[Public-List] Electrical Systems

Gordon Laco via Public-List public-list at lists.alberg30.org
Wed Oct 14 13:03:35 PDT 2015 

Thanks for the prod, yes I finally get it...


On 2015-10-14, 4:01 PM, "Wes Gardner" <wesgardner1952 at gmail.com> wrote:

> "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 <tel:301%20852%200619>
>>>>>> 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 <http://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
>>>>>>> <http://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
>>>>>>> <http://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:
>>>>>>> > >>> http://www.alberg30.org/store/A30supporters.html
>>>>>>> > >>> Please support them.
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>>>>>>> > >>> Public-List at lists.alberg30.org
>>>>>>> > >>> http://lists.alberg30.org/listinfo.cgi/public-list-alberg30.org
>>>>>>> > >>>
>>>>>> > >>
>>>>>> > >>
>>>>> > >
>>>> >
>>>> >
>>>> > _______________________________________________
>>>> > These businesses support your Association:
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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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>> 
> 
>

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