electrical installation on a floating dwelling

Andy78 · Dec 14, 2018

I really need some help in a project I have become involved in wiring a lived on boat. It's something I have not done before or anything remotely similar so I'm well out of my comfort and confidence zone.
I'm really struggling finding a definite guide as to the correct regulations I need to be following or even any best practice guides. If anyone can offer any experienced advice in this field I would be most grateful, even a finger pointing in the right direction would be great.
I'll refrain from posting detailed info about the job until an experienced mind pops along as it might be a bit much.

JAWS · Dec 14, 2018

Not sure if this help Electrical Safety | Boat Safety Scheme | Go Boating - Stay Safe - https://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/stay-safe/electrical-safety/

DPG · Dec 14, 2018

Careful when installing the earth rod.

buzzlightyear · Dec 14, 2018

buzzlightyear · Dec 14, 2018

don't start drilling holes in it ,or it going to end up a submarine .

buzzlightyear · Dec 14, 2018

what kind of bath tub is it Andy .

littlespark · Dec 14, 2018

The installation on the boat is nothing special- just to bs7671
As long as it’s connected to a supply conforming to section 709, marinas and similar locations.

Section 709 shows the supply cable on the boat, and special regards to metal parts in contact with water.

Andy78 · Dec 14, 2018

Massive1 said:
Not sure if this help Electrical Safety | Boat Safety Scheme | Go Boating - Stay Safe - https://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/stay-safe/electrical-safety/

Thanks man. boat has already been through this check and it contains very little electrical checks or guidance really.

Flanders · Dec 14, 2018

I think you have to carefull that you dont connect the metal hull to earth as it can course corosion i think , sorry to be vage on it but i remember it being talked about back when i was in college , worth looking into.

Andy78 · Dec 14, 2018

Ok, bit more info.

Won't be connected to a shore hook up, but will have the capability to be.
Boat is a steel hull
Will be powered via solar panels charging 12V batteries.
12V and/or 230V (via inverter) will be used for lighting and power with a 24V system for the engine room solely for the engine start operation.

Andy78 · Dec 14, 2018

Flanders said:
I think you have to carefull that you dont connect the metal hull to earth as it can course corosion i think , sorry to be vage on it but i remember it being talked about back when i was in college , worth looking into.

Yes, have heard about galvanic isolators needed when hooked up to shore supplies, need to research this a bit more....

Silly Sausage · Dec 14, 2018

Andy78 said:
Thanks man. boat has already been through this check and it contains very little electrical checks or guidance really.

Is this of any use? p27 ... https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...C98D0E319ED6&usg=AOvVaw1KSrMQYNz3NfB041hUs0is

Andy78 · Dec 14, 2018

Archy Styrigg said:
Is this of any use? p27 ... https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=2ahUKEwjf9IaShqDfAhVfTBUIHbVTCowQFjABegQICBAC&url=https://www.britishmarine.co.uk/-/media/BMF/BMF-Publications/Member-Only/Technical/British-Marine-Inland-Boatbuilding-CoP-DRAFT-Aug-2017.ashx?la=en&hash=1D851EBFE060C5DB10A62FA26165C98D0E319ED6&usg=AOvVaw1KSrMQYNz3NfB041hUs0is

Thanks very much, I'll give that a pore over with a glass of malt later tonight

littlespark · Dec 14, 2018

If its a canal barge, you take it on the right hand side, and not the left when "driving" it along.

I took a family members boat along the Union Canal in Edinburgh from the centre out to the bypass. There's an aquaduct crosses the 4 lanes of the bypass... my kids on the bow waving at the drivers below.

[ElectriciansForums.net] electrical installation on a floating dwelling

Only thing we had to watch out for was the university canoe club.

The Union Canal needs a good dredging. One time I wasn't there, the boat picked up an old mattress from the bottom and wrecked the propellers. A week later another boat brought up a corpse.