Making Electrical Systems Simple

I am an observer of people. That's what marketing people do, They observe and then react with solutions to concernsor desires that have been expressed by potential clients. Electrical systems controls are a pet peeve of mine. Whoever wrote the electrical codes for boats wasn't married I am fairly certain and I am absolutely sure that they were not of an age that reading glasses needed to be worn to read small labels.

After watching boaters around electrical panels for most of my carreer (I have done some other stuff too) I think that making the basic electrical controls simpler to understand and operate might add as much as ten years to the average boater's marriage. It seems that there is never a good time to ask your boat mate to turn on a breaker. Since there is a built in fear hiding inside each one of these things most crew members are hesitant to switch the wrong switch for fear of something coming on or being turned off that should not have been. I've even seen professionals leave bilge pump switches in the "off" (as opposed to auto or on) position and have a boat almost sink as a result.

Controller 

So here's the helm panel for the new Sabre 40. It has navigational lights, three bilge pumps, blowers, wipers (two speed), washers and horn incorporated. BTW we can just "y" in a second panel and run that up to the bridge and the only things that need to go back and forth are four wires. If the function of each of these switches isn't obvious then we may have a bigger problem but I think you'll get the drift. I like the use of symbols to make the use more obvious and the small light that will illuminate when that function is active.

The panel is from Digital Switching (the DNA Group) and they are really making things better for boaters with stuff like this. They may be adding to marital bliss as well.

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