Overview

The Blue Sea Systems 8485 is a 120V AC breaker panel built for 30A service, with an AC main and 11 circuit positions for shore power distribution on board. It comes pre-wired with hot, neutral, and safety ground buses, and it includes one 30A double-pole main breaker plus eight 15A single-pole branch breakers installed.

At 5.25 x 11.25 inches, this panel fits a narrow vertical mounting space while still giving you room to organize several AC loads from one location. Reverse polarity indication and circuit ON LEDs make it easier to verify shore power wiring and check circuit status when you are tracing power at the dock or working through a service issue on board.

The panel face is built from 1/8 inch 5052-H32 aluminum with chemical treatment per Mil Spec C-5541C and a textured two-part polyurethane finish. That construction works well in enclosed helm, cabin, or service spaces where salt air, vibration, and routine use can wear out lighter panels.

Key features

• Nominal 120V AC panel rated for 30A service
• One 30A double-pole main breaker and eight 15A single-pole branch breakers installed
• Hot, neutral, and safety ground buses are already installed and pre-wired
• Red reverse polarity LED plus ON indication at each circuit position
• Backlit label positions with 30 common large-format circuit labels included
• 1/8 inch 5052-H32 aluminum panel with chemically treated substrate and textured polyurethane finish
• Countersunk mounting holes, installation instructions, and cutout template included

Installation and setup

This panel fits boats running a 120V, 30A shore power system and needing a clean way to split that feed across cabin, galley, charger, outlet, or utility circuits. If it is being used as the main shore power disconnect, it needs to be mounted within 10 feet of the shore power inlet, measured along the conductors, unless additional overcurrent protection is added within that distance.

The label backlighting runs on DC, so it needs a separate DC positive feed and DC ground during installation. Branch breaker size should always match the wire and the actual load on each circuit. The panel ships with 15A branch breakers because that covers many common AC circuits on board, but they can be changed where the circuit design calls for a different rating.

Compatibility and fit

The overall panel size is 5-1/4 x 11-1/4 inches, with mounting centers at 4-7/16 x 10-7/16 inches. That makes it useful where you need a tall, narrow panel rather than a wide distribution board. It can work as an extension to an existing AC panel or as a full replacement in a 120V AC system with the right feeder protection and wiring layout.

This panel should be mounted where both the front and back stay protected from water. It is not for gasoline engine rooms, battery compartments, or other spaces where flammable vapors can collect, because the breakers are not ignition protected.

Use on board

This panel suits boats that need a straightforward AC distribution setup without giving up a lot of dashboard or bulkhead space. It works well on cruisers, sportfishing boats, and sailboats that bring in 30A shore power and need one main disconnect with room for several AC branch circuits.