ABYC electrical rules...WHERE?

[MidLandOne]

There seems to be a standard somewhere that says that standards have to be too expensive for the average man to own .

As has been said much is reconstrued into books such as Calders but one needs to be aware that they can give questionable advice or ignore what is not close to their own experience or which they have not come across before. For example, Calder (and I am not criticising him as I think his books are great) is in "Boatowners Mechanical,etc" very weak on isolated ground DC systems, in fact he gives them only a passing reference despite their being quite common place (especially in metal boats).

So I guess my suggestion is to get some reputable books but approach them with an open mind as well as get ones exposing differing experiences.

I had a giggle one day in what is a very good boatyard and one of them was saying to me how Calder and other's similar were one of his problems. Not because their books led to people taking work from the yard by doing it themselves but because people would come in and insist the work be done Calder's or another book's way. No matter how hard he tried to explain that there was a better way or that the person's boat's systems were different in some way they would insist - then when it didn't work well he would still get the blame .

[Christian Van H]

Originally Posted by MidLandOne

There seems to be a standard somewhere that says that standards have to be too expensive for the average man to own .

How freakin' true. I wonder how BoatUS feels about this...

[Maine Sail]

Originally Posted by Christian Van H

Which in turn brings us full circle back to: How does a normal, not in this business boat owner ever get access to the latest, greatest codes?

If you need a code you buy it. Heck buying E-11 is less costly than buying a case of good beer & a sandwich yet we are going on our third page of why can't it be free??

If you want e-11 PM me..

[GordMay]

To order the ABYC Standards & Technical Information Reports for Small Craft, you must be an ABYC member.
ABYC Business memberships ($245.00)
Designed for marine surveyors, boat yards, repairers, and other marine professionals who do not manufacture a product and includes a free copy of the soft cover version ABYC Standards manual at the time of purchase. A new and updated copy of the ABYC Standards manual will be shipped to all current and active domestic ABYC members (a CD for international members) at the beginning of each new boat model year.

Free Downloadable Documents:

TH-22, Educational Information About Carbon Monoxide, may be downloaded by here: http://www.abycinc.org/th-22.pdf

The ABC’s of ABYC
ABC's of ABYC is free and all boaters are encouraged to read this important document, and may be downloaded here: http://www.abycinc.org/ABCs.pdf

ABYC Section E-11 AC & DC Electrical Systems, was updated and re-issued this past summer (2008)*; but the superceded 2003 edition is available here:
http://www.abycinc.org/committees/.%5CE-11.pdf

Please download or print the above pdf, so that you do NOT return to the site multiple times. An inordinant number of hits will result in disabling of the site, so that no one can access it.

* See the PBB Article “Revising the Standards”:
Professional BoatBuilder - February/March 2009

US Coast Guard Standards
Coast Guard standards are available free online. Here are some of the main sections:

46 CFR 110 General provisions

46 CFR 111 Electric systems--general requirements

46 CFR 112 Emergency lighting and power systems

46 CFR 113 Communication and alarm systems and equipment

46 CFR 120 Electrical installation (Subchapter K, small passenger vessels)

46 CFR 129 Electrical installations (Subchapter L, offshore supply vessels)

46 CFR 161 Electrical Equipment (Subchapter Q, Items requiring Coast Guard Approval)

46 CFR 183 Electrical installation (Subchapter T, small passenger vessels)

33 CFR 183 Boat and Associated Equipment (recreational boats)