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Russ wrote: ↑Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:55 am I used one of these terminal fuses for the main. I redid much of the wiring as factory was a bit sketchy. (single bolt for a common). Polarity was not a consideration. Earlier boats had lamp wire instead of proper marine grade. Stock panel was a junky 4 switch/fuse deal. I broke it figuring out how to remove the fuses.

If it's stock, seriously consider redoing much of it and maybe even a new panel.

I'm going to install 1 of these on my and was wondering what amperage to order?

OverEasy wrote: ↑Wed Apr 21, 2021 7:49 pm Just a suggestion on your Ford Expedition...

Look at the connections carefully, you will find that the connection has corrosion or a poor crimp joint.
The cold contracts and pulls a connection to be intermittent.
Start at the breaker and methodically work your way through the immediate connections to make sure not only the blade/socket are tight but also the wire crimps and connector rivets.

Thanks for the Ford idea! I'll check that out. I was probably going to just replace that breaker eventually. It does seem to connect when I open/close it a few times and it starts. First time it happened, I replaced the battery thinking that was it, then it still did it with the new battery. Traced it down to that breaker.
The Expedition was originally from Seattle area so the battery was probably due anyway, and like myself, it's still getting used to sub-zero Wisconsin winters and some issues appear.
Tom

Dougiestyle wrote: ↑Thu Apr 22, 2021 8:20 am
I'm going to install 1 of these on my and was wondering what amperage to order?

It really depends on what is downstream of the fuse or breaker. We use a 20A fuse for one panel that runs cabin lights, radio, GPS, deck, anchor, and running lights, port-side usb ports, 12V ports, and a fan, although never all at once. We use a 30A breaker on the other panel that runs the autopilot, LED lights, starboard-side USB ports, pressure water pump and the toilet macerator.

IIRC the maximum overcurrent protection allowed by the NEC is 2.25 times the largest load plus all of the others. However, there is no rule for minimum overcurrent protection, you just end up with nuisance trips if it's undersized. The NEC also says that everything in the circuit has to be rated for at least 1.25 X the full load amps of the circuit. OTOH the factory wiring didn't come anywhere near respecting those rules, and I don't actually know if the NEC even applies to boats.

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.......

We’ve lived in New Hampshire since 2001 and only tried snowbirding last year down in South Carolina.
To be quite honest it was really difficult dealing with the arduous occasional 3 to 5 days of frost in SC vs. multiple hip deep overnight snowfalls, multiple inch thick ice storms, days if not weeks long power outages, temperatures down in the single digits every night for a month and/or concurrent repeating combinations of the preceding conditions was hard to adapt to.

Being able to work in/on/around the house and boat in shirtsleeves since the beginning of March when temps are regularly above the 60s and dealing with temperatures in the 80s in April is terrible. The not having to layer-up and pull on the insulated Carhart coveralls over long Johns and insulating sweatshirts under thick Carhart jacket just to clear a path to the mailbox is just plain terrible. Not having to get up an hour and a half earlier in the morning to fire up the snowblower to clear the driveway and dig out the 4 foot plus packed road berms left by the plow is plain unfair. And Never mind missing out on the routine of firing up the propane turbo heater aimed at the air compressor for half an hour before turning it on to inflate a low tire before heading off to work over the residual ice and snow the road crews inevitably leave on their first pass through.

Such are the sacrifices some of us must make.....
It’s rough.......