Best idiots guide to electrics

[Refueler]

I know that I find American plugs very flimsy!

I'm sure you know the name "Brightstar" .... they made flashlights for ships - 'intriinsically safe' lights ? Mny tankers had them and I can recall our MSA flashlights being replaced with them on a number of tankers I was on.

They were DANGEROUS ... I'll repeat that ... DANGEROUS

Why ? They had no locking to stop being opened in 'unsafe zones' .... You could open a Brightstar to change batterys / bulb etc without any key needed.

They were UL Certified of course ... meaning they had passed USA Certification for Intrinsically safe use ....

When the company I was working for realised the design was flawed - MSA flashlights were brought back as company issue. But the Brightstars continued on many other companys ships ....

 

[eddystone]

Well the main thing would be a practical guide to be kept on board for helping to diagnose faults but there are a few immediate things.
1. I’m new to Bavarias and they don’t have main switches but a negative instead which I believe is meant to be left on all the time?

2. Connecting new instruments if all the positive terminals behind the panel are occupied. Is it necessary to get a terminal extension? Can the negative connection be anywhere? I’m also unsure how to splice into a lighting circuit e. g for a red light at the chart table.
3. Having obtained a replacement (identical) LED reading light which doesn’t work I need to trace back the wiring. Can I test the positive and negative wires with the probes of a multimeter without stripping off the insulation?