Sailboat Electrical Systems: Improvement, Wiring, and Repair, 1st Edition

Introduction

1. Safety First

Battery Acid; Containment; Spark; Explosive Gas; Fire; Corrosive Fumes; Fuse

2. Understanding the Basics

Terminology

Amp; Volt; Ohm; Watt

Three-Part Harmony

Ohm's Law; Power; Load Calculations; Desert Algebra

Circuits

Not Like Water; Boys Will Be Boys; Polarity; Open and Closed; Series; Parallel; Extra Credit

AC/DC

Magnetism and Current; Current; Polarity; Loads; Voltage; Power Factor; Safety Revisited

3. Battery

The Basic Cell

Fully Charged; Discharging; Fully Discharged; Charging; Gassing; Shedding; Plate Sulfation; Inefficiencies

Batteries

Internal Construction; Plate Thickness; Spongy Lead; Self Discharge; Starting or House?

Battery Choices

Automotive--Conventional Flooded; Maintenance-Free; Deep-Cycle; Gel Cell; Scales Don't Lie; Absorbed Glass Mat; Selection Chart

Capacity

Amp-Hours; Cycle Life; Weight and Amp-Hours; Cold-Cranking Amps; Marine-Cranking Amps; Reserve Minutes

Sizing Batteries

Load Calculation Redux; The Alternative to Bigger Batteries; House Bank; Starting Battery; Powering Inverters

Installation

Series; Golf-Cart Batteries; Parallel; Matching; Negative Ground; Temperature

Maintenance

Discharge; Recharging; Water; Clean and Dry; Terminal Corrosion; Voltage; SG and Voltage; Specific Gravity; Keep Records

4. Wire

Wire Selection

Construction; Size; 10% Drop; 24 Volts; Insulation

Routing

High and Dry

Connections

Crimp Connectors; Crimping; Soldering; Tinning the Soldering Iron; Heat-Shrink; Bare Wires; Wire Nuts

Overload Protection

Fuses; Circuit Breakers; Sizing; Installing; Supply Side; Equipment Protection

Switches

SPST; DT; DP; Battery Selector

Neatness Counts

Labeling; No More Than Four; Terminal Strips; Junction Boxes; Right Angles; Spiral Wrap; Panel Location

Coax

Size; Construction; Connections; Weatherproofing; Backstay Connection

Copper Ribbon

5. Circuits

Wiring Diagrams

Symbols; More about Ground

Circuitry Step by Step

Closed Circuit; Open Circuit; Overload Protection; Series; Parallel; Real World

Mapping Your Own Boat

AC Caution; WYSIWYG; Circuit Diagrams; Master Diagram; Layout Schematic; Signal Wires

6. Troubleshooting

Signs of Trouble

Dimming; House of Cards; Sluggish Starting; Flickering; Blown Fuse; Ground Return; Heat; Odor; Heat Loss; Corrosion; Wet Wiring; Rat's Nest

Test Light

Make or Buy; Using a Test Light

Digital Multimeter

Digital vs. Analog; Auto Ranging; Polarity; Clamp-On Meters

Meter Fundamentals

Connecting Test Leads; Measuring Voltage; Measuring Current; Measuring Resistance (or Lack Thereof)

Troubleshooting with a Meter

Voltmeter Tests; Multimeter Connections; Zero Adjust; Checking Your Hydrometer; Extending Your Reach; Kirchoff's Law; Ohmmeter Tests; Masthead Lights; Changing Resistance; Ammeter Tests

7. Charging Systems

Alternators

Output; Pulley Ratio; Sizing; Ignition Protection; Expecting Too Much

Regulators

Standard Regulator; Fooling the Regulator; Manual Controller; Three-Step Regulator; Equalization--The Fourth Step; Charging Gel Batteries

Alternator and Regulator Wiring

Output; Internal Regulation; Attached Regulator; External Regulation; Polarity; Excitation; Surge Protection

Alternator Maintenance

Belts; Connections; Bearings and Brushes

Troubleshooting Alternators and Regulators

Alternator Output; Regulator Faults; Excitation; Bypassing