SAILING VESSEL Queen of Hearts


Custom 3D-Printed Electrical Panel

Completed custom 3D-printed electrical panel installed in the Nor'Sea 27, showing NOR'SEA 27 header, Blue Sea circuit breakers, toggles, and Victron BMV-712

The Nor'Sea 27 came with a fuse-based electrical panel that predated most of the electronics I wanted aboard. Over time, circuits had been added with two breakout sub-panels scattered around the cabin. The result was functional, but scattered: breakers and fuses in three different locations, with no unified view of what was on or off. I designed and printed a single panel to consolidate everything.

The Original Setup

Original Nor'Sea fuse-based electrical panel with toggle switches for running lights, cabin lights, bow light, anchor light, and spreader lights

The original NOR'SEA panel: nine circuits, toggle switches, and a separate breakout panel below for the additions that didn't fit.

The old fuse panel didn't have enough positions for the electronics I wanted to add, so over time two breakout sub-panels appeared elsewhere in the cabin. Tracking down a tripped fuse or toggling a circuit meant knowing which of three panels it was on. I wanted everything in one place: a clean, labeled panel that fit the existing cabinet opening near the companionway.

Designing the Panel

Isometric CAD render of the two-piece Nor'Sea 27 electrical panel design showing the breaker sections and round BMV-712 opening
Front-view CAD render of the Nor'Sea 27 electrical panel design, showing breaker positions and BMV-712 cutout

The panel is sized to fit the existing cabinet near the companionway and houses 23 Blue Sea Systems A-Series circuit breakers, three 12mm toggle switches for manual overrides and accessory control, and a Victron Energy Smart Battery Monitor BMV-712. The BMV mounts in a round cutout on the upper right, keeping it prominent and easy to read at a glance.

The design is split into two pieces to fit within the printer's build volume. The two halves join seamlessly when mounted, and the split is hidden behind the installed breakers.

Components

Main panel3D-printed PETG-CF, two pieces
Circuit breakersBlue Sea Systems A-Series, 23 positions
Toggle switches3× standard 12mm toggles
Battery monitorVictron Energy Smart BMV-712
Circuit labelsSnap-in, printed in PETG with 0.2mm nozzle
Panel materialPETG-CF (carbon fiber filled), 0.6mm nozzle

PETG-CF was chosen for the main panel for its stiffness and resistance to moisture and UV, important in a marine cabin that sees humidity, sun through ports, and the occasional splash. The labels are printed separately in standard PETG using a finer nozzle for legible lettering, then pressed into recessed slots in the panel face.

Assembly and Install

Assembled electrical panel on a workbench with all Blue Sea breakers, toggles, and Victron BMV-712 installed before mounting in the boat

Fully populated panel on the bench before installation.

Breakers screw into the panel face and the labels press into their recessed slots without adhesive, making it straightforward to relabel or swap a breaker position in the future. The Victron BMV-712 installs into its round cutout and is wired to the shunt on the house bank, giving a live readout of voltage, current, and state of charge.

Rear of the installed electrical panel showing wiring and circuit breaker connections inside the companionway cabinet

Wiring on the back of the installed panel inside the cabinet.

MakerWorld Files

The panel design files are available on MakerWorld. Sized for the Nor'Sea 27 cabinet opening, but the design could be adapted for similar spaces.

Results

Having everything on a single panel is a significant quality-of-life upgrade. Every circuit is labeled, every breaker is in one place, and the BMV-712 is always visible when stepping below. The panel fits the existing cabinet with slight modifications to the door.