Sailboat Electrics Simplified (PB)

Don't Be Baffled by Your Electrical System--Handle Repairs and Improvements with Ease With clear illustrations and simple explanations, Don Casey shows you exactly how to install wiring . . . make good, safe connections . . . match your battery bank and alternator to your needs . . . troubleshoot problems quickly . . . avoid shore power problems . . . and more--all without a lot of technical jargon."Don Casey's book provides clear guidance on how to create and maintain a robust electrical system. Don's lucid explanations and numerous illustrations make what is normally mysterious and invisible--electricity--into something the reader is able to understand with confidence. An excellent addition to the sailor's seagoing library."--Chuck Hawley

List of contents

Introduction1. Safety FirstBattery Acid; Containment; Spark; Explosive Gas; Fire; Corrosive Fumes; Fuse2. Understanding the Basics

Terminology

Amp; Volt; Ohm; Watt

Three-Part Harmony

Ohm's Law; Power; Load Calculations; Desert Algebra

Circuits

Not Like Water; Boys Will Be Boys; Polarity; Open and Closed; Series; Parallel; Extra Credit

AC/DC

Magnetism and Current; Current; Polarity; Loads; Voltage; Power Factor; Safety Revisited3. Battery

The Basic Cell

Fully Charged; Discharging; Fully Discharged; Charging; Gassing; Shedding; Plate Sulfation; Inefficiencies

Batteries

Internal Construction; Plate Thickness; Spongy Lead; Self Discharge; Starting or House?

Battery Choices

Automotive--Conventional Flooded; Maintenance-Free; Deep-Cycle; Gel Cell; Scales Don't Lie; Absorbed Glass Mat; Selection Chart

Capacity

Amp-Hours; Cycle Life; Weight and Amp-Hours; Cold-Cranking Amps; Marine-Cranking Amps; Reserve Minutes

Sizing Batteries

Load Calculation Redux; The Alternative to Bigger Batteries; House Bank; Starting Battery; Powering Inverters

Installation

Series; Golf-Cart Batteries; Parallel; Matching; Negative Ground; Temperature

Maintenance

Discharge; Recharging; Water; Clean and Dry; Terminal Corrosion; Voltage; SG and Voltage; Specific Gravity; Keep Records4. Wire

Wire Selection

Construction; Size; 10% Drop; 24 Volts; Insulation

Routing

High and Dry

Connections

Crimp Connectors; Crimping; Soldering; Tinning the Soldering Iron; Heat-Shrink; Bare Wires; Wire Nuts

Overload Protection

Fuses; Circuit Breakers; Sizing; Installing; Supply Side; Equipment Protection

Switches

SPST; DT; DP; Battery Selector

Neatness Counts

Labeling; No More Than Four; Terminal Strips; Junction Boxes; Right Angles; Spiral Wrap; Panel Location

Coax

Size; Construction; Connections; Weatherproofing; Backstay Connection

Copper Ribbon

5. Circuits

Wiring Diagrams

Symbols; More about Ground

Circuitry Step by Step

Closed Circuit; Open Circuit; Overload Protection; Series; Parallel; Real World

Mapping Your Own Boat

AC Caution; WYSIWYG; Circuit Diagrams; Master Diagram; Layout Schematic; Signal Wires6. Troubleshooting

Signs of Trouble

Dimming; House of Cards; Sluggish Starting; Flickering; Blown Fuse; Ground Return; Heat; Odor; Heat Loss; Corrosion; Wet Wiring; Rat's Nest

Test Light

Make or Buy; Using a Test Light

Digital Multimeter

Digital vs. Analog; Auto Ranging; Polarity; Clamp-On Meters

Meter Fundamentals

Connecting Test Leads; Measuring Voltage; Measuring Current; Measuring Resistance (or Lack Thereof)

Troubleshooting with a Meter

Voltmeter Tests; Multimeter Connections; Zero Adjust; Checking Your Hydrometer; Extending Your Reach; Kirchoff's Law; Ohmmeter Tests; Masthead Lights; Changing Resistance; Ammeter Tests7. Charging Systems

Alternators

Output; Pulley Ratio; Sizing; Ignition Protection; Expecting Too Much

Regulators

Standard Regulator; Fooling the Regulator; Manual Controller; Three-Step Regulator; Equalization--The Fourth Step; Charging Gel Batteries

Alternator and Regulator Wiring

Output; Internal Regulation; Attached Regulator; External Regulation; Polarity; Excitation; Surge Protection

Alternator Maintenance

Belts; Connections; Bearings and Brushes

Troubleshooting Alternators and Regulators

Alternator Output; Regulator Faults; Excitation; Bypassing a Faulty Regulator; Diodes

Battery Switching

The Sta

About the author

Don Casey abandoned his career in banking in 1983 to devote more time to cruising and writing. His work combining these two passions soon began to appear in many popular sailing and boating magazines. He is the author of the best-selling This Old Boat, and six other International Marine titles. He and his wife, Olga, are currently cruising and living aboard their boat. HOMETOWN: Miami, Florida

Product details

• Authors: Don Casey, Casey Don
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 11.07.2023
• EAN: 9781265932176
• ISBN: 978-1-265-93217-6
• No. of pages: 192
• Weight: 340 g
• Illustrations: Illustrationen, nicht spezifiziert
• Subjects: Guides > Sport > Water sport, sailing; NON-CLASSIFIABLE, Sports & outdoor recreation, Stationery and miscellaneous items