Duff Wiring Installation - Lesson Learnt !

[David_Old_Jersey]

Not me. Me Father (77 with a 33' foot twin engined motorboat - kept on a drying mud berth).

This winter he finally decided to fit remote Battery Switches so he didn't have to lift the engine covers (x2 of the 4 and heavy feckers ) every time he came onboard. and every time he left. It's been on the list for a dozen years

Anyway, Aged Parent used to be an electrician - back when electrikery was all new and exciting (at least in Britain it was), so he is not as phased by bits of wire as I am.........so over the winter he acquired the bits and pieces needed. and gradually installed them. The Starboard engine connected up no problem a month back. The final connection (for the Port engine) was made last week.............absolutely feck all Obviously a lot of checking went on, wiggling of wires and checking connections to no avail - not even a squeak.

Diagnosis was a duff battery - getting on a bit, and hadn't been used for a few months. Obviously these are full sized batteries. 4 foot down in the bilge. But he got it out on his own. then decided it would be a good idea to nick one of my fairly new batteries (in his garage on charge).......so he managed to carry that one accross the harbour (tide out ) up 5 foot of boarding ladder and down 4 foot of bilge...........connected up and f#ck all I will cut out the next bit of checking and wiggling of wires. and swearing........

.......but the answer I wish to share was 3 stage:-

a) put the kettle on and have a cuppa tea
b) think carefully
c) and then make sure you are turning the battery switch fully to on .......and not just within a fraction of an inch of making the connection Afterwards he said it was always stiff to operate. I think he was still talking about the battery switch............

[Pblais]

I think he was still talking about the battery switch............

You need a full break before make switch. Last advice is never leave your battery in someone else's garage - especially a relative. Being charged they are too good not to borrow.

[troppo]

Can't say he was getting too old and weak to turn the switch properly. Not after he was able to haul batteries out and carry them around and put them back in. My back twinges just thinking about it from the time I had recharging problems and was hauling batteries back and forth - out of boat into dinghy, out of dinghy onto wharf, carry from wharf along narrow rock wall shortcut to where car was parked, from car to recharger at place I was staying then when charged take it back to boat. Good on ya Dad!!

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

...........
.......but the answer I wish to share was 3 stage:-

a) put the kettle on and have a cuppa tea
b) think carefully
c) and then make sure you are turning the battery switch fully to on .......and not just within a fraction of an inch of making the connection Afterwards he said it was always stiff to operate. I think he was still talking about the battery switch............

Great story, will improve with the tellings - especially as the facts dim and drinks take over .

Seriously, points a & b are usually the beginnings of the answer to any puzzling problem, thanks for reminding us.

[DeepFrz]

LOL...I'm not your dad, am I? Maybe its the generation?

[SkiprJohn]

Coulda happened to me except for the carrying batteries part unless they were small.
kind regards,

[David_Old_Jersey]

LoL

Can't say I would have been keen to carry that battery around - good news is that his boat is moored next to mine. So at least one of them is half way there

For 77 quite impressive ............in a few months time he gets to take his annual OAP doolally test - gets to take his motorboat around the coast of Jersey (lots of rocks and tides - navigation not straightforward). He does it mostly by paper and bearings and experiance - which is just as well as last year he found enroute that all his GPS waypoints had been wiped He always says that if he gets to the stage of going doolally he doesn't want to be around - I always tell him that no problem, he fails his doolally test and he goes over the side

[anjou]

Your dear old dad wouldnt want to carry my lil beauties, they weigh almost three quarters of a ton.

Brains beats braun every time