# Homemade switch panel and fuse box



## arkansasnative (Feb 28, 2011)

Since i haven't been able to work on my boat much lately i figured i'd show what i've been working on indoors. Bought everything saturday and put it together in an hour or so... The box and grounding buss bars are from Home Depot, fuse panel from Autozone, switches (plastic so they don't rust and they light up) and quick disconnects from Advance Auto Parts, 14ga wire (bought a 100ft roll from Autozone for like 14 bucks) from Autozone, and a lil JB Plastic weld that i already had. The hole is for a 12v power outlet (cigarette lighter style) i got from Advance Auto too. I plan on installing it tomorrow so keep an eye out on my build thread for more pics!


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## heman (Mar 1, 2011)

nice job dude.. you did a great job! would u be able to provide a link to that plastic box you used?
i bought one from BPS with built in fuses cause i felt it might be a bit cheaper, but i like this self contained version you have. Looks great!


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## minicuda (Mar 1, 2011)

Nice job!


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## arkansasnative (Mar 1, 2011)

Thanks guys! here is a link to a similar box from the same store. It's made to be a weatherproof box for a dual outlet. the back panel is removable and comes with a few different snap in styles... this one just fit my needs so i snapped it in.
https://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100152503/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

I would just go to your local Home Depot and look in the electrical outlet aisle because i couldn't find one with the clear front on the website and i don't remember paying that much for it.


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## back4more (Mar 3, 2012)

Newb Alert !! Newb Alert !! 

I really like this switch box idea but Im really not good hooking up electrical stuff so Im missing something. are all those wires hot, and coming in to the box from the battery? where are the individual wires going from the switch back to power the device? how does it work  

I would like to power up using a setup like below, but do I need all my black " - " wires going to a separate grounding block thats just a line of connected plugs like the bar in the switch box pic?


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## Gramps50 (Mar 4, 2012)

Nice switch box, wish I would have seen yours before I order the Blue Sea on I might have went our route.

May this is the box you used


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## HOUSE (Mar 5, 2012)

Back4more, I'm still learning this wiring stuff too, but I believe in your mod, you do not run a ground from your switch back to the battery but instead ground each individual device. You probably want to buy a busbar or ground block to run all of your negatives to and then run this back to the battery with one heavier wire.

I have fun with paint, so here's what I put together. I would still ask an expert to chime in on my suggestion however


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## back4more (Mar 5, 2012)

thanks House, that surely helps with the grounding! and I have been admiring your paint skills in your very helpful Wiring sketch with 3 questions (included picture and links) thread.

now in the pics above in the first post, I dont get how the switches are connected, looks like power from nowhere and the switch is then grounded. is this how you are supposed to connect switches ....


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