Boat Rewiring Help

[captainUni]

Hello fellas, I'm thinking about rewiring my boat making it more simple and also updating some of the electronics like chargers, inverters, etc. Where can i find more info and schematics for this project?

[xymotic]

Boatowner's electrical by Nigel Calder

[chrisferro]

The book: "The 12 Volt Bible for Boats" by Brotherton and Sherman is another good one.

[phorvati]

Each components should have a schematic on its own. There are various theories on how to go about this. Calder seems to make a lot of sense to me. Blue sea systems has good house wiring schematics.
These guys had the cheapest prices on marine grade wiring...
Welcome to BBW !

[CharlieJ]

The Calder book referenced above can be found here:Boatowner's Mechanical and Electrical Manual: How to Maintain, Repair, and Improve Your Boat's Essential Systems: Nigel Calder: 9780071432382: Amazon.com: Books .

It is the reference book.

[SVTatia]

You can find excellent information here:

Electrical Systems 101

[sailinglegend]

Originally Posted by SVTatia

You can find excellent information here:

Electrical Systems 101

Please don't post links to sites you have to join and pay money too view.

[evm1024]

Originally Posted by CharlieJ

The Calder book referenced above can be found here:Boatowner's Mechanical and Electrical Manual: How to Maintain, Repair, and Improve Your Boat's Essential Systems: Nigel Calder: 9780071432382: Amazon.com: Books .

It is the reference book.

If you are handy and take the time to read this book cover to cover you will be oceans ahead of others and be ready to take on most any boat electrical job.

Get the book, start reading and ask questions when you hit a road block. (ask them in this thread) Then keep the book for a reference.

Regards

[SVTatia]

Originally Posted by sailinglegend

Please don't post links to sites you have to join and pay money too view.

uh?

[captainUni]

Thanks guys for all the input. But here's another question. Would it be ideal to have a charger/inverter as one unit to be my main system like the Magnum? Or two separate unit a charger and a inverter? I always thought two separate units are better than one in case it breaks down. Any thoughts?

[LJH]

I have had a ME2000 charger/inverter for the last year and am very happy with it. I was concerned about space, cooling and had an ideal spot to mount it. I did not have the space close to the battery bank to install two units.

[captainUni]

So sounds to me the real advantage is space saving.

[Stray-Cat]

And cost saving with the combo inv/charger
A combination invertor charger has been the normal standard setup for the last 20 years

[Maine Sail]

Originally Posted by sailinglegend

Please don't post links to sites you have to join and pay money too view.

You don't need to "join" the C-34 association to read their excellent forums..

[Maine Sail]

Originally Posted by captainUni

Thanks guys for all the input. But here's another question. Would it be ideal to have a charger/inverter as one unit to be my main system like the Magnum? Or two separate unit a charger and a inverter? I always thought two separate units are better than one in case it breaks down. Any thoughts?

While Magnaum is an excellent product, and great company to deal with, I see far to many I/C's fail and when they do you often lose both invert and charge features when they do.

Two weeks ago it was a dead remote on an I/C that caused the owner to lose his bank of batteries. Not that this can't happen with separates but sometimes breaking them apart can be beneficial because you can pick and choose your components.. Chargers tend to fail with more regularity than do inverters, in my experience, and with "support & repair" being so short these days on a products life cycle replacing a charger becomes a lot less costly than buying a whole new I/C... If these things were more reliable sure but I don't find them to be...

I/C's save on space for sure but do weigh the odds.... I still install a lot of I/C's and they are usually considerably easier to install and separates but WHEN they fail, not IF, they get costly to replace..

As for books, based on customer feed back, I like to recommend:

Boatowners Illustrated Electrical Handbook Second Edition by Charlie Wing


Most of my customers feel this book explains it well, follows current safety regs but does not go over your head. Calder's book is great if you want every last detail but I find novices with electrics say they like Charlie's book a little better....