Fancy Upgrade Department: Breaker Panel Elbows Out Fuses

It seems there’s a class of folks out there who like to really “trick out” their RVs. Some of them do bus conversions, but for many of us, well, the saying is: “Too rich for my blood!” But there are still some things we can do to upgrade and fancify our rigs. This one might fit your fancy, and perhaps even your budget: Ditch that old fuse panel and install a neat low-voltage breaker panel.

Here’s the practical side: It’s a whole lot easier to flip a switch (or poke a button) than to fiddle around changing out a fuse. And in some cases, low voltage breaker panels include little light emitting diodes that tell you if the circuit is working or tripped. No more having to put on the trifocals to squint at a fuse. And for the vanity side? Would you rather have that drab, old fashioned glass fuse panel, or that sleek, techo-geek breaker panel to show off to all your friends?

OK, so where do you get a new panel, and how much will it set you back? Ah, our buddies over in the marine world have got all kinds of nifty low voltage stuff. Google “12 volt circuit breaker panel” and you’ll soon have a raft of marine suppliers who’d be happy to set you up with the latest equipment. Cost? Well, we did mention the word, “Vanity” didn’t we? This slick little panel with three breakers (and room for more) will set you back $50 from boatersworld.com. It pays to shop around, as other marine sales outfits charge even greater amounts of money for similar items.

How do you manage the changeout? If your RV’s fuse panel is “freestanding” and not part of converter/charger unit, the changeout is pretty simple. Simply remove each wire from its corresponding fuse, and be sure to label for polarity, and fuse value. Hook up to the new breaker panel in reverse order, making sure you use the same “value” breaker as when hooked up to the old fuse panel.

If your “distribution panel” is part of your converter/charger unit, the principles of hooking things up and breaker/fuse values are the same. You’ll need to be a bit more ingenious here though, as you’ll need to set your panel up by itself. With shore power off, you’ll be disconnecting the main “hot” supply lead from the existing fuse block and running it to your new breaker panel–keeping the distance as short as possible. And you’ll be drawing new leads from the new breaker panel back to each of the circuits the breakers supply. Again, you’ll need to keep the panel close, as you recognize the greater the distance, the more resistance the wires will provide. Go too far and you’ll be looking at voltage drops that could create equipment failure, even fire danger.

So here’s the disclaimer: If you’re not sure of your competency in making a SAFE changeover, hire a professional. Photo courtesy boaterworld.com.