Sorry for not replying earlier, I've just come back on the forum to look for info and realised I never gave a proper answer. I left after serving 33 years and immediately wished I'd left 10 years earlier, however after 5 years working in civvy street I realised that I missed the discipline and teamwork. When I left I just didn't want to be at sea in my 50s..... 'been there done that' is how it felt. So in answer to your question, civvy street was definitely different and better for me at the time, but for job satisfaction the Navy was good for me most of the time.
Yup. This is why I usually operate in a committee/team of one: getting decisions is so much easier ?
Ref your question: Have you considered scrapping the first plan and re-routing to a big, over-specified rotary isolator in a cupboard? I did the same with some high-current bathroom fittings (see pic). So much easier to make neat and long-lasting terminations, especially on long runs with heavy cables.
The way things are usually done is not always the best way. I have similar arguments discussions here a lot!
Totally agree. It's ok to say "it's always done like that" if backed up with a good reason, but to blindly follow is foolish. It's best to always be curious.
I've recalculated for a 10mm cable and I can use a cooker isolator with socket outlet as even with the 5A added for the socket the load is just under 32A, therefore I reckon the double backbox should give me the room to fit the cables in. I do like your plan B though....in my previous life I would never brief a plan to a senior officer without having a plan B in my toolbox!?
Not something that I'd recommend as normal behaviour, but, in similar situations in the past I have literally just butchered out the back of the box to make space - amazing how quickly a 50mm holesaw can make a cable bend.........
Did part of my apprenticeship putting them together. Luckily I never had to work in any of the more cramped bits. Worst was having to crawl on top of an air handler (just a fan-coil air cooler) in the engine room and lie on my chest with backside against a hull ring and legs dangling while wiring the darned thing up. Compared to that, it was cushy doing many hundreds of over-moulded inline connection up front in the sonar space.
Of course, even the best jobs are a bit ruined if there happens to be a team of caulkers working on the boat. Think "working in a tin can, while someone's beating the sh*t out of it with a windy chisel" ?
The subs I worked on are out of service now.
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