Marine Electrical Courses Online AC
Power
Marine Electrical Courses Online AC Power. At the completion of this module you will understand AC Safety, AC Rules and Regulations, generators, generator controls, inverters, shore power systems, AC wiring, AC protection, AC appliances, and how to perform basic maintenance and troubleshooting. Disclaimer. This chapter is for informational purposes only and readers should observe the safety recommendations given. Readers should also refer to the disclaimer at the front of the Marine Electrical and Electronics Bible.
AC power systems must meet the relevant codes. After countless surveys and troubleshooting on boat AC systems, I am still amazed at how few are installed to regulations and how many don’t meet standards such as ABYC and others. People are still failing to address grounding correctly, people are still installing domestic house wiring cables, equipment and fittings do not meet the appropriate protection standards and so it goes on.
Marine Electrical Courses Online AC
Power Safety
1. Qualified People. Always use a qualified and licensed AC electrician to perform your AC system and equipment repairs and maintenance. You need to check the license! There are both safety and insurance implications and in many jurisdictions it is illegal to do work yourself.
2. Live Work. Never work on energized “live” equipment. Always isolate and lock out the equipment energy source before opening any system or equipment. Attach a “Danger” or isolation tag at the power source. Always isolate your onboard AC circuit breaker and prove the system is deenergized.
3. Shore Power Plugs. Always remove the shore power plug and isolate the local main switch. Remove the shore power cable completely to prevent another person from plugging it back in.
4. Inverters. If there is an inverter, or inverter/charger unit, always isolate or disconnect the DC input. This will prevent accidental AC circuit energization.
5. Generators. If there is an AC generator, always isolate any auto-start function. This will prevent accidental AC circuit energization.
6. Testing. Before starting work, always use a voltage tester or an appropriate test device or meter to verify and prove that the circuit is deenergized before starting work.
7. Working Alone. Never work on AC equipment or circuits alone! Always have someone ready to assist if you accidentally receive an electric shock. The fact is many will attempt to do work so if you choose to do so observe this.
8. CPR. Learn how to perform CPR. Take an approved CPR training course.
You can buy your copy of the Marine Electrical and Electronics Bible 4th Edition here.
The Marine Electrical
and Electronics Bible – AC Power
17. AC Power Systems. AC Power Systems. AC Power Safety. 115VAC 60Hz Single Pahe System. 115/230VAC Single Phase System. 220/240VAC Single Phase System. 440/460VAC 3-Phase System. AC Domestic Plug Types. AC Transformers. Isolation Transformers. AC Switchboards and Panels. AC Circuit Protection Principles. AC Short Circuits. AC Short Circuit Causes. Short Circuit Calculations. Short Circuit Protective Devices. Protection Equipment Selection. AC Cable Installation. AC Cable Grounding. Ground Leakage Device Installation. AC Circuit Protection. AC Rotating Machinery. Direct Online Starters. Motor Start Currents. Motor Troubleshooting. AC Appliances. Washing Machines. Clothes Dryers. Dishwashers. Electric Cookers. Microwave Ovens. Trash Compactors. Waste Disposal Units.
It is a statement of the obvious, but AC is very different to DC and safety is the absolute number one consideration. Getting the wiring installation right, along with grounding is essential. And there are protection of circuits and GFCI units and a lot more to consider. Read the safety information below. I need to add there are many allegedly “qualified” or “accredited” or “licensed” AC electricians around however this does not guarantee competence. From my own experience, far too many have minimal marine experience and a limited knowledge of the rules and regulations that include ABYC and others. Ask around before engaging someone, check the licenses and record details if you hire them, check the level of insurance cover they have, ask them what rules or regulations they are working to. Ask for references, the last 5 jobs is a good start. You could also the same due diligence process for DC systems as well.
The Marine Electrical and Electronics Bible – AC Generators
18. AC Generators. AC Generators. Generator Selection. Appliance Loading. Generator Installation. Generator Fuel Consumption. AC Alternators. AC Alternator Parameters. AC Alternator Rating Selection. Generator Rating Calculation. AC Electrical Installation. Generator Systems. Generator Protection. Alternator Protection. Alternator Maintenance. Generator Mechanical Systems. Generator Maintenance. Generator Operating Notes. Generator Troubleshooting.
Having a marine-generator is a great benefit for powering up loads such as air conditioning, battery chargers and household appliances. Generators do have important selection criteria that must be considered, and also maintenance issues. If generators are not properly sized for proposed electrical loads and not installed correctly then problems will encountered. Marine Electrical Courses Online AC Power.
The Marine Electrical
and Electronics Bible – AC Inverters
19. AC Inverters. AC Inverters. Inverter Output Waveforms. Inverter DC Loads. AC Transfer Systems. Combination Charger Units. Inverter Installation. Inverter Efficiency. Inverter Interference. Inverter Troubleshooting.
Inverters transform or convert 12 Volt or 24 Volt DC power to AC power that allows you to power up all of those household appliances such as kitchen appliances, device chargers, induction cookers, microwave ovens, TV's, computers and air conditioning and lot more. Inverters are need to charge all those devices. With Lithium ion batteries more people are leveraging the extra power and battery chemistry characteristics to go electric.
The Marine Electrical
and Electronics Bible – Shore Power
20. Shore Power Systems. Shore Power Systems. Shore Power AC Safety. Rules and Regulations. Shore Power Components. Shore Power Inlet Sockets. Shore Power Inlet Socket Installation. Marina Shore Power Pedestal Outlets. Shore Power Leads. Shore Power Grounds. Polarity Indication. Input Isolation. Circuit Protection. New Shore Power Technology.
Getting the electrical power at the marina is very important. From the moment you plug into the shore power pedestals many things alter. There are the issues of maintaining power supplies, and interaction with other boats, polarity and so on. Whether it is galvanic isolators or isolation transformers and using safe shore power cords. Some marina’s around the world have mandatory testing and tagging of shore power lead before connection. Marine Electrical Courses Online AC Power.