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Electrical Upgrade

6K views 25 replies 10 participants last post by  sailorjim 
#1 ·
Hello,
I have a ’76 Balboa 27’. The boat is in great shape except for the electrical system. I have removed the whole rats nest of wiring and am starting over. It is a very simple system. Two 12V batteries with a OFF-1-2-BOTH switch, minimal electronics on board, old Lucas 15ACR alternator and a panel to control and fuse the accessories and lights. I am planning to do the following and would really appreciate any advice, as I am somewhat of a novice to all of this.

1. Replace the alternator with something more modern with an external voltage regulator. Any advice on something compatible hardware-wise with the old (1973) Lucas?
2. Replace the solenoid. The current is circa 1972.
3. Install a shore power plug in the cockpit simply to run a battery charger. I need to source the right charger as well. Is it a good plan to run everything off of the batteries while on the dock while simultaneously charging the batteries?
4. Replace all switches and fuses for accessories.
5. Replace the key switch (start and glow plug) with momentary switches to avoid using the key. The current key looks about ready to fail!
6. Provide the means to add a GPS/Radar at some point.

My goal here is to have a reliable system that won’t leave me stranded. Thanks in advance for the help.
Keith
 
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#2 ·
buy Nigel Calder''s Mechanical & Electrical Manual.

FIRST DETERMINE YOUR NEEDS! start with a new circuit breaker panel with meters($350+) a house bank and starter battery($250+) 100 amp alternator ($250+) volt reg ($150+) tinned wire, cables, and connectors ($100) shore power with seperate panel ($350+), etc.
 
#3 ·
I just rewired my Mariner 39 to current ABYC standards. It was expensive but after seeing what shape the 20 year old wiring was in and the potential fire hazards I prevented it was worth the cost. I hired a professional marine electrician to do the work. The total cost was $7,200. I went with only the best wiring and panels. The panels alone were $2,300.

Again expensive, but when you consider that most of your problems on a cruising boat are either engine or electrical, the cost was worth the peace of mind I know have.

Tony
 
#4 ·
I am in the process of rewiring my mid ''70s 31 footer as well. Just finished the AC side using a new Paneltronics board with polarity warning and dedicated breaker switches for outlets & charger. On the DC side, I have a good breaker panel, but am going to a battery combiner to make a starting and house set up instead of the 1-2-both switch. Also replacing all suspect wiring and connections and doing a diagram. Suggest no shortcuts on bringing shorepower aboard. Instal (if not there) a 30 amp plug receptacle with a circuit breaker and polarity light. As to charger, no problem running DC appliances while its keeping the batteries up. Suggest a 3 stage 2 bank chager of whatever capacity makes sense for you.
 
#5 ·
oh this is gonna be bad....

I''m almost done rewiring my boat...

Whats the ABYC and where can I find their standards?

I used tinned wires, built my own switch and fuse box (breakers are EXPENSIVE!) and used liquid electrical tape on every connection, but I''d like to see what I need to now rip out and do over to get up to code (didnt know there was a code) I only used 14 gauge, but the longest run is 8 feet (20'' boat) so the loss isnt that bad. Blah..

-- James
 
#6 ·
ABYC is the American Boating and Yachting Council, the organization that establishes construction and safety standards for all boats within the US (electrical, propane, lightning, refrigeration, etc. They do testing and make recommendations. Kind of like Underwriters Laboratory (ULL.

I am not sure where you can find a copy of their electrical standards. You might ask your yard or a marine electrician and see if they will let you read the standards.

I highly recommend you follow the standards. There are things in there that us untrained folks would never think about, but which could cause a real fire and shock hazard. To ease your mind most of the standards are fairly easy to follow and don''t cost big bucks.

Good luck.

Tony
 
#7 ·
Ok Keith -

Here is the good news - I was COMPLETELY clueless about electrical stuff when I got my boat three years ago. In fact - I needed a friend who had some electrical background to do some very basic wiring! I have since learned and done a lot of electrical work on the boat including replacement of shore power plug, complete rewiring of the battery banks to the charger and alternator etc. It seems daunting - but it is NOT that hard!

Some general considerations:

Batteries: these are the heart of your electrical system and you want to size accordingly. So - you do need to estimate what your usage will be. Many books (I''m thinking particularly about Nigel Calder''s Boat and Electrical Systems) have tables that estimate what everything draws (lights, autopilots, etc.) You want to have capacity about 4 times your usage.

There are several different kinds of batteries. "Wet" batteries require you to check/top off the cells with distilled water on a fairly regular basis. Gel cell batteries are virtually maintenance free. If you can stand checking the fluid levels on the batteries - golf cart "wet" cells are your best bang for your buck.

Alternator: Think of installing a high output alternator with a charge regulator. When off the dock, this will be your main (only?) means of recharging.

Amp Meter: For about $200 bucks you can get a Heart Link ammeter/battery charge monitor. I highly recommend this. With this system you can tell EXACTLY what each electrical item on your boat draws (by turning off everything but the item you are measuring). You''ll know exactly what you are consuming and exactly the charge state of your batteries - indispensible!

Shore power: It''s easy enough to install a shore power plug. You then need to run it to your electrical pannel and from the pannel to a 3 step battery charger. It is fine to run your 12V stuff off the batteries when they charge.

It is also important to make sure you are using the appropriate wire/cable for the various run lengths from the alternator to the batteries to the switches and back to the engine block. Otherwise, you won''t get the most from your system.

If you want more information there is a book called "The 12 Volt Bible" that is pretty good and available on line or in most marine stores.

I HIGHLY recommend you contact Jack Rabbit Marine in Stamford CT to discuss your system. They are GREAT people and marine electrical systems is their specialty. They will know precisely the best equipment for your particular needs once they (and you) know what your needs are. If you provide the length of the various runs, they will prepare you wire lengths to order and finish the ends to marine standards.

By the way, don''t get all worried about the ABYC standards: it boils down to this: Various colored wire is used for various purposes to make sure you can identify the right wire when digging through your boat. Beyond that - use marine grade wire! You can use the cheaper THHN stuff from Home Depot (oil and water resistant) but the true marine grade stuff has the best coating and will stand up to the elements far better (You DO get what you pay for!). And when attaching ends (forks, but connectors etc.) to the end of the wire, make sure you use appropriate heat shrink tubing to prevent moisture from getting into the the connection and causing corrosion/shorting. Again - get the good heat shrink tubing from a marine store - it''s better than the cheap stuff from Home Depot. Do it right the first time and you will enjoy many, many more hours of a trouble free electrical system.

Good luck!

Stormer
 
#8 ·
I strongly disagree about ABYC code. There is a lot more to the standards than colored wire? Your description of how to set up your shore power is an example of not knowing about protection from cross polarization and the potential for AC/DC mixing in your circuit panel.

The standards are not complicated. Remember its the little things that kills people and starts boat fires.

Tony
 
#9 ·
Tony -

I wouldn''t take my posting as a "description of how to set up shore power" or anything else. No - I didn''t go into cross polarization protection in my post but than again I didn''t go into circuit set up or proper grounding either.

Properly installing an electrical system is a somewhat complicated thing to do - but by no means beyond the capability of someone with little electrical experience when they have access to knowledgeable parties and a desire to learn.

I''m sure you had a top rate electrical system put in for $7,200. I''m also sure you had a reason for paying an electrician that amount of money to do the install. I just hope the reason wasn''t that you thought doing the work yourself was beyond you.

I agree the ABYC code is important. I just think emphasis on the Code as the first step in designing a system is as relevant as emphasis on Coast Guard regs as a first step when learning to sail. Important - yes. Main focus - no.

A properly designed electrical system - one with input/assistance from marine electrical systems experts - will be designed with ABYC standards in mind. That having been done - and appropriate equipment purchased (marine pannels,etc. - which are compliant)the installer must make sure his/her wiring is up to code. And that pretty much comes down to appropriate guage wiring for the loads, coloring, and connections.

Stormer
 
#10 ·
Boy oh boy! I must have gotten it all wrong. Here I''ve been an ASE Certified Master automotive electrician for over 30 years and had no idea that a boat could be so much more complicated. I was even and electrical apprentice for two years and worked for H.K Porter building high voltage power substation transformers with delta three phase configurations and multi voltage taps. With all that i still never saw anything like this.

You can go nuts if you want to, as for me I keep it simple.

Here''s some experience for ya.

High priced boat battery charges that claim to be fully automatic will still boil your batteries dry.

High priced replacement alternators are made the same as cheap ones. I earned a good living fixing new state of the art alternators. external regulators are no more reliable than internal ones and need more wiring.

Your talking about an old small sailboat not a 50 foot world cruiser.

If you want to spare your boat from being eat-up with electrolisis. Don''t connect the green wire to your dock plug or in your power panel. Never bond anything 12v to anything 110a/c and viseversa.


I''d use an extension cord thru the anchor line hole and a 10 amp automatic charger from Wal-mart. 16ga lamp cord will last at least 10 years. 4 30amp-glass fuse holder to split anchor light and running lights and any other 12 volt applications from a cigarlighter socket inside and a 45 amp marine alternator the cheaper the better because price doesn''t gaurantee reliabillity or longevity.

Oh yes! When ever possible, solder your terminal ends. Otherwise use lineman crimpers not the cheap solderless crimping tools that allow the wire to slip out. Never use wire nuts(Fire nuts).
Jim
 
#13 ·
perterpan2k,
I''ve never heard of a three stage automatic charger boiling batts.
Automotive taper chargers do not provide a 3 stage charge and that is what deep cycle batts require.
Isn''t it true that marine alternaters have coated windings and interior electronics to guard against corrosion?
True, external regulaters are no more dependable than internal ones but external regs can usually be adjusted or shut down so batts won''t get hurt during a long motor or can be increased to charge batts quicker.
If a boat is treated as if it were a car, sooner ar later there''s going to be problems. Furthermore, I take great pride in providing my boat with the best money can buy or the best of my capabilities.

Dennis
 
#14 ·
OK... I''m confused. I just replaced the old AC copper bar terminal, tube fuse system on my boat with a Blue Sea panel (that I got a great deal on from SailNet, BTW). I used 12ga marine grade wiring, some of it shielded. I used the right crimper and ends and all that. It works great.

My question is that the boat came with shared grounds for AC and DC. Seems odd to me, but it''s worked for 25 years. Should I sever the ground connections?
 
#15 ·
This is what I discovered. I was having a serious electrolosis effect. I was going through zinks monthly. Thru hulls were litterly burning the wood around them. I nearly lost my rudder because several of the bolts had burned thru the wood. This was caused by a 30 volt dc current that was coming from the dock. It might have been from a phone or some other low dc source. However, I detected it with a digital volt meter connected between the dock power cord and the common ground of the boat. Once i seperated the grounds (AC from DC) and disconnected the green wire from the case ground the voltage totally dissapeared. The electrolisis ceased amediately. Conclusion! Keep them appart and interupt any dc flow of current to your boat. As long as you never come between 110 and the earth you''ll never feel a shock. Even holding a live wire in your bare hands. (Never do this intentully unless your a trained professional like myself!):)
As for 25 years. You will never know what was going on where it had been connected to in the past. Most Docks have had to come up to code. Unfortunattly! The code doesn''t take into considder the differances between a house and a boat with two seperate electrical systems and the extranious conditions in a harbor.
Jim W.
 
#16 ·
Dennis
i have to add water to my batteries regularly. 3 stage charges will indeed boil a battery dry. I have one and it is working properly. most maintenance free batteries are destroyed by these chargers in a year, two at best. I have plenty of fellow dockers that have boiled thier''s dry as well. you can buy equally automatic chargers at Wal-Mart. as to alternators, believe what you want. You swallowed the bait. the only differance is that marine alternators are sealed to prevent ignition. That''s unnecessary for diesel engines. Any regulator that can be adjusted is ancient technology. if long runs in cars hurt batteries then what would Sears do. I make alot of money fixing marine alternators. I''ve been at this for over 35 years. P.S. You know what they say about pride?
:) Jim
 
#17 ·
Below is a cut and paste of a section of ABYC website. Considering your goal, this seems like a good place to start.

Boatowner''s Illustrated Handbook of Wiring
Charlie Wing''s book is a user-friendly manual for on-board electrical projects, from fixing loose connections to rewiring your boat. The author de-mystifies the wiring of sail and power boats. DC and AC wiring materials and techniques are all covered, as are batteries, alternators, inverters, generators, corrosion control, and alternate energy installations (solar, wind and water). There are detailed instructions for wiring marine electronics and dozens of weekend projects such as installing cabin and navigation lights, burglar alarms, battery charge indicators, bilge alarms and much more. This 320 page hard bound book contains 450 illustrations.

Price: $26.95/Member; $29.95/Non-member (plus $6 shipping; Additional shipping fees will be charged for orders outside the U.S.; Maryland residents please add 5% sales tax.
 
#18 ·
Perhaps, after reading this, you''ll understand why Tony hired a proffessional Marine electrician.
It''s NOT that difficult, if you KNOW what you''re doing.
Most don''t.
Charlie Wing and Nigel Caulder have written excellent books on the subject, which still leave much to be desired.
I didn''t notice anyone (on this thread) mention a Galvanic Isolator (120VAC Shore Power) - but did note the advice to not connect AC Ground. This can KILL YOU !!!
CONNECT THE AC Ground !!!
Don''t solder joints - crimp and seal with epoxy-lined heat shrink.
Watch for March issue of "Good Old Boat".
Do LOTS of research.
Good luck
Gord
 
#19 ·
In all of the above messages, I have not seen one suggestion to mount a circuit breaker between the batteries and the boat circuit panel. In most boats, the batteries are installed low down in the boat with a battery selector switch alongside. This part is OK. However, the next part of the supply, the cable from the selector switch to the boat''s circuit breaker panel, is a source of danger. Depending on the number of batteries connected, the short circuit current can be in the vicinity of several hundred amps. Enough to burn a hole in the bottom of your boat or anything that the cable is touching.
I have actually installed three circuit breakers in my supply system. One is supplied from my battery selector switch and is rated at fifty amps. This supplies my normal boat circuit breakers for lights, instruments, refrigeration etc. the other two circuit breakers are supplied directly from my house battery and are rated at five amps each. One supplies the auxillary to my stereo radio so that it remembers the radio stations that I have programmed. This way, my favourite stations are always at hand and I don''t have to look for them. The other breaker is also supplied directly from the house battery and supplies my automatic bilge pump. This may seem to be a bit of overkill, but just imagine what can happen to your boat if that main supply cable from your batteries to your circuit panel is damaged? What is going to turn the current off?
 
#20 ·
Windancer, I agree. The proper designs I have seen in many installations actually have high-amp fuses as close to the Positve battery lead as possible to protect against shorts "somewhere downstream".

This does not elliminate the need for distribution circuit breakers. Just ''another'' protection for what "might" happen.
 
#21 ·
Hi guys
I just want to add a consideration concerning high amp fuse holders below boards. there highly suseptable to corrosion. especially near the battery. Heavy battery cables are if routed sensibly are fairly invunerable to damage. a fuse bar out of the reach of the elements adn away from or protected from any source of a short may be prefferable. I like circuit breakers because they reset. when you run out of fuses your left with foil.
Jim
 
#26 ·
I am in the process of upgrading all of my electrical system.. To date I have 2 six vo;t Trojan T-105 batteries connected in series, a 120 Amp alternator, an extenal regulator, Heat fuse and regualtor, a Heart Link 10 Monitor, a 13 breaker panel with battery amp gauges,and an 8 breaker panel. Later this summer I am going to add a solar panel (120 Volt.) I am also rewiring all circuts. The batteries will provide 225 amps, they are inexpensive and do not weigh like a D4 or D8. The alternator and related equipment was expensive (1027) form Jack Rabbit marine. I sent a list to Sailnet but they did not get back to me in time.

It is a lot of $$ and work but will be worth it as I will be energy independant as I can be. I run an Alder Barbour Super Cold machine, 2 GPS, a JRC Radar, occasionally a 13" TV and sometimes a stereo.
 
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