An Electric Cocktail- installing mains in my boat

[rustymember]

Okay so again I turn to the geniuses that inhabit this forum for advice with my next project which is some leccy on the boat. Currently the setup is that we have 2 leisure batteries that are connected to the starter battery to charge when the engine is running that feed all the lights on the boat and a lil pretty piss poor 12 volt socket.

We need electricity for a dehumidifier, fridge and so we can hook in a genny to run off that.

We were looking at just going solar but have decided to hold off on that at least for the winter and go with something guaranteed so our lights don't disappear on us.

So I'm guessing we need to install a socket to receive electricity from either onshore or a genny which will then need to be inverted before connecting to the battery and from there have it again inverted before coming off and heading tyo some sockets.

Why does it sound like I don't have a clue. Well there's a good reason for that.

So how simple is this process, how expensive, is iot worth getting someone else to do the work as I would love to get my head around it all and really what could possibly go wrong when farting around with water and electrics.

So would love to hear advice, guidance and all that pallava. I shall be taking all this down and writing a dummys guide to boats so you can all have a cut of those profits providing my boat doesn't blow up, sink and I don't get electrocuted.

Cheers,

Paul

[billy]

Yo Paul,

Greetings from the misty marshes, I hope the books might have been some use and that they did arrive.

240 volt electric on a boat from either a genny and/or shore power is fraught with problems and potential dangers if you do not know (at least for now) what you are about.

A lot of folk run an extension lead onto the boat and rely on the shoreside earth wire to protect the system and themselves. The problem is if this fails through faulty wiring or damage and there is not earth path except you or the swimmer in the water next door. There is potential for getting 240 and 12/24 volt mixed up with the associated ground and neutral bonding issues.

The average land sparky may well not be aware of all the particular rules and problems on boats so choose well who to advise or work for you.

Nigel Calder does a good book on looking after a boat which has a good section on electrics. It is on the other boat at present and I can't remember the title. The 12 volt bible also is good and has a section on incorporating 240 into the system.

Also if memory serves me right there is a general wiring diagram on the canal boat forum and a downloadable ebook on the Victron website which gives fantastic info and schematics.

A friend on another barge gets an electric shock every time she empties the washing machine and thinks it is ok! A definite difference in the earth potential if I every heard of one. It has gone now that an isolating transformer has been fitted. Similar to the 110 volt transformers used on building sites for safety.

This is one case where I would say don't do it until you know what's what.

billy

[rustymember]

guess i may end up paying some shmuck to do all the donkey work as my missus is in agreement with you. By the way I need to reimburse you for those books

[rustymember]

So need to find myself someone to do this job that can work in Hungerford if anybody knows someone. Contacted one place in Newbury but don't mind some freelance old boy with a beard (please not beard is essential)

[viprofferi]

Thank you Billy for the informative post. Electrical maintenance and repairs have been on my mind as well. I will start with that ebook from Victron and study up carefully.
Mito

[rustymember]

well i found myself a lovely electrician and won't be paying through the nose so might just get those xmas lights up before the big day

[Roy]

Well done... good news Paul.

[rustymember]

well i am hopeful things will start progressing now as had and still have quite a few problems with our little Fluke but getting the electrics sorted is a big step I think though my missus does keep giving me fnny looks as I keep frittering away all these pennies. Now if only I can get that engine ticvking over in the morning i'll be a happy man