Re wiring a Yacht........ Were do you start ???

bluepippa

New member
Joined
30 Mar 2005
Messages
53
Location
Solent
www.bluepippa.co.uk
Ok so, Ive built an extension at home, including electrics, Ive fitted radios to the car etc etc, but I would like to get down and dirty on the boat and get to grips with the electrics.

Can anyone suggest a realy good book which covers, alternators/ switches / shore power / charging etc etc.

I am convinced that my jeanneau could do with some tlc in the sparky department,and I know I am not getting the best from my batteries...

HELP anyone

Cheers
Daryl
 

Vara

Active member
Joined
20 Feb 2004
Messages
7,015
Location
Canterbury/Dover
Visit site
Good resource HERE

Also Electrics Afloat by Alastair Garrod,published by A&C Black in assosciation with PBO.

Not endorsing either as I am not knowledgable enough,in fact I am electrical ignoramus but have used both and nothing has blown up or fallen off yet(touch wood).
 

Skysail

Well-known member
Joined
30 Sep 2004
Messages
1,179
Location
Victoria BC
Visit site
Re the Reading College link above, their two day 'Electrics for Boaters' course is very good and very reasonably priced.

In that time you wire an engine circuit and a domestic circuit, along with much other useful info.
 

aluijten

New member
Joined
26 Oct 2004
Messages
1,158
Location
Dordrecht, The Netherlands
Visit site
Before starting I would first start collecting the needed materials, either new or second hand. If second hand you can seve a bunde if you're patient (Ebay). Make a good plan and talk it over with friends, you're bound to forget something. Also look into the future, what will your next gadget be? Do not save on connectors and wire diameter.
Think before act.

Good luck, it can be a hell of a job.

Arno
 

PaulS

New member
Joined
14 Aug 2004
Messages
115
Visit site
Other books might include:
12-Volt Bible For Boats, Minor Brotherton
Boatowner's Mechanical and Electrical Manual, Nigel Calder
 

spannerman

Well-known member
Joined
30 Nov 2002
Messages
3,151
Visit site
I would suggest making a sketch as you obviously intend to improve on what you had before.
I would plan to have a distribution panel some place with associated fuses\breakers and work out from that and then back to the batteries, and as others have stated allow for future expansion.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Most important, only use tinned wire. Available from Farnell or JG Technologies The Basement 23 Trinity Road Weymouth
01305 787788 www.MarineElectronics.info

Cheapest electronics supplier in UK
 

roger

New member
Joined
16 May 2001
Messages
1,142
Location
Overwinter in Sweden, sail in Northern Baltic, liv
Visit site
A few suggestions

1. Try to look at some professional installations - you might find good or bad practices but you'll learn.
2. Make good diagrams both of what you planned and what you actually put in.
3. Make sure you can put more wires in when you want to. Theres always one more gadget.
4 Label all the wires - at both ends.
5. Instrument panels are horribly expensive. YOu can design your own and get a local engraver to make it up including the hole drilling for a reasonable fee. They are small businesses, independent operators and need to get work in. They make plactic nameplates in a multilayer plactic, cutting through one layer to get the colour contrast for the lettering.
 

pandos

Well-known member
Joined
15 Oct 2004
Messages
3,038
Location
Ireland, (Crosshaven)
Visit site
Try merlin in poole I bought a system from them and are currently fitting it, the handbook and the gear are first class.

It is simple to fit by following the instructions and I imagine the cost will be recouped when I sell the boat.

Beware of second hand panels. I tidyed the system that was in the boat. I put on new tails but I reused the existing panel, The panel caught fire, the only explaination was that salt had builtup on some component and had led to a chain reaction that bypassed the tripswitches.

Much of the wiring that I fitted last year is already showing signs of corrosion it is not tinned but I bought it in a chandlery as marine grade.


Beware.
 

RivalRedwing

Well-known member
Joined
9 Nov 2004
Messages
3,687
Location
Rochester, UK, boat in SYH
Visit site
Following the comments of others - do not skimp on either the wiring, connectors or tools for the job. Get a good quality crimping tool, do not even consider using one of the cheap ones often sold in DIY shops with a meagre selection of crimps. I've tended to source crimp terminals and tools from Vehicle Wiring Products but be aware that the wire they sell is not tinned and therefore best avoided.
Think carefully about cable runs and how to neatly bundle cables together behind the switch panels. Use a good quality switch panel from Merlin or similar, the cheap ones often seen in chandlers start corroding within a couple of years. Make sure all circuits are fused, preferrably with a breaker which can be reset.
A poor quality re-wiring will always be found out when the boat is surveyed.
 

Mudhook

New member
Joined
16 Oct 2001
Messages
324
Location
South Norfolk
Visit site
You've got lots of good advice here, all of which I would concur with. When I asked the same question I was advised to read Calder, the 12-Volt bible, etc, but started with Alastair Garrod's Electric afloat. In fact it was all I need to design and complete a total rewire on my 27ft yacht. It really is just about as comprehensive as you need.

My recommendations? Don't skimp on wire or connectors (as has been said), don't go overboard in terms of complexity and gadgets, and draw what you've done for your own good and the next owner of your boat. Bits from Merlin; I used a lot of Blue Sky stuff which is really good quality.

A year on, it's the only bit of our boat that hasn't given ANY trouble.

Regards, Mudhook.
 

tome

New member
Joined
28 Mar 2002
Messages
8,201
Location
kprick
www.google.co.uk
Lots of good advice, especially about doing a diagram to keep safe on board.

One additional tip. Give each wire a number and mark the number at either end of all cables using idents. Makes it much easier to troubleshoot in the future.
 
Top