Whether it's cold or hot, whether it's a simpler or more technological boat, there's no way you are not depending on electrical installations for more comfortable and efficient sailing.

Main electrical problems that appear on vessels

Batteries are the first equipment to be inspected and it must be analyzed whether they are without load or with oxidation on the terminals. Also, check automatic pumps, blown bilges, oxidized starter motor brushes, oxidized or blown fuses, and rusty electrical connections.

Typical winter and summer occurrences

As is known, electrical and electronic systems are very sensitive to humidity and salinity and end up oxidizing the materials, forming short circuits or interrupting the passage of chain.

IN WINTER – During the winter we have to take care with humidity. The recommendation is to keep the equipment turned on whenever possible so that their own heating favor the removal of moisture.
IN THE SUMMER – Already in the summer we have the excess temperature of the engine rooms as a problem. Batteries, for example, should never work above 28ºC, to avoid premature formation of oxides on the plates. It is called “battery memory”.

The nautical electrical systems have particularities that must be observed very strictly to ensure good performance, safety and durability.
Fortunately, a few years ago, there was the appearance of good shipyards that produce in series their vessels and the “electrical system” item is taken very seriously by these companies. Today, for example, there is no longer any disagreement that electrical cables, connectors and busbars used in the system must be tinned. It is also no longer used on board domestic, industrial or automotive equipment without proper “marinization”.

A pre-purchase check order would be:
• If the electrical system has its design available
• If it was built with materials suitable for nautical use
• Then proceed to test the functioning of the system, the electrical equipment and the electronics. The ideal is to submit the whole system to a simultaneous operation that this will present any error or defect in the sizing of the system. This load operation maximum will also show whether the circuit protection devices are working well.
• Equipment that has hour meters can be evaluated there. Also check if the maintenance was carried out according to the manufacturers' instructions.
• Make a visual inspection of electrical harnesses, ducts and conduction channels, observing if they are fixed correctly, if they have good ventilation, if they meet the norms of identification and isolation.
• It is very important to know if the plastic materials used in the electrical system meet the safety standard as to being flameproof.

 

Electrical checklist before using the boat

• Fully charged battery
• Main switches in the correct positions for use (when applicable)
• Check if alternators are charging
• Test generator operation
• Check fuses
• Automatic check of bilge pumps
• Check navigation lights
• Turn on the navigation system and check its operation

Boats today have a significant amount of electrical equipment and electronics installed to offer more comfort for those who navigate. This, on the other hand, implies that the user has greater knowledge when operating this equipment. It is very important for the follow-up, of who will operate the boat, of the technical delivery that the shipyards usually do. Better understand how your boat's electrical system works, it guarantees smooth sailing.
It became clear that one of the biggest problems is the humidity and salinity that end up oxidizing the materials, thinking about this and other solutions of the same kind as Solderstick developed the waterproof solder wire connector kit, with IP67 waterproof protection you won't have these problems when you need to connect one cable to another. Becoming the best option for reliability of your boat's electrical system.