Andy Johnson - The boat electrics bible: a practical guide to repairs, installations and maintenance on yachts and motorboats

This electronic edition published in 2015 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

Adlard Coles Nautical

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First published 2015

Adlard Coles Nautical, 2015

Andy Johnson has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as Author of this work.

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Contents

Welcome to boat electrics

If you have never attempted electrical work on a boat, or are reluctant to try, this book takes the mystery out of the wires, switches, fuses and other parts associated with a boats battery powered, low voltage electrical equipment. Where necessary, the detailed explanations will enable you to gain a good insight into how it all works.

Many boatowners may feel unsure about tackling any electrical problems on their boat. However, with some basic knowledge and understanding, most aspects of the battery based, low voltage electrics that you are likely to find on your boat can be tackled.

It is not necessary to have a lot of complicated tools and equipment a few basic items including a multimeter should be enough. The main focuses are to understand what is necessary to install a new piece of equipment and how to find and rectify problems or faults in existing systems.

Safety is always paramount and all aspects of working on boats have potential dangers. The low voltage battery based (12 volt and 24 volt) electrical systems are inherently safe but care is necessary because the batteries store a substantial amount of energy. Although mains electricity on board is discussed, working on high voltage systems is not covered in as much detail.