12V Distribution Panel (Fuse Panel)
The central point that splits the positive line coming from the service battery into separate circuits over a fused bar. Each load is protected by its own fuse and returns over a common negative bar. Labelling the circuits makes fault finding noticeably easier.
The function of the panel is not only to carry fuses; it determines the topology of the system. In a star arrangement all loads are fed from a single point and return from a single point, so the circuits do not affect each other's voltage. In daisy-chained systems, the current one load draws lowers the voltage the next one sees.
At the panel input there is a main fuse or circuit breaker; its rating is chosen according to the current the panel supply cable can carry. The fuses on the outputs are determined by the cable cross-section of their own circuits; the fuse protects the cable, not the device.
For loads with high instantaneous current, such as a levelling system in an RV, dedicating a separate output of adequate cross-section is the right approach. A motor load sharing the same line as the lighting circuit causes the lights to dim while it runs. The panel should be mounted in a dry, ventilated place that remains accessible afterwards, and the fuse types and ampere ratings should be written inside the panel.
The context in which this term is used: Solar panel soiling and robotic cleaning