Basic reading for the starting boat-electrician

[Dutch Peter]

To get this started, can anyone recommend some basic reading for the starting boat-electrician.
I'm thinking about:
- calculating required power, wire thicknesses, fuses.
- simple projects, "start-to-finish"-type, making a diagram and then getting it in the boat.
- Different power sources, pro's and con's
- materials to be used and not, what's available, how to use.
- etc. etc.

[dionysis]

Yup, you got me too. I'll see what I can rustle up as far as beginner's info is concerned.

Although I must say, we tried to start an engineering forum last year; which is another forum that should be on this site too, but lack of follow through, or pressing interest meant that it just didn't get going. No real threads were created.

Here is an excellent intro for electricity on board.

From http://www.victronenergy.com/

[mmd]

"The Marine Electrical and Electronics Bible" - John C. Payne, 2nd Ed., 1998, Sheridan House, Dobbs Ferry NY, ISBN 1-57409-060-7

A good, practical how-to book for boat owners and builders. Not a design text.

[yipster]

have the "12 volt bible for boats" here and some other books but dug up marine electrics (and more like hydrolics etc when going to the site's index) http://www.free-ed.net/fr02/lfc/cour...04/default.asp

i see now the links "hang" maybe they are updating, maybe provider, if not better soon i'll take the link away, was a good one though

[dionysis]

That's a good link yipster

[hmattos]

I know they are specific suppliers, but Delphi do a good guide to Marine Batteries and the current drains and sizes required. Also Ancor Marine - whose products we use in all or our boats - are a good source of information on cable sizing against voltage drops and lengths. Their products are good - if expensive - too

[Dutch Peter]

Originally Posted by hmattos

I know they are specific suppliers, but Delphi do a good guide to Marine Batteries and the current drains and sizes required. Also Ancor Marine - whose products we use in all or our boats - are a good source of information on cable sizing against voltage drops and lengths. Their products are good - if expensive - too

Do you have any links to those?

[hmattos]

Peter,
Try the Delpi website at delphiauto.com and the Ancor Marine site at ancorproducts.com Regards Hugh Mattos Explorer Marine

[Corpus Skipper]

ABYC has the best info as far as boat electrical systems go. I printed out a lot of info from their web site that I use for install/repair/replacement work.