360SS Dash Refit

[Jskhome62]

I’m also in the middle of doing a dash panel update. I’m trying to work with the existing panels though and just upgrading/refinishing what I can. I just redid my port side switch panel with switches from new wire marine. I am still looking for gauges of similar size/function for the guage panel. Or I might just mask and repaint if I can’t find something.

The one issue I’m having is I can figure out how to get the throttle controls off so I can get that panel off to refinish. Any idea how to remove that?

Some images attached that show the work in progress. The white panels (if not obvious - hope it is ) are the refinished.

[Alanna Mo Cree]

That's looking good! Those are the same switches I'm planning to get from New Wire.

The throttles are accessed from the center access panel below the wheel.

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The cables will need to be removed and then the housing can be unscrewed. I don't remember if the screws are accessible from the access panel or if the housing cover needs to be removed (or both). I've looked at it a few times, but haven't tackled that one yet. viewtopic.php?t=6487 has good information about cable replacement.

[Alanna Mo Cree]

This project is going to officially be on hold until at least the fall. As is typical with boat projects, once we started getting into this year's yard work a lot of higher priority items came up. I will update this thread when we get back to this project.

Some lessons learned on the dash refit so far:

• Be ready to either provide the old panels or make panel mockups with cardboard or something.
  I tried to trace my existing panels, but the proofs I got back were clearly not correct. The top panel with the gauges was particularly off. New Wire has an option to laser cut cardboard mockups to ensure fit, but better to send them correct information to start with.
• Fall is a slower season for new panels which is counter to what I expected.
  I figured that people who were having to park their boats for the winter would be more likely to do the panel work while the boat was in storage. I guess more people are interested in doing panels to start the season.
• Carver used a lot of plastic connectors, at least on the 360, behind the panels.
  There are pros and cons to these connections vs. using terminal strips. I elected to go with terminal strips and started switching over as I removed some components. This allows for a bit more organization and should make new installations, as well as troubleshooting, easier.
• Seems obvious, but indicate what components are being removed, what components are being reused, and what components are being added at the same time as the new panel.
  I had to clarify a couple items that were not going to be included and a couple items I had planned for future installation. I didn't want to receive panels with the holes cut for the future items and then have to figure out some kind of blanking solution in the meantime. Not to mention if the actual components chosen in the future differed from the ones I was planning to use at design I would have ended up with holes that didn't fit.
• My current panel uses screws. The new panel is going to use studs. While this results in a nicer finish on the panel, the studs will not align with the existing screw holes.
  There will be considerable drilling and some interesting boat yoga to reach some of the studs, especially on the top panel, after install. I've been trying to think of a way to get better access to the back of the panel without doing something drastic like cutting an access port in the top of the dash.
• Try to operate the boat for awhile with components where you think you will want them before having the panels done.
  I took out everything I plan to remove and have been moving things around a bit to make sure I like the ergonomics before committing to the new panels. Thankfully the panels aren't nearly as expensive as I thought they would be, so redoing one if I really don't like something is a possibility. It would still be better to get it right the first time.
• To get full rated USB-C power requires 24v to the receptacles.
  I planned to make USB-C outlets available on port and starboard panels. Scanstrut makes a USB-A/USB-C power outlet that is rated 60W on USB-C. The fine print is that it is only 36W at 12v. Since my other project is putting in a 48v system with 12v buffer, I haven't decided yet on whether I want to make 24v available at the helm. Things can already get a little complicated with two different DC voltages, but at least they are well segregated. Having a 110v outlet on the flybridge would probably be more flexible and could still be used to power/charge USB-C devices.

[Alanna Mo Cree]

This project is underway! I ended up sending in my old panels at the end of October, so the dash has looked like this for about 6 weeks.

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The new panels came in last week. New Wire Marine should run a clinic on packaging. I have never received anything so well packaged in my entire life. Imagine each of these panels individually wrapped in about a 2 inch layer of bubble wrap.

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For the moment everything is going to be taking up a bunch of space in the salon until after the holidays. I hope to have the panel finished with all new gauges and electronics by the end of January.

[pepmyster]

Beautiful! You're giving me the itch.......

[km1125]

Can't wait to see the results!

[Alanna Mo Cree]

It's install week (finally)!

Some initial lessons learned so far:

• There is quite a bit of void space from previous installations and a lot of the new studs have nothing to bite into. I think the end result will look great, but it would have been a LOT easier to use panel screws in the same locations as the old panels. The team I'm working with has fabricated some square clips we hope will do the trick. If anyone undertakes this type of upgrade, make sure you consider where the voids are so you can ensure the new panels have studs in usable places. Or just use screws in the same places and save a bunch of trouble.
• Along the bottom of the glove boxes there is absolutely no room for studs. We have to do some re-engineering of those areas to get the panels on.
• The instrument cutouts are a little too perfectly sized so some of the new gauges aren't fitting very well without a bit of hole expansion. An extra 1/16" or a couple mm would have been great.
• The throttle assembly has to be removed, so consider whether it should also be replaced at the same time as the rest of the dash. I didn't, but I'll have to make sure everything is readjusted after re-installation.

So what was planned to be done over the past two days still looks like this on the start of day 3:

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[Alanna Mo Cree]

Week one of the installation is in the books.

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A lot of work went into cleaning up old wires, and the team member who unhooked the old panel didn't label each wire, just the bundle for each switch. This has slowed things down while we figure out which wires are supply and which are load. Another lesson learned is to label every wire coming off each switch so it is easier to put the new ones in. At least the pre-wired panels going in have been a big time saver.

We solved the issue of the void spaces by creating some thin backing plates. These plates screw in to the old holes and the new panel mounts to the plate.

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I've always pushed for red lighting for night running, but all the other lights on the boat are blue. We don't run at night that often anymore anyway so maybe this will grow on me. At least the panel lights can be dimmed quite a bit, or turned up very bright.

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I ordered two of the switches incorrectly for our electrical system. I specified a battery paralleling switch, but the needed switch has quite a bit extra going on. I was worried that using the previous switch would look horrible, but it isn't too bad. I think I can live with it.

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We're crossing fingers, toes, and anything else we can think of to finish things up next week. There is an event Monday, but if we can finish loading everything Tuesday, do initial system set up and testing on Wednesday, and have some mechanical checks on Thursday, we'll be doing on water testing and finalization on Friday just in time for spring break.

[Alanna Mo Cree]

A lot of wiring was cleaned up behind the panel which took a considerable amount of time. This could probably be a one week project, definitely two, if old wiring was left alone, but to do the job right all of the old stuff should be removed imho.

At the end of week two we have all of the equipment loaded and ready for setup, testing, and sea trial. A huge lesson is to make sure ALL wires are labeled during disassembly, not just the harnesses/connectors. New equipment doesn't necessarily follow the same wire colors even though there are conventions. The project was easily extended three or four days while wires needed to be retraced. We also lost nearly a day chasing phantom ground issues that turned out to be due to a ground bus bar that was not completely installed.

It looks complete, but there is still a couple days of work to be done.

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Before:

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[KyleR]

Looking great!

Not to switch topics drastically but you have the exact same throttle controls as I do and I've been trying to find a manual for them. Mine have no markings but there are patent numbers stamped inside which I researched and it looks like they are of the Morse patent design from 1973.

Do you (or anyone else) have a manual for the setup/adjustment/operation of those specific throttles?

Thanks in advance!
Kyle