Basics Please!

[ratkinson]

Wiring, circuits etc have passed me by in my life experience. Is there anywhere that I can go to lean the basics? I have a hull that will soon blossom but the electrics are a worry...fishfinder, bilge, running lights, bait tank, (have 2x800cca bats and a master switch).
Rich

 

[JB]

Re: Basics Please!

Basic electricity is a forty hour class, Rich.

Go to Radio Shack and ask for a book on the basics of DC circuits.

What we can tell you here would only make you dangerous.

Good luck.

 

[ted655]

Re: Basics Please!

Google. Say "12 volt wiring basics" OR something similar. Fimd the book "12 Volt bible".
Without starting a pyhisics war, just remember that DC stands for direct current. Send it out on a red wirefrom +, through a fuse to "do" a job amd return it through a black wire to the negative post. If it's a big job, use a big wire. If you want to be in charge of when the job is being done then you need a switch on the red wire.
Google words like relay, fuse, switch, load, wire size, amps, etc..
Yesterday you couldn't spell electrisity and today you are one? maybe sooner than you think. Google.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Basics Please!

I would peruse some of the offerings on Amazon.

Also, try some websites like Blue Sea Sytems and see what they offer for diagrams and technical assistance.

 

[ratkinson]

Re: Basics Please!

Thanks, I'll follow your suggestions and let you know if it works out :%

 

[Nova II 260]

Re: Basics Please!

As noted above and a few more...
http://www.marineengine.com/books/e1.html also available at Amazon or Discount Books
http://www.boating-education-online.com/
good article http://www.screamandfly.com/home/hull_tech/wiring_6.6.2004/wiring_1.htm
http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/wireColorCode.html

 

[ted655]

Re: Basics Please!

o IF it gos wrong, we all will smell that all to familur smell, and know you left out a page. Read carefully the chapter on short circuirs.

 

[I/O WALDO]

Re: Basics Please!

And buy plenty o fuses and a good extinguisher!

 

[18rabbit]

Re: Basics Please!

... return it through a black wire to the negative post.

That would be a YELLOW wire to the negative post. Black was the color in the old (obsolete) wiring color code. It was confused with onboard AC ungrounded (aka 'hot') which is black, so DC ground was changed to yellow.

DC colors: [+] is red, [-] is yellow.

AC colors: [hot] is black, [neut] is white, [gnd] is green.


I believe Europe may have already started adopting the red/yellow code for all DC wiring. There is a push and some acceptance for it also in the US and Japan for use in all electronics, not just boats. The red/yellow code for DC is now std everywhere for marine/boats.

 

[sailsmanship]

Re: Basics Please!

I asked the same thing a couple months back and someone reccomended Powerboater's Guide To Electrical Systems by Ed Sherman. I bought it from the iboats Megamall and love it. Very informative.

 

[Saskatoon2005]

Re: Basics Please!

I have a book somewhere on electronics for boating, I'll look and see if I can find it, then I can give you refence material from it. It was very useful I remember....also there is a great schematic from Silvertip. He has an awesome picture of how electronics are hooked up to your boat...very interesting. Very Useful!