[Public-List] Electrical Systems
Wes Gardner via Public-List
public-list at lists.alberg30.org
Wed Oct 14 13:01:57 PDT 2015
"Current" thinking...get it ???
On Wed, Oct 14, 2015 at 3:49 PM, Wes Gardner <wesgardner1952 at gmail.com>
wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> So here's my current thinking (today anyway) regarding my electrical
> system and how I use the boat. A couple of givens are the fact(s) that I
> have no "high use" items onboard - I don't even have wind instruments, just
> a depth finder to confirm that the bump I just felt is, in truth, the
> bottom... I do have nav lights, which I think I might upgrade to use LEDs
> and a light near the galley as well as one in the head that can switch from
> white to red - these are florescent. I do recharge my ipad mini that I use
> for a speedo and that's about it. Oh yeah, steaming light and masthead
> light...
>
> Going "back" to a "standard" configuration seems to be the way to go. I
> have "grown up" with the good ole Perko switch and am fully aware of its
> faults (Do not switch to off when the motor's running, please). My Perko
> switch is "around the corner" from my electrical panel so there's really
> not an issue with "accidently" switching to OFF by those who are not "in
> the know." All switches on my panel are labeled. In fact they are color
> coded, so I can ask someone to just "turn on all the yellow ones" and all
> the functions for "day travel" will be activated. Then the next sequence
> is "turn on all the white ones" which sets us up for night travel...you get
> the picture.
>
> I do have two group 27 batteries under the floor boards - fairly typical
> for an Alberg I think. They'll be wired conventionally to the OFF/1/2/All
> Perko switch. The "house" panel and engine will be wired to the "C"
> terminal. Since the Perko switch basically sends current to and from
> wherever it is selected, I'll typically on a daysail just run the switch in
> the ALL position - motor runs, charges both...when the motor is off, the
> above mentioned "electronics" will use power from both.
>
> I can on the occasional overnight, to power up the anchor light and
> interior lights, switch the Perko switch to 1 or 2 so that the remaining
> battery stays "up" and is not accidentally drained.
>
> I do have a Guest Charge Pro charger that pretty much maintains the
> batteries when the boat is tied up.
>
> I do have a Blue Seas ACR installed by a PO which is meant to parallel
> (combines) batteries during charging, and isolates them when charging has
> stopped and after battery voltage has fallen. I'm uncertain as to whether
> I'll ever use the thing but it's there.
>
> The entire AC system was rewired and done pretty well - no house wire..
>
> Wes
>
> On Tue, Oct 13, 2015 at 11:44 AM, Kris Coward via Public-List <
> public-list at lists.alberg30.org> wrote:
>
>>
>> Nothing wrong with being intimidated by the DC-engine interface on an
>> A30. Pretty early on, I had to do a bit of re-wiring, and was halfway
>> terrified to connect the ground wire for most of the electrics back up
>> to the engine because the wire was red. It didn't take long before
>> another Alberger told me that Kurt Hansen was colourblind, and that if
>> the only thing that looked not-ground about a wire was that it was red,
>> then it's probably safe to treat it as ground.
>>
>> Needless to say, I've since rewired the entire boat.
>>
>> -K
>>
>> On Tue, Oct 13, 2015 at 11:00:42AM -0400, Gordon Laco via Public-List
>> wrote:
>> > Well I'm not particularly proud to say that SURPRISE's electrical
>> system is
>> > original. When we bought her she was like a time capsul from 1969.
>> Hardly
>> > used, everything original, even her sails and rigging.
>> >
>> > The wiring is long overdue to be replaced. The switch panel is still
>> the
>> > cheapo Brydon black plastic and to turn on the steaming light, we throw
>> the
>> > switch labeled 'windshield wiper', etc.
>> >
>> > I would have done the job before now, but I'm intimidated by the wiring
>> > system's interface with the engine. Yes, I know I shouldn't be (hello
>> Bob
>> > Crinion) but I am.
>> >
>> > Gord
>> > #426 Surprise
>> >
>> >
>> > On 2015-10-13, 10:56 AM, "Jonathan Bresler via Public-List"
>> > <public-list at lists.alberg30.org> wrote:
>> >
>> > > Mike,
>> > >
>> > > Yes, there have been modifications since the boats where built.
>> > > Hard to imagine that there are any original systems out there by now.
>> > >
>> > > In the maintenance manual and on the website, we have lots of
>> information
>> > > about various systems. Seems that electrical is unusually sparse.
>> That's
>> > > unfortunate, Nigel Calder seems to indicate that fires, electrical and
>> > > fuel, are
>> > > a major issue in damaging or destroying boats. Information available
>> to
>> > > both
>> > > new and veteran owners might be valuable.
>> > >
>> > > Something we should work on? Getting more information there ?
>> > >
>> > > Jonathan
>> > >
>> > > On Mon, Oct 12, 2015 at 12:49 PM, Mike Meinhold <
>> meinhold272 at gmail.com>
>> > > wrote:
>> > >
>> > >> Jonathan
>> > >> Almost all A30's have had significant changes to their wiring since
>> > >> delivery. Some much better than Whitby, some worse! The Whitby
>> diagram is
>> > >> good to help understand some of the wiring, but you really need to
>> make a
>> > >> wiring diagram of your boat first.
>> > >>
>> > >>
>> > >> I did not have main battery fuses when I got the boat. I mounted 2
>> 250 amp
>> > >> fuses blocks facing foward on the aft bulkhead of the after battery
>> > >> compartment. They have blown only once - when I made a stupid wiring
>> > >> mistake. If you have battery boxes - which you should - you
>> probably don't
>> > >> have room for box-mounted fuses.
>> > >>
>> > >> I replaced the little breaker box with a hinged panel under the
>> bridge
>> > >> deck - there are arguments against doing that due to potential
>> downflooding
>> > >> but I don't see much risk there.
>> > >>
>> > >> Mike
>> > >>
>> > >>
>> > >> Mike
>> > >> Michael J. Meinhold 301 852 0619 meinhold272 at gmail.com
>> > >>
>> > >> On Mon, Oct 12, 2015 at 12:15 PM, Jonathan Bresler via Public-List <
>> > >> public-list at lists.alberg30.org> wrote:
>> > >>
>> > >>> Folks,
>> > >>>
>> > >>> Looking around the alberg30.org website, it appears that the
>> information
>> > >>> available on the electrical system of our Alberg 30s consists of a
>> wiring
>> > >>> diagram from Whitby and a reference to Bill Darden's Battery FAQ. (
>> > >>> alberg30.org/maintenance/Electrical). Don't seem to find
>> electrical
>> > >>> information in the _Maintenance_Manual_, corrosion information is
>> there,
>> > >>> but not electrical.
>> > >>>
>> > >>> Been reading Nigel Calder, 250 pages into the 400+ he has on
>> electrical in
>> > >>> his most recent edition of
>> _Boatowner's_Mechanical_and_Electrical_Manual_
>> > >>> Whew, its a big read. Have looked at Don Casey's
>> > >>> _Sailboat_Maintenance_Manual_ (much shorter) as well as
>> > >>> _The_12_Volt_Doctor's_Practical_Handbook_.
>> > >>>
>> > >>> Am i missing the link to the electrical data on the website ?
>> > >>>
>> > >>> What have folks done with their electrical systems ?
>> > >>>
>> > >>> Example: Dont have fuses in the positive cables from the batteries
>> to
>> > >>> panel. Looks like Blue Sea has a Single Terminal Fuse Block that
>> can be
>> > >>> directly affixed to the battery that might be good, if there is
>> enough
>> > >>> vertical space available (about 2" required). Calder recommends of
>> 300A
>> > >>> ANL fuses to prevent nuisance blowing during starts. pyacht.com
>> > >>> recommends fuses in the DC mains. ABYC requires fuses within 7" of
>> the
>> > >>> battery. Casey wants us to install them as well.
>> > >>>
>> > >>> Jonathan
>> > >>>
>> > >>> --
>> > >>> Jonathan M Bresler
>> > >>> Alberg 30 #262
>> > >>> Annapolis/Eastport MD
>> > >>> _______________________________________________
>> > >>> These businesses support your Association:
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>> > >>>
>> > >>
>> > >>
>> > >
>> >
>> >
>> > _______________________________________________
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>>
>> --
>> Kris Coward http://unripe.melon.org/
>> GPG Fingerprint: 2BF3 957D 310A FEEC 4733 830E 21A4 05C7 1FEB 12B3
>> _______________________________________________
>> These businesses support your Association:
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>> Please support them.
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