Thanks for watching (and commenting) on this video series. If you have friends that you feel could benefit from what's presented here please consider sharing a link to this with them. I'd really appreciate it.
Talking to a boater friend, he mentioned watching your videos. He is an A/C guy and was impressed with the system you put up. Great services to the community. Love you guys.
So impressed, thank you again Clark. Makes upgrading a 12V boat to 24V while leaving the larger gauge wiring in place interesting since so many modern marine appliances work at either voltage.
Watched other videos and read a bit to try to figure out what wire is needed for what device and was not really sure I understood. Your discussion really cleared it up for me. I'm always impressed on your ability to explain things in a way that makes it easy to understand. One of the reasons I love your channel. Will be looking forward to the rest of this series.
Great post Clark ⭐️ I've been needing a series like this. Electricity has always been so mysterious to me. Can't wait to learn more. I will share this. 🌞🌴⛵️
Uhg, between my dc system, ac system, and having an electric motor system and needing to wire more plugs up to the bow, I have so much electrical to do...😵💫
Clark is a rare breed. An Empathetic Genius = someone that can explain advanced concepts translated into simple terms paired with a want to share. Thanks!
Perfect, perfect perfect! I am reading Don Casey's Complete Sailboat Maint book and just went through the electrical chapter. This video made it very simple to understand. Can't wait to add the series to my watch and re-watch list!
I just wanted to thank you for this series. I did not know even what a volt meant a month ago, however after watching some of your videos I finished installing a solar system on my boat today.
Thanks J. Always good to get reinforcement from pros. Part of me always wonders if I'm misapplying something. I don't script these really. I just start talking from the top of my head.
Excellent primer Clark! Thank you. I have a degree in electronic engineering (a few decades ago now 🙂)...I wish my lecturers back then had the ability to explain these concepts as well as you did. I'm looking forward to the rest of this series! If there are those out there who still had some difficulties in understanding the principles, a couple of things I use is to think of electrical circuits like water pipes...Voltage is like the pressure in the pipe and the rate of water flow is the current (Amps)...bigger pipes (thicker wire) allows more current...an electrical switch is like a tap. When it comes to resistance, you can also think of this like rocks disturbing the flow of water in a river...more/bigger rocks slows the water flow (resistance).
I have used that water flow method to explain it to some and would use a balloon in line surrounded by needles and when the pressure gets to much it expands and pop's into pieces to stops the flow by a open in the circuit for the fuse/circuit breaker
Capsized best describes what happened in my life 5 years ago when an MS relapse disrupted most every facet of comfort that I knew. Over the months (and years) that followed, even more crumbled away. As I have been collecting the pieces that remain, …what is missing? What is this longing in my heart? It is to chart a new journey, one that I have dreamed about for most of my life. My goal is to be living on my own sailboat before the end of 2023 (within the next 17 months). I know that finances are such that I will need to find a good “fixer upper”. Where to begin and how best to proceed? Watching a number of sailing videos on UA-cam, I recently stumbled across your channel. 🙏 Thank You so very much for the content you post. It is helping to provide the confidence that I will need to begin making this major life transition. Though I have very limited experience sailing in the open ocean, it is then that I felt most alive. It is my responsibility to myself to keep progressing towards this new reality.
Nice job Clark. KISS! Lol. I do hope you speak to how resistors are used in circuits to provide a "local" voltage for a particular component or function within the circuit. I also hope you offer your viewers other avenues to further the inquiring mind on the subject. There are many good options right here on YT as well as in print. Super fun subject. Looking forward to the next installment.
Corrosion is the primary electrical problem on a boat. Caused by the combinations of moist air, current and poor installation. If moisture can get between any electrical junction it will probably fail, especially if the materials are dissimilar. Very rarely are junction posts and cable ends(lugs/terminals) made of the the same materials. The most important thing that 95% of every manufacturer and experienced marine repair technician omit, is the use of a simple antioxidant. A small dab of Noalox between the contact surfaces of a connection will keep moisture out and make it outlast the boat! Even the use of top of the line Ancor brand tinned lugs, adhesive lined heat shrink and Ancor wires are comprised with the omission of this one little step. So close, yet so far. Note; you may wish to avoid Noalox on the threads because it could increase the tension on the fastener due the decreased friction while torquing(or factor in for it). It can also make the fastener easier to loosen under vibration without lock washers so limit the antioxidant compound to the contact surface in these cases. Just be aware of the potentials. Noalox does act as a lubricant.
Hello Clark, please continue. Who knows in the end you can build a electricity course. You already have one student interested. I am curious for the next lesson. This one was great. Thanks so much, Paul
Nice. The biggest help will come with video of the meter and how and where it is applied (showing good and bad circuits and connections). That is where most tutorials lose me...when they talk about it and don't show it. As a visual learner, that is key. Thanks
Great job 👍 I just aquired an isotherm DW65 for my 33 Pearson. I have it connected to 800 amp hours of battery (probably overkill) on 4 gauge wire. The explanation of the resistance was stellar! I just feel I need a big wire for longer runs but that made it so clear as to why. Please keep doing the deep dives they are great for guys like me doing the diy installations.
I loved your video. I now have my sailboat on a mooring ball. No shore power. I had to install solar panels. I realized how DC power is so important. Thanks, I'll keep watching.
You always did it perfectly when you explained the three electrical fundamentals, almost until you slipped your tongue and said "amps" in the same category as voltage and resistance. But, to your credit, the text on the screen clarified the difference. Unfortunately, you do not use the unit of measure [Ohm, V, and A) to describe what you measure -- many people can not make up this simple difference which creates more confusion. This is just little detail in an otherwise excellent episode and channel. Cheers.
Yes Clark keep doing videos like these! Much of this stuff I already understand (or think I do). I have corrected some beliefs I had by just always getting more information from different sources.
Had to teach one of my techs about voltage drop after he tried to order a third starter for the car being repaired, saying they were all defective. Once class was over, he replaced the battery terminal end on the positive cable that was dropping ~11 volts under load (invisible corrosion hidden between the copper and lead inside the factory-made terminal/cable) - enough to kick the bendix out into the flywheel but no amps to crank the engine. Back to basics, buddy! Oh, first too!
@@jonathanwetherell3609 Used to be in broadcasting. If we lost program the first remedy was to whack the jack plugs in and out of the jack. (And don't clean them with Brasso, ever, it leaves a residue which isn't that conductive.) If that didn't work then a new double ender lead to replace the original. If that solved the issue then a loose knot in the old lead and leave it to maints. If that didn't work it meant the gear itself was duff. A very rare occurrence indeed. Ergo ALWAYS check the wiring or connectors first. Battery connections, especially, are worth doing properly as that's where your bilge pump gets its power from. You can work out the rest for yourself.
I'm never gonna fix the wiring of a boat, but I'm about to be working on a post apocalyptic book and one of the characters needs to be smarter than I am now. I actually found you guys because I wanted him to fix a refrigerator. Seems like a good way to make friends in a wasteland.
Interesting to see how you teach this. So far very good. Happy to have a resource to send people to or crew to get educated. The majority of others either seem bewildering or so dumbing down they aren’t educational creating more ignorant electrical workers. Thanks
Boats can have more as 12VDC. My boat has 12VDC, 5VDC (For USB, behind a buck converter) and 18VDC after a Boost converter to power/charge my laptop.. It has a isolation transformer to bring in 230VAC 🙂
I need to buy you many beers. The two things holding me back from buying a liveaboard sailboat are the electrical and engine maintenance. You sir, have given me the confidence to keep learning and make my dream a reality. Thank you!
The equation really you is for the power loss in the cable. P = IV = I^2R. So if the current is 8A and the resistance of the cable is 0.0972 Ohms the power loss in the cable is (8 Amps)^2 * 0.0972 Ohms = 6.221 Watts. It is actually more efficient for a fridge to be on all the time with a lower power consumption just keeping the fridge at the correct temperature than to keep switching on and off with a higher power consumption. So dropping the voltage to the fridge can make the fridge more efficient (so long as you don't drop the voltage by creating heat in a cable).
Didn't want to get into a second equation in the first video. One must choose their battles. And modern compressors run off a brushless three phase DC driver. So lower voltage doesn't slow it down it just makes it draw more current. But the power equation would have been the "right" way to express this, I agree.
One thing if you have a clamp on amp meter you can increase its resolution by putting more turns through the clamp 2 turns doubles your current reading ( divide reading in half to get actual current) Many times I do 10 turns on lower amperage then just move the decimal point 1 place to the left.
Hi, thank you very much for a very nice explanation of this topic for sailboats. I tried to do the calculations of the example you were using in the video just to get the hang of it and the Ohms law was nice and clear and the numbers I got were the same as in the video. But when you were comparing the efficiency of the better cable with the worse one and came up with 9% more efficient I could not calculate that number. When I compare the final voltages of 12.74 V vs. 12.04 V the (12.74 divided by 12.04) the outcome is 5.8%. What numbers were you comparing when you came with a 9% ? Your channel is great and I find both entertaining and useful information on it! Thank you again
I do these without a script. I sometimes make mistakes. The big wire has a loss of 3% the small wire looses 9%. I guess that's 66% more loss. 13.2-12.0 =1.2. 1.2/13.2=0.09
Pretty cool Clark! Where are Kirchhoff''s laws and Maxwell's equations? Just kidding. I am sure this series will help people. Hope it goes well, and many views.
Thanks for the video and I look forward to the series! I hope you will talk about bonding systems at some point as I am a little confused about preparing my boat in the event of a lightning strike. I'm fairly comfortable with installing electronics (installing a new Icom VHF and Shakespeare antenna right now) but it's great to have this tutorial . . . you and Emily are awesome!
Gee, Clark & Emily i know that it`s off subject but this video highlights just what a really great job you did on the interior refurb of the boat. It looks great. Respect. 👍
Hi, @Emily & Clark's Adventure ! Congratulations and thanks for explain and sharing, with simple words, your knowledge and experience. Fair winds and seas!
Thanks for the video! Very educational and well explained. I myself hope to take on the electrical installation of a small sailboat soon. Waiting for the next video!
Looking forward to the series from Nova Scotia. Even though our boats are in the water for a few short months, finding electrical issues in the spring is exciting.
Great video, Can I use ohms laws to test glow plugs on an engine. My friend got about 10 volts on all his glow plugs so he assumed they were all working. How does ohms law help here? Looks like he lost 2V in his wiring.
Yes 2v drop in the wiring and 10v drop in the glowplug. Because it draws a bunch of amps. If you saw full voltage at the glowplugs the glowplug is fried and drawing nothing
Very good video, looking forward to showing to my kids and the rest of the series. I have been looking for something that basic so they can understand. I have used a garden hose and a water flow as an analogue to explain electron flow (ohm's law for gardeners) R = Hose diameter and or length V= water column height in a tank I = rate of water flow. Thank you.
Yes that's an often used analogy. Used it a lot myself. I find when it does break down the student is now deep in the weeds and could have a harder time changing their mindset. But it's time tested and has worked for millions.
Very good explanation. Important also to consider heating in the wires, and different wire types by their ability to handle heat and other types of degradation.
Great start of an important series with a master-class presentation. After watching other sailing channels showing electrical problems, solutions, and/or general electrical upgrades and such, the terminology and graphics (that are mentioned and/or rarely shown), make viewing them a half-wasted experience, since it is undecipherable in the basic aspects. Thank you SO much, for this opportunity to really learn how to understand all this. Yes, more, please!!
Not a boat owner here, but I'm fascinated by circuits and might want to get into design/troubleshooting one day. So I'd be interested to hear more from you on this. Nice job.
Hi guys. Only just found you on UA-cam and I'm chomping my way through your excellent videos. I've aspirations to become a full time cruiser in few years and I cant wait for the rest of your electrical series.
Larger boats have 3 phase AC electrical systems. For an example on my tug everything is 120/208 AC from the navigation lights to the steering pump motors. The only 12 and 24 volt DC systems are some of the wheelhouse electronics like the VHF radios. There are zero batteries in my boat other then the emergency lighting batteries and a UPS for the PC and 12 volt power supply for the VHF radios, everything is air start other then one genset that has a hydraulic starter, allowing for a cold and dark startup if the boats been laid up cold and dark for an extended time and the air tanks are empty. We have 3 gensets and without a running genset we are basically out of control and dead in the water. No steering, air compressors, engine controls (they are pneumatic). This is also the case on larger recreational boats.
Thanks for all the effort you put into these videos. I am just refitting an older boat and so far the electrics is the spanner in the ointment (to mix metaphors madly) . Most appreciated.
Thank you thank you thank you Clark. What a great tutorial and I took notes! I am looking forward to the next lesson! Everyone will benefit from this well thought out instruction.
I long to live on a boat one day and I appreciate what you are doing, so much! One day I will be able to afford some kind of boat.. The water's calling.
Wow! In 20 minutes, you made more sense than my physics professors ever did. You need to run graduate seminars on common sense electric design and troubleshooting. THANK YOU!
They are getting hard to find. I don't know if they are made anymore. I got my last set from eBay. Well actually I got my latest used set from a dumpster three days ago. Someone threw a set out so now I have two!
Great stuff, I love your style and delivery. Electricity in schools was in my day taught without much context, I memorised I = V/R and applied it to get the grade, but as for practical applications and not a scintilla context was included and as a result electricity remained off limits, a thing that could kill me and was best left to experts . Clearly that remains true but its great to feel I might be able to have a go at hooking up a couple of solar panels and battry to power some garden lights
Nice video! Thank you very much! Thumbs and subscription : ) I dont have any friends sailboating that I think of directly XD would be my dad and their motorboat/car but I don't feel like it 😅
Clark...this is pretty ambitious of you...lol. But its going to be great! Even though I have a decent amount of experience I will still be watching each video. You always have a way of explaining things in simple terms and its very helpful. You are so right regarding the knowledge = freedom. I really dont know how some boaters do it without this knowledge. Its just too expensive to pay for and getting quality help is also difficult. I also am a big proponent of the DIY and learning. It serves to make boating more accessible to average people..like me. It really saddens me when I see people struggle with boat repairs and turn to mechanics and technicians that often are not qualified themselves and maybe even make the problem worse. These types of videos are important and serve a great purpose. Thanks much.
Thank you. That reminds me of a cruiser in Panama who made money working on other cruisers engines. But when he had a problem with his own engine he would came to me for advice.
Very very thanks Clark. I’m not a boater yet, but I’ll be one soon and this videos series are perfect for a beginner like me. Thanks for keep it simple.
Funny thing is for DC (boat, automotive, electronics) we don't call the workers "Electricians". An "Electrician" generally refers to someone who has been trained in grid power and is well versed in building codes and safety. They generally fall into two categories: Up to 600v and above 600v... ok too much information :) the gist of the matter is that an "Electrician" might be a bad fit to work on boat wiring even if they were available because there is no rule set or building code, for them to work from. While they probably learned many of these things in school, they have not used things like ohms law (or watts law) since they started working.... because building codes are more (most) important. In boats we call them engineers, I guess. This makes anything they work on sound more complex and allows them to charge more. ;)
Coupling theory with mechanical skills and experience based judgment is increasingly rare. Having had a lifetime at multiple aspects I have been surprised at the general lack of skill crossover. Why it is best to learn yourself as most workers available have an imbalance when applied to your boat.
I am or was an instrument electronic technician at a nuclear plant in MN so thought I was fairly smart until my son bought a boat in FL. It is fairly old, 1983 Tiara 3100 with two merc cruiser V8 motors with direct drive props. Each motor has it's own 12 v battery. The water temp gauge on the port side motor went to max 250 deg while the engine was not hot. The gauges in the dash share the power as they are hooked in parallel. I thought this would be a simple fix but was wrong! After changing the sensor same problem. Measured resistance and it agree with the chart at ambient temperature 450 ohms at 100 degrees and 1000 ohms at 60 degrees. Put the new sensor wire from the port side gauge to the starboard side and it went to max. When I didn't install the sensor the gauge read just what the correct temperature was but as soon as I installed it in the motor in maxed out again. I ran a jumper from the ground side of both batteries to each other thinking there might be some reason the resistance was getting less but that didn't do anything either. I am totally lost on what is causing this problem as I don't know much about salt water boats or inboard engine electrical systems.... Don't know what to even look for next!
Thanks Clark. Yeah, bikinis on beaches have their place. But when you want to sort out power there's only some much a cute girl and a nice scene can do.
Tremendous extensive clear well-presented forabasic understanding and a practical understanding applicable to much of the stuff in modern life. Electricity is usefully harnessed and important to know about. It's Great! Thanks!
![LIGHTNING Hits Boats. Here's How to Deal With It [Capable Cruising Guides]](/img/n.gif)
Thanks for watching (and commenting) on this video series. If you have friends that you feel could benefit from what's presented here please consider sharing a link to this with them. I'd really appreciate it.
I just bought a sailboat and the electrical is one of the things I have no clue how to sort out and fix. Can't wait for lesson 2
Talking to a boater friend, he mentioned watching your videos. He is an A/C guy and was impressed with the system you put up. Great services to the community. Love you guys.
Hello I just found you lol. Enjoying the class so much I subscribed and shared
@jazzyjace1 thanks I appreciate that
"Manifest Pretty Girls and Cute Puppies in your life by understanding your boat's Electrical System (Part1)"
So impressed, thank you again Clark. Makes upgrading a 12V boat to 24V while leaving the larger gauge wiring in place interesting since so many modern marine appliances work at either voltage.
Watched other videos and read a bit to try to figure out what wire is needed for what device and was not really sure I understood. Your discussion really cleared it up for me. I'm always impressed on your ability to explain things in a way that makes it easy to understand. One of the reasons I love your channel. Will be looking forward to the rest of this series.
Episode two is about wire. Just filmed it yesterday.
You make a complex subject matter very easy to understand! Thank you kindly! Take Care
Great post Clark ⭐️
I've been needing a series like this. Electricity has always been so mysterious to me. Can't wait to learn more. I will share this. 🌞🌴⛵️
Thank you Gef
Nice job tackling complicated subjects
Thanks
Awesome thanks! Going to watch the rest of your videos.
Thanks. We really appreciate that.
Nice clear explanation.
Thanks
What about some of these corrosion inhibitor greases? Is it worth using them?
Yes they come up on the video that includes terminals.
Uhg, between my dc system, ac system, and having an electric motor system and needing to wire more plugs up to the bow, I have so much electrical to do...😵💫
Clark is a rare breed. An Empathetic Genius = someone that can explain advanced concepts translated into simple terms paired with a want to share. Thanks!
Ahhh.
100%
Perfect, perfect perfect! I am reading Don Casey's Complete Sailboat Maint book and just went through the electrical chapter. This video made it very simple to understand. Can't wait to add the series to my watch and re-watch list!
This is excellent. Thought it was too basic for me, then quickly realised I was wrong.
We will go deeper.
I just wanted to thank you for this series. I did not know even what a volt meant a month ago, however after watching some of your videos I finished installing a solar system on my boat today.
Thanks, that was nice of you to say.
I'm glad it helped.
I hope you subscribed and please consider sharing this with friends
I do electrical engineering for a living and Clark has done an excellent job teaching in this video. He's a natural! GREAT JOB!
Thanks J.
Always good to get reinforcement from pros. Part of me always wonders if I'm misapplying something. I don't script these really. I just start talking from the top of my head.
Excellent primer Clark! Thank you. I have a degree in electronic engineering (a few decades ago now 🙂)...I wish my lecturers back then had the ability to explain these concepts as well as you did. I'm looking forward to the rest of this series!
If there are those out there who still had some difficulties in understanding the principles, a couple of things I use is to think of electrical circuits like water pipes...Voltage is like the pressure in the pipe and the rate of water flow is the current (Amps)...bigger pipes (thicker wire) allows more current...an electrical switch is like a tap. When it comes to resistance, you can also think of this like rocks disturbing the flow of water in a river...more/bigger rocks slows the water flow (resistance).
I have used that water flow method to explain it to some and would use a balloon in line surrounded by needles and when the pressure gets to much it expands and pop's into pieces to stops the flow by a open in the circuit for the fuse/circuit breaker
Awe yeah! The much anticipated series! Electrical or as I like to call it, magic!
PFM
i like electrickery
Capsized best describes what happened in my life 5 years ago when an MS relapse disrupted most every facet of comfort that I knew. Over the months (and years) that followed, even more crumbled away. As I have been collecting the pieces that remain, …what is missing? What is this longing in my heart? It is to chart a new journey, one that I have dreamed about for most of my life. My goal is to be living on my own sailboat before the end of 2023 (within the next 17 months). I know that finances are such that I will need to find a good “fixer upper”. Where to begin and how best to proceed? Watching a number of sailing videos on UA-cam, I recently stumbled across your channel. 🙏 Thank You so very much for the content you post. It is helping to provide the confidence that I will need to begin making this major life transition. Though I have very limited experience sailing in the open ocean, it is then that I felt most alive. It is my responsibility to myself to keep progressing towards this new reality.
Nice job Clark. KISS! Lol.
I do hope you speak to how resistors are used in circuits to provide a "local" voltage for a particular component or function within the circuit.
I also hope you offer your viewers other avenues to further the inquiring mind on the subject. There are many good options right here on YT as well as in print.
Super fun subject. Looking forward to the next installment.
Corrosion is the primary electrical problem on a boat. Caused by the combinations of moist air, current and poor installation. If moisture can get between any electrical junction it will probably fail, especially if the materials are dissimilar. Very rarely are junction posts and cable ends(lugs/terminals) made of the the same materials. The most important thing that 95% of every manufacturer and experienced marine repair technician omit, is the use of a simple antioxidant. A small dab of Noalox between the contact surfaces of a connection will keep moisture out and make it outlast the boat! Even the use of top of the line Ancor brand tinned lugs, adhesive lined heat shrink and Ancor wires are comprised with the omission of this one little step. So close, yet so far.
Note; you may wish to avoid Noalox on the threads because it could increase the tension on the fastener due the decreased friction while torquing(or factor in for it). It can also make the fastener easier to loosen under vibration without lock washers so limit the antioxidant compound to the contact surface in these cases. Just be aware of the potentials. Noalox does act as a lubricant.
Lucky if other boaters use dielectric grease. People think I am weird at bringing in electrical industry antioxidants. So I am not the only one.
@@braithmiller
Lol
No, you’re not the only one, there are too few.
Hello Clark, please continue. Who knows in the end you can build a electricity course. You already have one student interested. I am curious for the next lesson. This one was great. Thanks so much, Paul
You're very welcome Paul
Do it!...,the first instalment is the clearest explanation of basic electric terms I have ever seen 👏
Thank you
Nice. The biggest help will come with video of the meter and how and where it is applied (showing good and bad circuits and connections). That is where most tutorials lose me...when they talk about it and don't show it. As a visual learner, that is key. Thanks
Got your hint
This is exactly the video (and hopefully series) that I need to see right now in my boating journey! Thank you!!
Glad you found it Cody
I would love for you to complete this series. ELECTRICITY !!! And really like your videos. I wanna be a capable cruiser!!
Thanks Brandon.
This might help
CAPABLE CRUISING GUIDES: ua-cam.com/play/PLsT7_jPsZM5pFpq8RX0oxjibknM2Gz361.html
Great job 👍 I just aquired an isotherm DW65 for my 33 Pearson. I have it connected to 800 amp hours of battery (probably overkill) on 4 gauge wire. The explanation of the resistance was stellar! I just feel I need a big wire for longer runs but that made it so clear as to why. Please keep doing the deep dives they are great for guys like me doing the diy installations.
I loved your video. I now have my sailboat on a mooring ball. No shore power. I had to install solar panels. I realized how DC power is so important. Thanks, I'll keep watching.
Thanks Luis
Looking good Clark, glad to see you completely recovered from Covid. You look years younger than when you were sick.
Thanks. Back is also getting better.
You always did it perfectly when you explained the three electrical fundamentals, almost until you slipped your tongue and said "amps" in the same category as voltage and resistance. But, to your credit, the text on the screen clarified the difference. Unfortunately, you do not use the unit of measure [Ohm, V, and A) to describe what you measure -- many people can not make up this simple difference which creates more confusion. This is just little detail in an otherwise excellent episode and channel. Cheers.
Well done !!! As an electrician, and familiar with harsh environments I would like to see you add a mention of dielectric grease. My only critique.
Clark, Great video, would the use of a dielectric grease help minimize the corrosion, like we use on cars? Thanks for your time.
Yep
Good stuff Clark! Keep it coming
Yes Clark keep doing videos like these! Much of this stuff I already understand (or think I do). I have corrected some beliefs I had by just always getting more information from different sources.
Thanks Jeff
Had to teach one of my techs about voltage drop after he tried to order a third starter for the car being repaired, saying they were all defective. Once class was over, he replaced the battery terminal end on the positive cable that was dropping ~11 volts under load (invisible corrosion hidden between the copper and lead inside the factory-made terminal/cable) - enough to kick the bendix out into the flywheel but no amps to crank the engine. Back to basics, buddy! Oh, first too!
Cars and boats, most of the problems are corrosion or a broken wire.
@@jonathanwetherell3609
Used to be in broadcasting. If we lost program the first remedy was to whack the jack plugs in and out of the jack. (And don't clean them with Brasso, ever, it leaves a residue which isn't that conductive.)
If that didn't work then a new double ender lead to replace the original. If that solved the issue then a loose knot in the old lead and leave it to maints.
If that didn't work it meant the gear itself was duff. A very rare occurrence indeed.
Ergo ALWAYS check the wiring or connectors first.
Battery connections, especially, are worth doing properly as that's where your bilge pump gets its power from.
You can work out the rest for yourself.
Constant equipment and especially diesel issue. Many times all I do is fastidiously clean up every contact in a circuit.
I'm never gonna fix the wiring of a boat, but I'm about to be working on a post apocalyptic book and one of the characters needs to be smarter than I am now. I actually found you guys because I wanted him to fix a refrigerator. Seems like a good way to make friends in a wasteland.
Yes I can identify with that character.
You might find this one useful.
ua-cam.com/video/AEISxhk43o0/v-deo.html
EXACTLY the education I need right now. Excited to repair my own electrical issues. Ears open Clark, GO GO GO
Thanks Steven
Interesting to see how you teach this. So far very good. Happy to have a resource to send people to or crew to get educated. The majority of others either seem bewildering or so dumbing down they aren’t educational creating more ignorant electrical workers. Thanks
Happy to hear that.
This was tricky. There are a lot of chicken and egg issues in this. I had hopped I had found a way.
I learned this stuff in school 40+ years ago. I wish you were my instructor.
Thanks Jr
Boats can have more as 12VDC. My boat has 12VDC, 5VDC (For USB, behind a buck converter) and 18VDC after a Boost converter to power/charge my laptop.. It has a isolation transformer to bring in 230VAC 🙂
Yep
I need to buy you many beers. The two things holding me back from buying a liveaboard sailboat are the electrical and engine maintenance. You sir, have given me the confidence to keep learning and make my dream a reality. Thank you!
Well I was going to say there is a Patreon link in the description below the video but if you're Steve all just say thanks as I see you just did
And you're very welcome
Such a great teacher! I’m smart enough, but haven’t found an understanding about boat electrical systems until now. Thanks!
So nice of you to say
Really looking forward to this series as I have some significant electrical projects ahead :-)
The equation really you is for the power loss in the cable. P = IV = I^2R. So if the current is 8A and the resistance of the cable is 0.0972 Ohms the power loss in the cable is (8 Amps)^2 * 0.0972 Ohms = 6.221 Watts.
It is actually more efficient for a fridge to be on all the time with a lower power consumption just keeping the fridge at the correct temperature than to keep switching on and off with a higher power consumption. So dropping the voltage to the fridge can make the fridge more efficient (so long as you don't drop the voltage by creating heat in a cable).
Didn't want to get into a second equation in the first video. One must choose their battles.
And modern compressors run off a brushless three phase DC driver. So lower voltage doesn't slow it down it just makes it draw more current.
But the power equation would have been the "right" way to express this, I agree.
@@Clarks-Adventure Thanks, I didn't know that about fridges.
this is fantastic!!!! so so excited for the rest of this series you have no idea! learned so so much in one video
Thanks Melanie. So glad you liked it.
That triangle is a thing of beauty.
Yes. Surprised I hadn't seen it before.
As a soon-to-be boat owner, I love the deep dive videos. Keep up the good work, Clark!!
Thanks Mark
One thing if you have a clamp on amp meter you can increase its resolution by putting more turns through the clamp 2 turns doubles your current reading ( divide reading in half to get actual current)
Many times I do 10 turns on lower amperage then just move the decimal point 1 place to the left.
Hi, thank you very much for a very nice explanation of this topic for sailboats. I tried to do the calculations of the example you were using in the video just to get the hang of it and the Ohms law was nice and clear and the numbers I got were the same as in the video. But when you were comparing the efficiency of the better cable with the worse one and came up with 9% more efficient I could not calculate that number. When I compare the final voltages of 12.74 V vs. 12.04 V the (12.74 divided by 12.04) the outcome is 5.8%. What numbers were you comparing when you came with a 9% ?
Your channel is great and I find both entertaining and useful information on it! Thank you again
I do these without a script. I sometimes make mistakes.
The big wire has a loss of 3% the small wire looses 9%. I guess that's 66% more loss.
13.2-12.0 =1.2. 1.2/13.2=0.09
Pretty cool Clark! Where are Kirchhoff''s laws and Maxwell's equations? Just kidding. I am sure this series will help people. Hope it goes well, and many views.
Small steps.
Thanks for the video and I look forward to the series! I hope you will talk about bonding systems at some point as I am a little confused about preparing my boat in the event of a lightning strike. I'm fairly comfortable with installing electronics (installing a new Icom VHF and Shakespeare antenna right now) but it's great to have this tutorial . . . you and Emily are awesome!
That is amazing. I never understood any of this but it completely makes sense after you explained it. 100% correct on the quiz
That's great Richard
Thanks for taking the time to produce such wonderful videos. I have used a lot of valuable info you have given....Thanks!
You're welcome Howard
Gee, Clark & Emily i know that it`s off subject but this video highlights just what a really great job you did on the interior refurb of the boat. It looks great. Respect. 👍
Thanks. Yes we are very happy with it. We might to the other cabins this fall
Hi, @Emily & Clark's Adventure ! Congratulations and thanks for explain and sharing, with simple words, your knowledge and experience. Fair winds and seas!
Glad to hear you liked it Miguel
Both of you have excellent teaching videos. Thank you so much for sharing.
Thank you
Thanks for the video! Very educational and well explained.
I myself hope to take on the electrical installation of a small sailboat soon.
Waiting for the next video!
You're welcome Germán
Great serie in becoming, Clark! I have just starting rewiring my Sonic 23 to get rid of the boat gremlins, and this will be of great help!
Thanks Mathieu. Hope it goes well
Thank you I love more than this series I love the entire channel
You have been a great help to a going to be boat owner
Looking forward to the series from Nova Scotia. Even though our boats are in the water for a few short months, finding electrical issues in the spring is exciting.
Great video, Can I use ohms laws to test glow plugs on an engine. My friend got about 10 volts on all his glow plugs so he assumed they were all working. How does ohms law help here? Looks like he lost 2V in his wiring.
Yes 2v drop in the wiring and 10v drop in the glowplug.
Because it draws a bunch of amps. If you saw full voltage at the glowplugs the glowplug is fried and drawing nothing
Very good video, looking forward to showing to my kids and the rest of the series. I have been looking for something that basic so they can understand.
I have used a garden hose and a water flow as an analogue to explain electron flow (ohm's law for gardeners)
R = Hose diameter and or length
V= water column height in a tank
I = rate of water flow.
Thank you.
Yes that's an often used analogy. Used it a lot myself. I find when it does break down the student is now deep in the weeds and could have a harder time changing their mindset.
But it's time tested and has worked for millions.
Definitely enjoy your deep dives. You video on VHF radios and antennas was really informative and really made things make sense.
Thanks Nathan
Very informative and easy to understand. I’m in desperate need of all this knowledge. Thank you so much for sharing!
You're welcome Teresa
Excellent! Thank you so much for sharing your vast knowledge!
You're very welcome Lúcio
Excellent video. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
You're very welcome Tim
Very good explanation. Important also to consider heating in the wires, and different wire types by their ability to handle heat and other types of degradation.
Yes.
Great start of an important series with a master-class presentation. After watching other sailing channels showing electrical problems, solutions, and/or general electrical upgrades and such, the terminology and graphics (that are mentioned and/or rarely shown), make viewing them a half-wasted experience, since it is undecipherable in the basic aspects. Thank you SO much, for this opportunity to really learn how to understand all this. Yes, more, please!!
Wow, thanks
Not a boat owner here, but I'm fascinated by circuits and might want to get into design/troubleshooting one day. So I'd be interested to hear more from you on this. Nice job.
Looking forward to this series Clark,always enjoy your teaching style,thankyou
You're welcome Peter
Hi guys. Only just found you on UA-cam and I'm chomping my way through your excellent videos. I've aspirations to become a full time cruiser in few years and I cant wait for the rest of your electrical series.
Thanks Chris. Happy binging.
Larger boats have 3 phase AC electrical systems. For an example on my tug everything is 120/208 AC from the navigation lights to the steering pump motors. The only 12 and 24 volt DC systems are some of the wheelhouse electronics like the VHF radios. There are zero batteries in my boat other then the emergency lighting batteries and a UPS for the PC and 12 volt power supply for the VHF radios, everything is air start other then one genset that has a hydraulic starter, allowing for a cold and dark startup if the boats been laid up cold and dark for an extended time and the air tanks are empty. We have 3 gensets and without a running genset we are basically out of control and dead in the water. No steering, air compressors, engine controls (they are pneumatic). This is also the case on larger recreational boats.
you guys rock!! been refitting a sailboat and using ALL of your content as reference!!
Glad to help Pedro
Love this kind of information. Keep up the good work, Clark. I'm sharing it.
Thanks Paul
love your deep dive videos Clark, and i'm so weak in electrical. i'm counting on you to help that improve! Thank you so much, I will watch them all
You're welcome Michael
Thanks for doing this Clark. It is appreciated! I am going to show this to the kids.
I appreciate that. I hope they enjoy it.
Thanks for all the effort you put into these videos. I am just refitting an older boat and so far the electrics is the spanner in the ointment (to mix metaphors madly) . Most appreciated.
Glad to help
Thank you thank you thank you Clark. What a great tutorial and I took notes! I am looking forward to the next lesson! Everyone will benefit from this well thought out instruction.
You're very welcome Craig.
I just filmed the second episode minutes ago
I long to live on a boat one day and I appreciate what you are doing, so much! One day I will be able to afford some kind of boat.. The water's calling.
Wow! In 20 minutes, you made more sense than my physics professors ever did. You need to run graduate seminars on common sense electric design and troubleshooting. THANK YOU!
Please could you tell me where you got your suction cups when you clean the bottom on your boat thank you
They are getting hard to find. I don't know if they are made anymore.
I got my last set from eBay. Well actually I got my latest used set from a dumpster three days ago. Someone threw a set out so now I have two!
Great stuff, I love your style and delivery. Electricity in schools was in my day taught without much context, I memorised I = V/R and applied it to get the grade, but as for practical applications and not a scintilla context was included and as a result electricity remained off limits, a thing that could kill me and was best left to experts . Clearly that remains true but its great to feel I might be able to have a go at hooking up a couple of solar panels and battry to power some garden lights
Thanks Richard
Been looking forward to this series for a while, ever since you mentioned you were doing it. Thank you!!!
You're very welcome, Matt
Clark, this is great! One of my greatest cruising fears is running out of power. I need to learn the basics and how it all works.
Great review. New to sailing and looking forward to next class
I just filmed it yesterday
Outstanding as usual and I shall look forward to the next one. Well done for making it easy to understand.
Thanks Mark
Great teacher. Loved the lightening rod video. Very knowledgeable man.
Thanks Johnathan
I learned that triangle in my first year apprenticeship for heavy duty mechanics with Cat , 1978 awesome handy for
Troubleshooting
Nice video! Thank you very much! Thumbs and subscription : ) I dont have any friends sailboating that I think of directly XD would be my dad and their motorboat/car but I don't feel like it 😅
Clark...this is pretty ambitious of you...lol. But its going to be great! Even though I have a decent amount of experience I will still be watching each video. You always have a way of explaining things in simple terms and its very helpful. You are so right regarding the knowledge = freedom. I really dont know how some boaters do it without this knowledge. Its just too expensive to pay for and getting quality help is also difficult. I also am a big proponent of the DIY and learning. It serves to make boating more accessible to average people..like me. It really saddens me when I see people struggle with boat repairs and turn to mechanics and technicians that often are not qualified themselves and maybe even make the problem worse. These types of videos are important and serve a great purpose. Thanks much.
Thank you.
That reminds me of a cruiser in Panama who made money working on other cruisers engines. But when he had a problem with his own engine he would came to me for advice.
A happy upgrade to the usual sailing videos from youtube.
Thanks Torch.
You might like these as well
CAPABLE CRUISING GUIDES: ua-cam.com/play/PLsT7_jPsZM5pFpq8RX0oxjibknM2Gz361.html
Great video, Clark! Clear and comprehensive. Thanks!
Thank you
Very very thanks Clark. I’m not a boater yet, but I’ll be one soon and this videos series are perfect for a beginner like me. Thanks for keep it simple.
Glad it's helping
Just in time for me to rip out my entire electrical system. Got a lot of work ahead of me
Yep. I personally hate pulling wire more then any other boat job.
Funny thing is for DC (boat, automotive, electronics) we don't call the workers "Electricians". An "Electrician" generally refers to someone who has been trained in grid power and is well versed in building codes and safety. They generally fall into two categories: Up to 600v and above 600v... ok too much information :) the gist of the matter is that an "Electrician" might be a bad fit to work on boat wiring even if they were available because there is no rule set or building code, for them to work from. While they probably learned many of these things in school, they have not used things like ohms law (or watts law) since they started working.... because building codes are more (most) important. In boats we call them engineers, I guess. This makes anything they work on sound more complex and allows them to charge more. ;)
You are right.
Coupling theory with mechanical skills and experience based judgment is increasingly rare. Having had a lifetime at multiple aspects I have been surprised at the general lack of skill crossover. Why it is best to learn yourself as most workers available have an imbalance when applied to your boat.
I am or was an instrument electronic technician at a nuclear plant in MN so thought I was fairly smart until my son bought a boat in FL. It is fairly old, 1983 Tiara 3100 with two merc cruiser V8 motors with direct drive props. Each motor has it's own 12 v battery. The water temp gauge on the port side motor went to max 250 deg while the engine was not hot. The gauges in the dash share the power as they are hooked in parallel. I thought this would be a simple fix but was wrong! After changing the sensor same problem. Measured resistance and it agree with the chart at ambient temperature 450 ohms at 100 degrees and 1000 ohms at 60 degrees. Put the new sensor wire from the port side gauge to the starboard side and it went to max. When I didn't install the sensor the gauge read just what the correct temperature was but as soon as I installed it in the motor in maxed out again. I ran a jumper from the ground side of both batteries to each other thinking there might be some reason the resistance was getting less but that didn't do anything either. I am totally lost on what is causing this problem as I don't know much about salt water boats or inboard engine electrical systems.... Don't know what to even look for next!
Bravo Zulu - well done well presented. Keep the series going. For me, this was a great refresher.
Thanks Michael
Thanks Clark. Yeah, bikinis on beaches have their place. But when you want to sort out power there's only some much a cute girl and a nice scene can do.
Tremendous extensive clear well-presented forabasic understanding and a practical understanding applicable to much of the stuff in modern life. Electricity is usefully harnessed and important to know about. It's Great! Thanks!
Thanks Don
Are you serious? 5 minutes 25% you talking bla bla? Try to watch it again you will understand.