Complete yacht wiring guide/book/website needed.

[JesseLoynes]

Morning folks,

I am about to do the full electrics for a 26ft 4 berth yacht. Can anyone suggest an up to date, UK book or website as a guide? Most recommendations or reviews I have found seem to be for books dating from the 70's.

Will be fitting:
Inboard diesel,
Nav lights,
Instruments,
Deck Lights,
Interior Lights,
VHF,
Stereo
Fridge,
Water/Bilge pumps,
Phone chargers
240v Charger from shore power,
Simple 240 ring main,
Possible Inverter.

The electrics I am pretty good on, it's more the actual components/switches/breakers/ etc that I need the guidance on.

Many thanks,

Jess.

 

[DavidGrieves]

Hi

Have a look here http://www.tb-training.co.uk/

Useful site for supplies http://www.asap-supplies.com/marine/electrical-components

Switch panel http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/8-GANG-BO...tEquipment_Accessories_SM&hash=item3f19bafe8d

Busbar http://www.bosunbobs.com/en/Talamex...tm_medium=shopping&utm_campaign=UnitedKingdom





Cheers

 

[nigelmercier]

Boatowner's Illustrated Wiring Handbook
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0713682922/dolcetto-21

Boatowner's Mechanical and Electrical Manual: How to Maintain, Repair, and Improve Your Boat's Essential Systems
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0713672269/dolcetto-21

Essential Boat Electrics
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1904475175/dolcetto-21

 

[AndyJ76]

Electrics Afloat is a nice book, with a complete fold-out wiring diagram and links to suppliers http://www.amazon.co.uk/Practical-Boat-Owners-Electrics-Afloat/dp/0713661496/andpal-21

I've been working with electrics for years, and there were still a few hints and tips that I found useful. It's also gentle enough for the YL to pick up

 

[JesseLoynes]

Excellent, many thanks for those... Now to stock up on coffee and notebooks and try to get my brain in gear!

 

[superheat6k]

Pm me for the access password to my boats website download page plenty there to help. Turbo36.wordpress.com

 

[lotusman]

I've had excellent service from

http://www.merlinequipment.com/markets/group.asp?groupid=30

suggested circuits can be downloaded, all parts available

no connection, just satisfied customer

 

[seanfoster]

Jess, I've sent you a PM which might be of interest.

 

[coopec]

View attachment 38914View attachment 38913Jessel

Before I wired up my yacht I read lots of books and downloaded many articles. I installed plastic cable ducts, installed all my lights, fans, , pumps etc in place. I then made up the instrument panel with the gauges and fuse/switch boards and bought 2 reels of wire (black and red). Then the master stroke!! I got the local auto sparky to come in and help. I watched him for 10 minutes and then he watched me for 20 minutes and then he left. It was a big job but I completed the rest of the yacht without drama.

You can see the plastic cable ducts in the photo of the opened instrument panel. I have 4 (X6) fuse/switch panels and I have left room for more if I decide to install a water maker, radar etc later on

 

[coopec]

View attachment 38923Jesse


If you do a google on "bilge pump masthead navigation deck light anchor compass starboard port aft" you will come up with people selling labels for your instrument panel. They print pages of self adhesive labels. I had to buy 4 pages to get the labels

I just did a google for you. I think it is BEP that supplied mine. They have about ten different pages and you can download each to work out what ones you need

 

[nigelmercier]

Printing Labels

I had to buy 4 pages to get the labels ... They have about ten different pages and you can download each to work out what ones you need

I bought a Brother P-Touch PT-1230PC Label Printer
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B001N7FKV8/dolcetto-21

You can also get cheaper ones, but the advantage if this type is that you can design the labels on the PC.

 

[GHA]

I bought a Brother P-Touch PT-1230PC Label Printer
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B001N7FKV8/dolcetto-21

You can also get cheaper ones, but the advantage if this type is that you can design the labels on the PC.

Maplin have one on a deal at the moment
http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/brother-p-touch-pt1005bts-labelling-machine-with-2-free-tapes-n13hh

One of the tapes is white text on black, ideal for lx panel., very handy thing to have onboard.

 

[nigelmercier]

Maplin have one on a deal at the moment ...

When Maplin (spit) have a sale, it normally means you can buy stuff at the same price as other places, but in this case it's not a bad deal.

I've got two Brother hand-held printers, both disused now I have a USB one*

* Actually I lie, I've got one for the boat as well

 

[prv]

If you do a google on "bilge pump masthead navigation deck light anchor compass starboard port aft" you will come up with people selling labels for your instrument panel. They print pages of self adhesive labels.

A handheld label printer is more convenient for general labelling, and for the panels themselves I like to go the whole hog and have them laser-engraved:

Pete

 

[coopec]

A handheld label printer is more convenient for general labelling, and for the panels themselves I like to go the whole hog and have them laser-engraved:

Pete

That looks........FANTASTIC!!

Cheers

 

[prv]

That looks........FANTASTIC!!

Thanks.

That was the old boat; I'm about to do something similar on the new one.

Pete

 

[coopec]

I bought a Brother P-Touch PT-1230PC Label Printer"

My labels bought from BEP online cost around $30-$40. Maybe I should buy a Label Printer? What did yours cost (may I ask?)

 

[nigelmercier]

Brother P-Touch PT-1230PC Label Printer ... What did yours cost (may I ask?)

I gave a link to it on Amazon, but here it is again:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B001N7FKV8/dolcetto-21

Pete's panel does indeed look excellent. I'm intrigued by the automatic steaming light; does this rely on the navigation lights being on, and how do you detect the engine running?

 

[prv]

I'm intrigued by the automatic steaming light; does this rely on the navigation lights being on, and how do you detect the engine running?

It's simple enough. There's a relay with the contacts on the nav light circuit and the coil on the engine circuit. So if the engine is running (strictly speaking, if the engine panel power is turned on, equivalent to having the key in the "run" position, but that's never left on with the engine stopped) and the nav lights are turned on, the steaming light will be on.

The nav light circuit also powers the compass light, and is connected to a sense line on the elderly VDO instruments that causes them to turn on their internal lights.

Pete

 

[coopec]

I bought a Brother P-Touch PT-1230PC Label Printer
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B001N7FKV8/dolcetto-21

You can also get cheaper ones, but the advantage if this type is that you can design the labels on the PC.

Nigel

Thanks for that.

Recently I bought some adhesive backed vinyl sheets (A4) on ebay from the UK which I can use in my Canon inkjet printer I've downloaded some very small drawings of old sailing ships and stuck them on some white cupboard doors as they looked a bit grim. (The result was a big improvement).

The problem is that ink from the inkjet printer will "run" if it gets wet. The supplier advised to spray the sheet with clear lacquer after printing. Now I'm making up signs "LIFE JACKETS UNDER SEAT" "FIRE EXTINGUISHER" etc. That will save a lot of money as signs bought from boat equipment suppliers are not cheap

Cheers