Quote:
Originally Posted by Bash
You are again making unwarranted assumptions.
I certainly understand the ABYC standard that "solderless crimp-on connectors shall be attached with the type of crimping tools designed for the connector used...." (11.16.3.8) I also understand that the cruising sailor is often unable to access the proper tool for a #8 AWG terminal in real-world applications. Try calling for one on a VHF cruisers net and get back to me on how successful you were.
I resist the implication that electrical work should not be done by boat owners but should only be done by trained professionals in well-stocked workshops, lest the world suddenly come to an end as a result of the sky falling. It's just not that hard to crimp.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not against hiring marine electricians to work on boats. I myself hired a qualified marine electrician to track down a ground loop and install a shore-power transformer on a previous boat. It turned out that the ground loop had been caused not by the boat owner but by the refrigerator installation carried out by a commercial vendor. Who'd have known?
I do not in any way advocate shoddy crimps. I personally use a ratcheting crimp tool for 10-22 AWG, and feel it was well worth the investment over the more simple pliers-type crimper that is fine as far as ABYC standards. Although I don't own a crimper to deal with #8 AWG, I can assure you that I won't require a commercial electrician to repair any of the crimps on my boat at any time in the future.
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Bash,
If an owner is capable of doing proper electrical work on board, I fully support them going so. That's why I post to this forum.
I just finished a rewire of a boat the the previous owner had re-wired, all the dc circuits, and when the new owner purchased the boat, he hired a "Marine Electrician" to re-wire the AC circuits.
This owner just forked out 20K to me to again rewire the boat.
The problem with the owner work on the dc, was bad crimps, and woefully undersized wire. He felt it was ok to McGiver his own crimp tool.
Which I can only assume was a diagonal
cutter that had been filed down to dull. All of the 22-10 gauge wires just pulled loose with the slightest tug, dozens of the crimps showed signs of
heating. The energize to stop the
diesel circuit only worked intermittently, and the owner had to raise the
hatch and manually stop the
engine.
He also went to the same
school of crimping 8-2 gauge crimps with a vise grip and screw drive, as you did. Again these connections showed signs of
heating, and were easily dislodged with the slightest of tugs.
The "Marine Electrician" that did the AC circuits installed duplex #10 cable, with no
safety ground. He installed an
inverter as well, with no disconnect he simply spliced into the incoming
shore power 8 gauge wire then pigtailed out to the
inverter and the AC panel with 12 gauge wire, all with #10 but connectors,. He simple shave the wire so they would fit into the improper sized buts.
The boat I had a
service call on yesterday with a
water pump problem turned out to be an owner install of a Paragon Sr. $2200.00. He had to make a jumper to relocate the bigger
pump. So he proceeded to make the 3 ft jumper from home depot romex, then used an automotive crimp, and dimple crimper. The connection finally burned itself up after five years
service. It also burned up the
water pump from low voltage. His bill 4 hours labor and another $2200.00
pump.
The boat I'm going to tomorrow is to remove and reinstall and owner installed inverter.
Inspection shows he used 2-0 welding cable crimps were made with a hammer and screwdriver. He then connected it to the pos and neg buses which are only rated at 125 amps and some how put the SS lock washers between the bus and the cable.
The symptoms were LV relay chatter. He also direct wired the the ac in and out with no disconnects, nor did he include a disconnect for the dc input. And the worst thing he did is install inverter in the
engine room right next to 10 420 amp hr Trojan L-16's, FLA's
So you can see why I support owners doing their own work. They in kind support my business.
Lloyd