Quote:
Originally Posted by nzmal
Hey thanks to those of you who gave advice without becoming too condescending. I've sorted the issue.
Replaced the fused wire between the alternator and starter. Alternator tested bad so fitted the spare. All working well.
I may not know the correct terminogy or explain myself well but given sound advice I can sort issues. It was a stupid mistake but I owned it and fixed it.
Owning a boat is a steep learning curve for me but I'm growing and learning.
I can now do a multitude of boat tasks but I still have to admit vulnerability. Getting advice helps. Using professional for every little event keeps me vulnerable when none are around. ( Like 4 days before Christmas)
Cheers everyone.
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Hi Nzmal,
Your point is quite valid and your ambition to learn to deal yourself with boat problems is a good one. It can be a problem not just around the holidays. By it's very nature, sailing and cruising takes one away from immediate assistance. Even a few miles from the
dock can make it difficult to find a tech and a few hundred miles off into the islands it could be impossible.
If I may offer an excuse for some of the skepticism in this discussion,
electrical repair is an area that does offer more potential hazards than most other kinds of boat
maintenance. While not as dangerous as working on high voltage AC there is the potential even with 12V DC for injury or fire. I feel certain that the suggestions here to contact a professional were motivated by concern for the
safety of you and your boat and not due to arrogance.
Of course you noticed a number of comments (including my own) about the terminology you used in describing the problems. Like things boaty,
electrical has its own language for a good reason. Electrical issues can be quite complex and to give an accurate description of something electrical requires accurate language. Even with pros accurate language may be insufficient and it often requires drawings and diagrams to sort things out.
If I may suggest, a good next step in furthering your electrical expertise is to pick up a boat
repair book with a section on basic to intermediate electrical repair. A really excellent book is Nigel Calder's
Boatowners Mechanical and Electrical Manual. This does cover basics but may be a little advanced for a first book on the subject. It is also a great reference on all things
marine. Another option, one of the classics is
The 12V Doctor's Practical Handbook which can be downloaded free on the
internet.
Good luck and glad you sorted your problem. Keep at it and shortly you'll be an expert offering advise on this forum.