AC/DC Baby!!!!!!!!!!!!

I wish I was talking about the rock band.  I am actually going to be talking about AC and DC electric systems and how NOT to wire them.  First, however, I would like to mention that it is indeed winter in Maine, even if they are projecting 50 degree F by the end of the week.  If you would take note, I have had to shovel paths around the boat so that I can place my ladder and untie the tarp to allow me access to the boat.  I have also noticed that the cold and warm alternating the weather has been doing has caused the boat and stands to shift.  There have been two or three times when I have arrived to work on the boat, and one or more of the boat stands are not touching the boat.  It makes me nervous, but that is why I have 5 stands.  I've seen the boat supported on only three (when being offloaded from the trailer), so I know it is possible, but it still worries me.



It was also Christmas recently.  My parents have a sense of humor.  Because I work in the shipping industry, I saw more Amazon boxes than I care to think about.  So my mother decided to be funny and put my gifts in Amazon boxes.  Not funny mom, not funny!  The gifts from my parents are quite useful.  I got a wind up flashlight, which was used extensively for the work I did this weekend.  I also received rubber work gloves, which also came in handy when working in 20 something degree weather with metal tools.  I also received money from my grandparents that will be used to buy some much needed marine plywood, but that is next weekend's project.  Thank you all for your gifts and support in the project!  It is needed and much appreciated!!

Now, on to ROCK AND ROLL!!!  I mean, AC/DC.  I mean..... electricity?  The previous owner had put in an AC (alternating current) shore power system.  Think: wall outlet in your house (120v).  I knew I needed to remove the system not only because if it's age, but I suspected it of not being up to marine spec in terms of components and installation.  The twist on caps used to wire some of the system are acceptable in house AC systems.  Generally in houses you do not have to worry about pervasive and persistent moisture, nor do you have to generally worry about dangerous gas build up in enclosed spaces.  Both are issues on boats for the following reasons: 1) The boat is in water, so no matter how dry you keep the inside, there will always be high humidity.  This can lead to corrosion of the connections because they are not sealed (heat shrink tubing, etc) which can then lead to excessive heat being generated by the poor connections.  This, with 120v AC systems can very quickly lead to fire, which is never good.  2) Boats generally have inboard motors (gasoline or diesel) and or stoves (propane, alcohol, gas, diesel, etc) that, with the exception of diesel, have the possibility of having their fumes pool in the low points in the boat, making for an explosive mixture needing only a spark to ruin your day.  This is why ALL wire connections are supposed to be sealed in one manner or another, even on the DC (direct current) system. 

I was hopeful that the wiring the previous owner used was going to be re-useable, unfortunately it is not.  Basically, it is extension cord wire, and that is not really good enough for doing the AC system on the boat.  It is not terrible, but it is not up to spec.  The wiring in boat systems, AC or DC, needs to all be tinned.  What this means is that EVERY SINGLE STRAND of copper wire is covered in a thin layer of tin to prevent corrosion.  That makes it very expensive, which was probably the main consideration when the previous owner installed their system.  Thankfully, I will not have to install an AC system until late summer or fall, so I can put off the costs and that segment of the project for the time being. 

Now, we come to the DC (direct current) 12v system that most of the boat systems will run off of.  A 12v system is by no means as dangerous as a 120v AC system, but is can also pose a fire hazard.  This is why the 12v DC system needs to be constructed with as much care as the 120v AC power system. Many of the same issues that I outlined above for the AC system are true for the DC system also.  Corrosion, poor connections, and sparks are all issues.  The panel and the battery switch (in my hand in the picture) are the brain of the system.  They are necessary to power the systems, like navigation lights, bilge pumps, and radios, and be able to turn them off when not is use.  This means that because it is the control center, it needs to be somewhere easily accessible.  The fuse panel and battery switch were mounted to the V-berth in the front of the boat, meaning that when you wanted to turn something on or off, you had to traverse the entire length of the cabin.  That does not sound that bad, since the boat is only 26 feet long, but when you're in a hurry, and have to climb the companionway ladder also, it makes the extra steps and stooping steps that could be avoided by placing these components in the main cabin, and closer to the companionway.  This is the goal for me and my retrofit.  

As you can see, the back of the fuse panel is a mess.  If I have learned nothing over the years working on cars, motorcycles, boats, and everything else, I have learned that when you have a mass of wires, LABEL THEM!!!!!!!!!  I also sometimes do that with hardware too, when it is very specific to a component.  It makes the rebuild process much faster!  When I started to remove the wires from the fuse panel, I noticed that they were all wired with those darn twist on caps that the AC system had been done with.  I am glad that I found this, if for no other reason, so I can fix it so it is correct.  I would have preferred that it had been done correctly in the first place, but what do I expect from an $800 boat?  Sometimes too much, that is for sure.  

I have ordered my 1/2 inch plywood for the main bulkhead, so I think that I may be able to get that cut out, put in place, and maybe screwed into place so that I can work on bunk deconstruction.  I decided that I needed to put the bulkhead into place before removing the bunk.  The bulkhead and the bunk hold the galley cabinet in place, and I do not want to have to try to figure out where it goes if it moves out of place.  More on that next week though!

PS- If you made it this far and find my post somewhat incoherent, it might be because I am sleep deprived.  My bad....  :)