Full Description
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
Contents
Introduction1. Safety FirstBattery Acid; Containment; Spark; Explosive Gas; Fire; Corrosive Fumes; Fuse2. Understanding the BasicsTerminologyAmp; Volt; Ohm; WattThree-Part HarmonyOhm's Law; Power; Load Calculations; Desert AlgebraCircuitsNot Like Water; Boys Will Be Boys; Polarity; Open and Closed; Series; Parallel; Extra CreditAC/DCMagnetism and Current; Current; Polarity; Loads; Voltage; Power Factor; Safety Revisited3. BatteryThe Basic CellFully Charged; Discharging; Fully Discharged; Charging; Gassing; Shedding; Plate Sulfation; InefficienciesBatteriesInternal Construction; Plate Thickness; Spongy Lead; Self Discharge; Starting or House?Battery ChoicesAutomotive--Conventional Flooded; Maintenance-Free; Deep-Cycle; Gel Cell; Scales Don't Lie; Absorbed Glass Mat; Selection ChartCapacityAmp-Hours; Cycle Life; Weight and Amp-Hours; Cold-Cranking Amps; Marine-Cranking Amps; Reserve MinutesSizing BatteriesLoad Calculation Redux; The Alternative to Bigger Batteries; House Bank; Starting Battery; Powering InvertersInstallationSeries; Golf-Cart Batteries; Parallel; Matching; Negative Ground; TemperatureMaintenanceDischarge; Recharging; Water; Clean and Dry; Terminal Corrosion; Voltage; SG and Voltage; Specific Gravity; Keep Records4. WireWire SelectionConstruction; Size; 10% Drop; 24 Volts; InsulationRoutingHigh and DryConnectionsCrimp Connectors; Crimping; Soldering; Tinning the Soldering Iron; Heat-Shrink; Bare Wires; Wire NutsOverload ProtectionFuses; Circuit Breakers; Sizing; Installing; Supply Side; Equipment ProtectionSwitchesSPST; DT; DP; Battery SelectorNeatness CountsLabeling; No More Than Four; Terminal Strips; Junction Boxes; Right Angles; Spiral Wrap; Panel LocationCoaxSize; Construction; Connections; Weatherproofing; Backstay ConnectionCopper Ribbon5. CircuitsWiring DiagramsSymbols; More about GroundCircuitry Step by StepClosed Circuit; Open Circuit; Overload Protection; Series; Parallel; Real WorldMapping Your Own BoatAC Caution; WYSIWYG; Circuit Diagrams; Master Diagram; Layout Schematic; Signal Wires6. TroubleshootingSigns of TroubleDimming; House of Cards; Sluggish Starting; Flickering; Blown Fuse; Ground Return; Heat; Odor; Heat Loss; Corrosion; Wet Wiring; Rat's NestTest LightMake or Buy; Using a Test LightDigital MultimeterDigital vs. Analog; Auto Ranging; Polarity; Clamp-On MetersMeter FundamentalsConnecting Test Leads; Measuring Voltage; Measuring Current; Measuring Resistance (or Lack Thereof)Troubleshooting with a MeterVoltmeter Tests; Multimeter Connections; Zero Adjust; Checking Your Hydrometer; Extending Your Reach; Kirchoff's Law; Ohmmeter Tests; Masthead Lights; Changing Resistance; Ammeter Tests7. Charging SystemsAlternatorsOutput; Pulley Ratio; Sizing; Ignition Protection; Expecting Too MuchRegulatorsStandard Regulator; Fooling the Regulator; Manual Controller; Three-Step Regulator; Equalization--The Fourth Step; Charging Gel BatteriesAlternator and Regulator WiringOutput; Internal Regulation; Attached Regulator; External Regulation; Polarity; Excitation; Surge ProtectionAlternator MaintenanceBelts; Connections; Bearings and BrushesTroubleshooting Alternators and RegulatorsAlternator Output; Regulator Faults; Excitation; Bypassing a Faulty Regulator; DiodesBattery SwitchingThe Sta
