Table of Contents

AcknowledgmentsIntroduction to the Second Edition, by Ed ShermanIntroduction to the First EditionChapter 1. BASIC THEORY OF ELECTRICITY: A PrimerA Few Words of Caution The Atom and Its ElectronsThe Atom; Electrons; Molecules and Bonding; Ions and ElectronsTerms DefinedCoulomb's Law; Charge; Current; Voltage, Potential Difference, and EMF; Energy; Power; Amp-Hours; ResistanceElectricity Is Not Water, But . . . Ohm's LawIR Drops and I2R HeatChapter 2. ELECTRIC CIRCUITS: Parts of the SystemCircuit ComponentsSeries CircuitsParallel CircuitsChapter 3. THE BATTERY: Heart of the SystemPrimary and Secondary CellsPurpose and Function of the Storage BatteryWhat Happens When DischargingWhat Happens When ChargingElectrolyte and HydrometersPreventing Freezing; Using a Hydrometer; Determining Specific Gravity on Sealed BatteriesLoad Testing BatteriesStorage Battery ConstructionDifferentiating among BatteriesAnatomy of a Battery; Six-Volt Batteries; Newer Battery TypesBattery BanksSelecting a BatteryBattery Maintenance and ToolsChapter 4. THE WIRING: Electrical Veins and ArteriesProper SizeResistivity; Wire Length; ThicknessInsulationIdentification CodesTerminalsInstallationA Lesson in SolderingChapter 5. THE CONTROLS: Brains of the SystemThe Control PanelWhere to Put It?; Replacement AlternativesSwitchesMaster SwitchFusesCircuit BreakersRelaysPanel MetersChapter 6. TRANSDUCERS: Things That Do the WorkWhat Do You Need?LightsNavigation Lights; Interior Lights; Exterior LightsMotorsMotor Maintenance; Starter Motors; Refrigerator Motors; Bilge PumpsElectronicsInstallation; Power Consumption; InterferenceChapter 7. RECHARGING THE BATTERYMultiple Battery IsolatorsAlternators and GeneratorsThe RegulatorMaking Adjustments; Checking Charging Voltage; Regulator Settings; Recharge RatesAC Shore Power and Solid-State ChargersProper AC Converter/Chargers; Danger: Shock and Galvanic Corrosion; Maintaining Proper PolaritySolar CellsWind ChargersWater ChargersDC-to-AC InvertersChapter 8. TROUBLESHOOTING THE SYSTEMTroubleshooting PrinciplesTroubleshooting Instrument: The Multifunction MeterReading Ohms; Reading DC Volts; Reading AC Volts; Reading DC AmpsTroubleshooting Instrument: Test LightsA Continuity Tester; Make Your Own; Buying or Making Test LightsLocating FaultsLight Won't Work; Moisture-Related Problems; Engine Won't Start; Bilge Pump Problem; Blinking Masthead LightNoodling Out a SolutionMake a Picture; Follow a System; Tickling the Field; Simple Problems with Varying Degrees of ComplexityLeaks and Their DetectionPARTING WORD: SOME THOUGHTS ON MAINTENANCEYour Boat's Electrical ToolboxSpare Parts and JunkRESOURCESContact InformationInstallation RecordsINDEX

About the Author

Miner Brotherton is a longtime boater and university professor of physical sciences (retired) who excels at rendering technical boating topics in lay terms. Hometown: Bristol, Rhode Island



Ed Sherman is a well-known boating writer and educator, and the author of two International Marine books: Outboard Engines (1997) and Powerboater's Guide to Electrical Systems (2000). He is the assistant director of education at the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC), the country's preeminent standard-making body, where he designs and teaches teacher-training programs in marine technology fields, including marine electrical systems. Prior to that, he taught marine electronics for many years at the New England Institute of Technology, in Warwick, RI, where he was chairman of the marine technology department. Hometown: Wickford, RI

Reviews

"It's the best value and has stood the test of time" - Offshore "A gentle journey through the complexities of electrical circuitry" - Small Boat Journal