Nice workmanship Scott.
However, there is a reason why home depot type products are NOT approved for
marine use.
In the first place the wire terminations are designed for solid wire not
stranded wire.
secondly many of the busbars are plated not solid copper that is tinned.
Plated bus bars and connectors tend to "grow corrosion" which in turn
creates hot spots over time.
All of the wiring on Island Eagle is terminated with plated crimp-on
connectors. By the way, this comment applies equally to the outlets we use on
boats, and everyone uses land-based ones there.
Land based wiring is usually in less moist environments and thus escape th
eworst ravages of this corosion growth.
All I can say is that the panels I replaced were also Square D, and they were
40 years old and working just fine.
Home Depot breakers are purely thermal and derate drastically with high
ambient temperatures such as you might find in a typical boat.
Ambient temperature in my engine room is rarely above 100F.
I admit a careful and conscientious person can make home depot type hardware
work safely but how expensive can a 4 circuit Blue Sea panel be? Is it
really worth it making a non marine grade installtion for the sake of saving
a few bucks?
There are so many surplus stores and marine flea markets around these days.
It's not just a question of expense (you may have noticed that I did in fact
use Blue Sea equipment on my entire DC system). The Square D panels are much
better for surface-mount wiring. Plus, it's much easier to install strain
reliefs.
I reiterate my recommendation. For a small AC panel, I would put in a Square
D.
Scott Welch
FirstClass Product Manager
www.firstclass.com
Those who make no mistakes rarely make anything.
"Arild Jensen" <2elnav@netbistro.com> writes:
>Nice workmanship Scott.
>However, there is a reason why home depot type products are NOT approved for
>marine use.
>In the first place the wire terminations are designed for solid wire not
>stranded wire.
>secondly many of the busbars are plated not solid copper that is tinned.
>Plated bus bars and connectors tend to "grow corrosion" which in turn
>creates hot spots over time.
All of the wiring on Island Eagle is terminated with plated crimp-on
connectors. By the way, this comment applies equally to the outlets we use on
boats, and everyone uses land-based ones there.
>
>Land based wiring is usually in less moist environments and thus escape th
>eworst ravages of this corosion growth.
All I can say is that the panels I replaced were also Square D, and they were
40 years old and working just fine.
>
>Home Depot breakers are purely thermal and derate drastically with high
>ambient temperatures such as you might find in a typical boat.
Ambient temperature in my engine room is rarely above 100F.
>
>I admit a careful and conscientious person can make home depot type hardware
>work safely but how expensive can a 4 circuit Blue Sea panel be? Is it
>really worth it making a non marine grade installtion for the sake of saving
>a few bucks?
>There are so many surplus stores and marine flea markets around these days.
It's not just a question of expense (you may have noticed that I did in fact
use Blue Sea equipment on my entire DC system). The Square D panels are much
better for surface-mount wiring. Plus, it's much easier to install strain
reliefs.
I reiterate my recommendation. For a small AC panel, I would put in a Square
D.
Scott Welch
FirstClass Product Manager
www.firstclass.com
Those who make no mistakes rarely make anything.
