Overview

The Blue Sea Systems 8488 is a 120V AC main breaker panel with eight branch positions for boats running shore power or generator-fed AC circuits. It comes with one 30A double-pole main breaker and five 15A single-pole branch breakers installed, along with a red reverse-polarity indicator that helps catch wiring faults during setup or troubleshooting. The 11.25 x 5.25 in face works well in narrow helm, cabin, or utility spaces where a wider AC panel is harder to fit.

Hot, neutral, and safety ground buses are already installed and pre-wired, which cuts down wiring time during a replacement or refit. All circuit label positions are backlit, and every circuit position has an ON indicator LED, so the panel stays easy to read at night and leaves room for later circuit expansion. The panel body uses 1/8 in 5052 aluminum with an immersion undercoating and a two-part polyurethane finish.

Key features

• 120V AC panel with one 30A double-pole main breaker position and eight branch circuit positions
• Five 15A single-pole branch breakers come installed from the factory, with remaining positions available for future circuits
• Hot, neutral, and safety ground buses are pre-wired to shorten installation time
• Red reverse-polarity indicator and ON LEDs in every circuit position give quick status at the panel
• Backlit label positions and a set of 30 common large-format labels help keep circuits easy to identify
• 1/8 in 5052 aluminum construction with immersion undercoating and a two-part polyurethane finish
• Countersunk mounting holes support a cleaner flush-mounted install

Installation and setup

This panel should be mounted where both the front and rear stay protected from water. It should not be installed in spaces where gasoline, propane, or battery vapors can collect, since the breakers are not ignition-protected. The supplied cutout template helps with layout before final mounting.

The label backlight runs on DC, so its leads need a DC positive feed and ground, usually tied into the vessel's lighting circuit. For boats with a shore power inlet more than 10 ft from the panel, upstream protection near the inlet is part of a correct AC installation plan.

Compatibility and fit

This panel is a good match for boats that need a compact 120V AC distribution point for cabin outlets, battery chargers, galley circuits, water heaters, or similar branch loads that are sized correctly for the wire and breaker used. It also fits well as a replacement for an older narrow AC panel or as an extension panel when the existing system needs a few more protected circuits without moving to a much wider layout.