Boatowner's Mechanical and Electrical Manual : How to Maintain, Repair, and Improve Your Boat's Essential Systems

The boatowner's foremost troubleshooting guide, now better than ever If it's on a boat and it has screws, wires, or moving parts, it's covered in Boatowner's Mechanical and Electrical Manual . When you leave the dock with this book aboard, you have at your fingertips the best and most comprehensive advice on: Battery technologies 12- and 24-volt DC systems Corrosion, bonding, and lightning protection Generators, inverters, and battery chargers Electric motors and electric lights Marine electronics, antennas, and RFI Diesel engines Transmissions, shaft brakes, and propellers Refrigeration and air-conditioning Tanks, plumbing, and through-hulls Pumps and watermakers Steering, autopilots, and wind vanes Stoves and heaters Winches, windlasses, and bow thrusters Spars, rigging, and roller reefing "If you had to choose a single book to help you assess and maintain your boat gear, this would be it."— Practical Sailor "A truly remarkable bible. . . . This book is the best of its kind."— WoodenBoat "A major achievement. . . . It would be hard to imagine anything going wrong on a boat that couldn't be figured out with this book."— Sailing World "The world's best technical reference and troubleshooting book."— Sailing Inland and Offshore "This manual will be of lasting interest to anyone who wants to know how their boat works, what has gone wrong when it doesn't, and how it could be fixed."— Classic Boat "Without becoming too complex, the book covers almost every imaginable mechanical or electrical matter in the marine environment."— Work Boat World "Calder lives what he writes, . . . [and] what he offers . . . is practical solutions to problems associated with increasingly complex marine systems. . . . [A] bargain for anyone in the construction and repair side of the boat business."— Professional Boatbuilder Contents......Page 7 List of Troubleshooting Charts......Page 9 List of Tables......Page 10 Preface and Acknowledgments to the Third Edition......Page 13 Preface and Acknowledgments to the Second Edition......Page 15 Introduction......Page 16 Chapter 1. Establishing a Balanced Battery-Powered Electrical System......Page 18 Introduction......Page 19 Batteries......Page 20 Getting Down to Specifics......Page 31 Putting the Pieces Together......Page 50 Summary: A Balanced System......Page 60 Chapter 2. Electrical Systems for Energy-Intensive Boats......Page 62 Additional Energy Sources......Page 63 Dual-Voltage DC Systems......Page 72 Fuel Cells, Higher-Voltage DC Boats, and Electric Propulsion......Page 80 Chapter 3. Maintaining and Troubleshooting a Battery-Powered Electrical System......Page 88 Batteries......Page 89 Alternators......Page 100 Voltage Regulators......Page 119 Diodes......Page 124 Chapter 4. Understanding and Troubleshooting Electrical Circuits......Page 128 Basic Concepts and Measurements......Page 129 DC Circuits......Page 136 AC Circuits......Page 148 Proper Electrical Installations......Page 172 Chapter 5. Corrosion, Bonding, Lightning Protection, and Grounding......Page 212 Corrosion......Page 213 Bonding and Cathodic Protection......Page 227 Lightning Protection......Page 234 Grounding......Page 246 Chapter 6. Battery Chargers, Inverters, Wind and Water Generators, and Solar Panels......Page 252 Battery Chargers......Page 253 Inverters......Page 265 Wind and Water Generators......Page 281 Solar Panels......Page 296 Chapter 7. AC Generators, DC Generators, Electric Motors (DC and AC), and Electric Lights......Page 304 AC Generators......Page 305 DC Generators......Page 320 Electric Motors......Page 321 Electric Lights......Page 341 Chapter 8. Marine Electronics: Antennas and Radio Grounds, Electromagnetic and Radio Frequency Interference, and Saving Soaked Equipment......Page 354 Marine Electronics......Page 355 Antennas and Radio Grounds......Page 358 Electromagnetic and Radio Frequency Interference......Page 368 Saving Soaked Equipment......Page 375 Chapter 9. Diesel Engines: Operation and Maintenance, Troubleshooting, and Winter Layup......Page 378 Operation and Maintenance......Page 379 Troubleshooting Part 1: Failure to Start......Page 392 Troubleshooting Part 2: Operating Problems......Page 410 Winter Layup and Recommissioning......Page 429 Chapter 10. From Transmission to Propeller......Page 438 Transmissions and Shaft Brakes......Page 439 Connecting a Transmission to a Propeller Shaft......Page 452 Shaft Seals......Page 457 Struts, Bearings, and Propellers......Page 464 Chapter 11. Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning......Page 474 CFCs and the Ozone Hole......Page 475 Balancing Refrigeration Needs with Boat Use......Page 478 Air-Conditioning......Page 503 Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning: Maintenance, Troubleshooting, and Repair......Page 506 Charging and Topping-Off Procedures......Page 524 Chapter 12. Tanks, Plumbing, Toilets, and Through-Hull Fittings......Page 532 Tanks and Fittings......Page 533 Plumbing......Page 542 Marine Toilets (Heads)......Page 555 Through-Hulls and Seacocks......Page 575 Chapter 13. Pumps and Watermakers......Page 586 Pumps......Page 587 Pump Switches......Page 616 Watermakers......Page 622 Chapter 14. Steering Systems, Autopilots, and Wind Vanes......Page 636 Steering Systems......Page 637 Autopilots......Page 662 Wind Vane Self-Steering......Page 668 Chapter 15. Stoves, Cabin Heaters, Gas-Powered Water Heaters, and Lanterns......Page 678 Gas......Page 679 Alcohol, Kerosene, and Diesel Appliances......Page 691 Carbon Monoxide Poisoning......Page 699 Chapter 16. Blocks, Winches, Windlasses, and Bow Thrusters......Page 708 Blocks......Page 709 Winches......Page 714 Windlasses......Page 724 Bow Thrusters......Page 744 Chapter 17. Spars, Standing Rigging, and Roller Reefing......Page 746 Spars......Page 747 Standing Rigging......Page 763 Roller Reefing and Furling......Page 782 C......Page 797 G......Page 799 I......Page 800 P......Page 801 S......Page 802 T......Page 803 Z......Page 804 Appendix A: Checklist of Winterizing Procedures......Page 805 Appendix B: Freeing Frozen Parts and Fasteners......Page 807 Appendix C: Tools and Spare Parts......Page 809 Appendix D: Useful Tables......Page 812 A......Page 820 B......Page 821 C......Page 822 D......Page 823 E......Page 824 G......Page 825 I......Page 826 M......Page 827 P......Page 828 R......Page 829 S......Page 830 V......Page 832 Z......Page 833

the Boatowner's Foremost Troubleshooting Guide, Now Better Than Ever

if It's On A Boat And It Has Screws, Wires, Or Moving Parts, It's Covered In boatowner's Mechanical And Electrical Manual. When You Leave The Dock With This Book Aboard, You Have At Your Fingertips The Best And Most Comprehensive Advice On:

• battery Technologies
• 12- And 24-volt Dc Systems
• corrosion, Bonding, And Lightning Protection
• generators, Inverters, And Battery Chargers
• electric Motors And Electric Lights
• marine Electronics, Antennas, And Rfi
• diesel Engines
• transmissions, Shaft Brakes, And Propellers
• refrigeration And Air-conditioning
• tanks, Plumbing, And Through-hulls
• pumps And Watermakers
• steering, Autopilots, And Wind Vanes
• stoves And Heaters
• winches, Windlasses, And Bow Thrusters
• spars, Rigging, And Roller Reefing

if You Had To Choose A Single Book To Help You Assess And Maintain Your Boat Gear, This Would Be It.—practical Sailor

a Truly Remarkable Bible. . . . This Book Is The Best Of Its Kind.—woodenboat

a Major Achievement. . . . It Would Be Hard To Imagine Anything Going Wrong On A Boat That Couldn't Be Figured Out With This Book.—sailing World

the World's Best Technical Reference And Troubleshooting Book.—sailing Inland And Offshore

this Manual Will Be Of Lasting Interest To Anyone Who Wants To Know How Their Boat Works, What Has Gone Wrong When It Doesn't, And How It Could Be Fixed.—classic Boat

without Becoming Too Complex, The Book Covers Almost Every Imaginable Mechanical Or Electrical Matter In The Marine Environment.—work Boat World

calder lives What He Writes, . . . [and] What He Offers . . . Is Practical Solutions To Problems Associated With Increasingly Complex Marine Systems. . . . [a] Bargain For Anyone In The Construction And Repair Side Of The Boat Business.—professional Boatbuilder

nigel Calder Is Widely Acknowledged As The World's Foremost Writer On Boat Systems Maintenance. A Diesel Mechanic For More Than 25 Years, He Has Also Been A Boatbuilder, Cabinetmaker, And Machinist. Calder Is The Author Of how To Read A Nautical Chart, nigel Calder's Cruising Handbook, refrigeration For Pleasureboats, And marine Diesel Engines. He Is A Frequent Contributor To Boating Magazines In The United States And Britain.

nigel Calder Is Widely Acknowledged As The World's Foremost Writer On Boat Systems Maintenance. He Is A Frequent Contributor To Boating Magazines In The United States And Britain.

Do yourself a favor: if you own a boat, you should also own the Boatowner's Mechanical & Electrical Manual . Written in a simple, accessible style, the Manual is aimed at helping the nonexpert solve problems in marine systems--think of it as a friendly mechanic. Author Nigel Calder explains how the systems work, helps you troubleshoot and identify problems, and presents clear and concise instructions on how to repair them. Best of all, Calder also offers helpful advice on how to prevent future system failure. Absolutely indispensable for boat owners. --M. Stein This third edition includes new and revised material on battery bank installations and new battery technologies; electrical overcurrent protection; 12 and 24-volt DC systems; 30-amp versus 50-amp shorepower cords; new DC generators, cogeneration inverters, and multivoltage and multifrequency battery chargers.