PART

ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS

TROUBLESHOOTING

W

hen I first started cruising, we got by with oil lamps to read by

and no AC shore-power system at all. The DC system provided

power for some cabin lights, the navigation lights, engine start-

ing, and an AM/FM radio (with a cassette player), and a basic electronics

package consisting of a Loran-C, depth sounder, speed log, and VHF radio.

None of this equipment was interfaced, so an onboard network wasn’t even a

dream at the time. But we got by just fine with that equipment and a good

selection of nautical charts, dividers and parallel rulers, and a watch.

Those days are gone, and so too are boats set up so simply. Today, boat

buyers’ expectations are driving more and more complexity into the installed

systems. Along with this trend the need has risen to develop new ways to seek

out and troubleshoot problems. Why? Because boatyard labor rates have also

increased to the point where, as of this writing, $100-per-hour labor rates for

yard services are the norm, and in some places the rates are even higher. Deliv-

ering the maximum value for these labor rates is a basic expectation among

consumers. They expect things to be done right the first time, and in the

shortest amount of time possible.

So in Part 1, we’ll look at a variety of gear designed to speed up the diag-

nostic process and to effectively diagnose equipment that can’t be tested using

traditional test procedures (such as sealed batteries).

1

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