52c - How to access Cabin Electrical Panel?

[rustybucket]

Ok, weird question I know.... Wired up 6 underwater lights this weekend, went to run the supply line to an empty 32v breaker in the cabin electrical panel and I could not for the life of me figure out how to get the wire into the panel?

Is there anything special you can do to access the back of the panels, or enough access to run a new wire into the uppermost panel?

I unscrewed the top panel but it would not come out of it's frame b/c of the wires coming out of both sides of the electrical panel.

Obviously there has to be some way to access this, I mean they had to build it right?

 

[Boatsb]

Is it the panel on the port side where you enter? They should swing out just tight with all that wire there.

 

[rustybucket]

Is it the panel on the port side where you enter? They should swing out just tight with all that wire there.

Yes, to port when entering. I didn't force anything, didn't want to break something I wasn't sure I fully understood.

 

[finatic]

I just installed 4 underwater lights on the 52C also and am in the process of wiring them up! Are your lights 32V? Mine are 12V.

 

[rustybucket]

I just installed 4 underwater lights on the 52C also and am in the process of wiring them up! Are your lights 32V? Mine are 12V.

Mine are SeablazeX. I called Lumitec before purchasing and the lights are rated 10-24v (if memory serves). So basically you put two lights in series and then wire them up. So I have 6 lights wired up 2 lights in each series all going to a terminal block at the transom, which means I have 3 leads coming to the block.

When you wire them in series you cut the voltage in half (2 in series) or thirds (3 in series). Since I have two lights in series on a 32v system I'm running each light at approx 16v +/- which is well within the lights spec.

 

[finatic]

I installed the seablazex also. Thanks for the tip! Electrical is not my strong suit!

 

[rustybucket]

I installed the seablazex also. Thanks for the tip! Electrical is not my strong suit!

Just for clarification putting two lights in series.

Take the pigtails of your two lights, connect the positive from one light to the negative of the other light. Then hook the remaining positive and the remaining negative to your terminal block or power supply.

 

[finatic]

Just for clarification putting two lights in series.

Take the pigtails of your two lights, connect the positive from one light to the negative of the other light. Then hook the remaining positive and the remaining negative to your terminal block or power supply.

Got it! Thanks again

 

[Briankinley2004]

Are the lights you put in series LED? Just curious if this works for LED being alot of them have computer boards, etc and are not straight resistance

 

[rustybucket]

Are the lights you put in series LED? Just curious if this works for LED being alot of them have computer boards, etc and are not straight resistance

Yes, they are LED's. The recommendation to put them in series came directly from the manufacturer.

 

[Briankinley2004]

I will have to try this trick. I want to add some LEDs in places and never thought of that