Audio Interview Series: Electrical
Careful!
These audio interviews are candid conversations with highly experienced staff from our shop — people who have worked on boats for years. However, the content of these interviews does not imply any particular result on your boat nor extend our warranty in any way. Please contact us directly for specific project questions or bring your boat to the yard for a consultation.
Safety and function dictate how to handle problems with your boat's electrical system. Geoff Custer, electrical head at Townsend Bay Marine, shares his experience on how to cure system overloads, make your boat safer and keep up with modern electronics. Here are some insights every boat owner should know.
The study of electricity and its practical applications have been a life-long pursuit for Geoff Custer. Geoff began experimenting, accidentally, with electricity at the age of four. This was followed by a continuous passion with electric trains. During Boy Scouts, Geoff became interested in amateur radio and obtained his first license at the age of fourteen. He studied electronics engineering at Oregon Technical Institute. Geoff maintained and operated a 1200 kW diesel power plant for the United States Air Force for six years and then became the site electrician. His marine electrical career began twenty-five years ago at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard where Geoff repaired the electrical systems aboard a variety of United States Navy vessels. After graduating from the Northwest School of Wooden Boat Building in Port Townsend, Geoff began a career in the custom boat business. He has repaired, designed, and installed electrical systems on many private and commercial vessels up to 160 feet in length. During this time, Geoff also obtained a General Radiotelephone Operator's License and American Boat and Yacht Council certification. Geoff has held the position of electrical supervisor at Townsend Bay Marine for six years.
The topics Geoff discusses are:
- Why should you rewire your boat?
- Determining the scope of a rewiring project.
- Bilges and their effect on wiring.
- What planning is necessary prior to rewiring your boat.
- What to do when your electrical panel gets chaotic.
- Whether to use dedicated wire ways.
- How to label wires.
- Updating wiring documentation.
- How big your battery banks should be.
- Some of the differences between lead-acid and AGM batteries.
- The worries of voltage drop.
- Whether to crimp or solder your wiring connections.
- The benefits of shrink tubing.
- The issues surrounding new installations of marine electronics.
- The importance of bonding systems.
- Different methods of lightning protection.
- How to plan for charging systems.
- The differences for wiring when your boat is going to go abroad.
- The practicality of alternative energy sources like wind power and solar power.
What causes electrical problems?
The three main things that damage a boat’s electrical system are vibration, heat and moisture. On an older boat, these can corrode the wire and attack insulation, creating a safety issue. More circuits may have been added over time, further compounding the danger. Circuit breakers and connectors may be overloaded or loose, wire sizes may be inadequate or you may have run out of panel space. The bilge and engine room can be major problem areas because they are out of view and have the harshest operating environments.
How can it affect boat safety?
Overloaded wires get hot and begin breaking down. Wires can actually light up like a filament, vaporize and start a fire. Connections can overheat, expand, then loosen when they cool — a big problem in hidden areas. In addition to normal troubleshooting, infrared can be used to locate wiring hot spots. Connectors should be the right size with precise crimping: undercrimping causes poor connections and heat; overcrimping can stretch the wire or damage a lug. Critical places are anchor windlass, capstans, and starting circuits.
What’s a great system look like?
Ideally, a boat should have a dedicated wireway that doesn't share space with plumbing or anything else. In older boats wiring may wind through lockers, holes, or be lying in the bilge or a chase. It’s not like a house where wires are covered by drywall. Good wireways look like a comb has been pulled through: The wires are parallel and you can see where each wire enters and exits a compartment. This makes maintenance much easier. With navigation, electronics and appliances, a system can be complex, but if installed properly it should be trouble free.