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Electrical Systems |
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Every barge is different in terms of the electrical configuration, so this page may be only of general interest as an example of how one hack put in the system. We had some help from the electrician and would not have been able to figure out several of the connections without this help. Having said that, much of what we were told is in the attached wiring diagrams. The tricky bits are the connection of the inverter, mains manager, isolation transformer and so on. You may want to engage an electrician for the final connection, but the wiring we put in place will give a good head start before you need assistance.
It is worth noting that for most 230 volt applications 2.5 mm squared three wire cables are used. Where this is in direct connection to the generator we used 6 mm square cable, which is quite expensive and not used for long distances. For the 24 volt circuits we used 2.5 mm two wire cable when attaching to lights or fans. When attaching to batteries directly from the charger control box we used 50 mm stranded copper sheathed cable. On longer distances, from the alternator to the charger, we used 25 mm stranded copper. These are particularly expensive so overkill is not a good plan.
We used 230 volt lighting in the bathroom because we could get a nice fitting at a reasonable price. In the bedroom we used 24 volt light fixtures and these were not at a reasonable price, though they look nice ant boaty. In hindsight I would carefully consider the use of any 24 volt fixtures or appliances. They cost at least double the 230 volt equivalent and the area of lighting or pumps is not one of major power consumption. All of our appliances are 230 volt so we run either the inverter or shore power all the time, with the occasional need to charge the batteries when underway. Since the motor provides 140 amps when running the charging is a natural consequence of getting anywhere.
We used commercial circuit breakers for the 230 volt system, tucked away under the panelling. The electrician sorted the 24 and 12 volt systems and you can see the quality in his work. All of the wires were housed in plastic tubing, which is a bit pricey but provides for a neat and manageable installation.
The following photos captured the system installation as we went along. Short of writing a chapter on the electrical systems we can only really provide a sense of what is involved. However, if you have any questions we will try to provide answers if you contact us. If we can't provide an answer from our own experience we will let you know so there is little risk of electrocution or fire. |
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Wiring diagrams such as this 230 volt should be delivered with each sale of the boat. |
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The 24 volt system will be just as complex as the 230 volt. |
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You will need a diagram detailing the connections of the electrical system equipment. |
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And it is necessary to diagram the connections associated with the hydraulic system. |
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Start the wiring with a single numbered cable... |
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The 230 volt breaker box is standard domestic production and we were able to do 80% of the work ourselves |
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The 24 volt breakers incorporate a 12 volt set of breakers so it gets quite complex. |
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In about a week you should have quite the collection of numbered spaghetti. |
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Our main battery bank consists of six deep discharge liquid batteries linked to provide some 800 amp hours. |
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We installed an Onan 11 Kw generator which fills all our needs when travelling |
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When we are moving this Leece Neville alternator keeps the batteries charged u |
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On the high side of the fittings are these gold plated 24 volt "shippy" looking numbers in the bedroom |
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We elected to use domestic fittings in the bathroom running 230 volt and 24 volt fittings in the ceiling |
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Far more practical are standard domestic lights plugged into 230 volt wall fittings |
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Where space is a premium we used small reading lights, each with its own switch. |
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All of the "hot" 24 volt circuits used when cruising are passed through this control box on the dash |
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The electrical equipment is monitored through these panels, which say where the power is coming from. |
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