp?ID=2179" rel="nofollow - 77 Tique 64 X55 Dunphy Keep it original, Pete < |
Posted By: TRBenj
Date Posted: October-17-2019 at 6:05pm
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Looks like a fuse for each circuit but no main breaker (at least pictured) on the dash side... relying on the main engine breaker? The ignition breaker at the dash in the factory configuration isn’t appropriately named- it doesn’t just cut ignition power. It is protecting all 12v wiring coming from the battery (upstream of the key). |
Posted By: DockDoc
Date Posted: October-17-2019 at 6:17pm
The way my dash is wired, the Ignition button (as you mentioned, inappropriately named) supplies power to all other dash components. Literally that's all it does, there's a hot input on the switch, which then daisy chains switched hot out to the other 9 dash switches. In the original configuration, those are all breakers of course. With the new switches, the Ignition switch is still fused, but the other switches are not (exception: stereo, which is now independent). The only downside to that is that if there's a short on one circuit, it will blow the fuse for the entire dash / Ignition switch. I.e., if the blower fan shorts out, it will blow the spade fuse under the dash and I won't be able to run the boat. I consider this a minor problem, just swap out the fuse and don't run the shorted component. Everything is still protected. And the Ignition switch is wired same as original, i.e. constant hot comes off the engine breaker. ------------- 1993 Sport Nautique PCM 351w, no ProTec |
Posted By: desertskier
Date Posted: October-17-2019 at 6:59pm
| Since you installed a nice fuse box I don't understand why you wouldn't use it. You could wire a fuse for each circuit according to the expected load. Instead you have a 50A fuse in series with a 20A (assuming you went with the original size) and then all your loads (except the stereo) in parallel. So if your bilge pump shorts it will need to draw 20 amps instead of the original 2.5 amps before the fuse blows. From the picture you posted of your exhaust it looks like you either added or moved your battery. If you added a battery did you install an isolation switch? If so you could use that switch as the master disconnect. |
Posted By: DockDoc
Date Posted: October-17-2019 at 8:36pm
Valid point! I was planning on wiring individual circuits to that panel, but I will do so more expeditiously, I hadn't considered that some of those circuits should be protected more conservatively. Easy enough to do and will clean up some of the wiring (it's a birds nest in there with all the daisy chained switches). Appreciate the insight. Re the battery: I haven't put in a spare, that's the only battery and it's where it was when I bought the boat. Is that not the factory location? If not, where is the factory location? ------------- 1993 Sport Nautique PCM 351w, no ProTec |
Posted By: desertskier
Date Posted: October-17-2019 at 9:28pm
| My mistake. I guess they moved the battery to the stern in the Sports. In the Ski's they are in a floor compartment in the front. |