Reference book for repairs/modifications

[EpicAdventure]

What is a good book that I could buy to use as reference as I start to do systems modifications and upgrades. Something that would help with questions like the following:

1) What type of wire to use?
2) What gauge of wire for different lengths/current draws.
3) What type connection should be used? Soldered + heat shrink? Crimp?
4) Is a LPG sniffer required to meet ABYC standards? Where should it be located?
5) Type of fuel line, type of sewage hose, type of water hose, etc. etc.

You get the picture....

[Faster]

Dan Spurr's "Upgrading the Cruising Sailboat"; Ferenc Mates' "From a Bare Hull"

For wire specs/ampacity get a copy of your local electrical code;

[svHyLyte]

Try This Old Boat, Don Casey, Book - Barnes & Noble . Great reference.

[paul323]

I second This Old Boat. An excellent all-rounder, with basic info on all sailboat systems from hull repair to making your own sails to plumbing!

My other primary reference book is Nigel Calder's Boatowner's Mechanical and Electrical Manual. It goes into more detail on Electrical and Mechanical systems, and is available in many libraries.

[mitiempo]

In addition to the books suggested here's a great link for wire sizing. Just fill in the blanks and you get the answer. AWG by wire length/amps calculator Set the voltage drop to 3% in the first box. Use tinned multistrand marine wire.
I don't think your local electrical code will help much with DC.
A good ratcheting crimper and heat shrink will give you a durable waterproof connection but some may disagree. Here's a link to the best wiring how-to I've seen. Marine Wire Termination Photo Gallery by Compass Marine at pbase.com
I don't think a sniffer is required but I would certainly install one. I like the ones with solenoid control built in. The tank can be closed and the sniffer is still active. East to install as well. Here's a link to Electro Systems. Propane Detectors for Boats and RVs
I have installed many of these, and the one on the far right is my preference.

ps I think while "From a Bare Hull" is a good book, it is a bit out of date.

[lydanynom]

I have several of the books mentioned so far and would not try to talk you out of purchasing any of them, but really I would go (and have been going) to the internet first for answers to most anything like your example questions.


On the specific question of electrical connections, for example, most of the well known books seem to have out of date advice and my gut-instinct answer -- solder + heat shrink -- turns out to be incorrect in the context of boat wiring. ABYC, among others, recommend against it in an application like this and for a variety of good reasons.

Single-crimp, heat shrink connectors a la Ancor or 3M appear to be the right answer here.

I know this particular thing primarily because Maine Sail has a really good writeup on the topic complete with pictures around here somewhere.

The internet is your friend for really nailing down the details, determining the current consensus regarding best practices, and etc. ;-) The books are nice for getting a broad overview, reading with your feet up on the boat, and like that.

[sailingdog]

Originally Posted by EpicAdventure

What is a good book that I could buy to use as reference as I start to do systems modifications and upgrades. Something that would help with questions like the following:

1) What type of wire to use?

Marine grade tinned stranded wire, like that from Berkshire or Pacer. Ancor is overpriced and not as good IMHO.

2) What gauge of wire for different lengths/current draws.

Depends a lot on the length of run and current drawn.

3) What type connection should be used? Soldered + heat shrink? Crimp?

You should use adhesive-lined heat shrink covered terminal, like those available from FTZ or Krimpa-Seal. Crimp them with a ratcheting single crimp tool, like this one, available at Fastenal.



Krimpa-seal 320 piece kit is available from Fastenal as well.

BTW, Maine Sail's excellent tutorial on Marine Wire Termination is located HERE

4) Is a LPG sniffer required to meet ABYC standards? Where should it be located?

No, I don't believe it is required, but it is a good idea to have. Mount the sensors down lower in the cabin, as LPG is heavier than air, and mounting them higher up will delay detection.

5) Type of fuel line, type of sewage hose, type of water hose, etc. etc.

You get the picture....

Fuel line MUST be USCG-approved. The smaller hoses for the head should be Trident 148 and the larger ones (1-1/2" containing sewage) should be Trident 101/102.

[lydanynom]

Originally Posted by sailingdog

Crimp them with a ratcheting single crimp tool, like this one, available at Fastenal.

That is a really nice tool, but for ~$25 instead of $90 something like this might make more sense for many of us.

[mitiempo]

That is a good type of double crimper for non-heatshrink terminals. It will however damage the heat shrink a lot of the time if using terminals with heat shrink. For these you want a single crimp tool like dog showed. There is probably a more affordable single crimp tool available as well for occasional use.

As far as books, "This Old Boat", the newest edition and Nigel Calder's "Boatowner's Mechanical and Electrical Manual" are the only 2 you might need.

[sailingdog]

One advantage the tool I pointed out has is that it can do 8 AWG wire, which a lot of the others can not. It is also available for far less at other retailers...and when it is on sale at Fastenal. I bought one on my recent delivery, since the captain didn't have one aboard, and they were on sale for about $60. I'd point out that buying cheap tools is generally a mistake.... you generally pay for them twice—once when you buy them, and then once when you buy what you should have bought in the first place....