Completed navigation panel
I redesigned my nav and electrical panel, and finally got the parts to put it all together. A fun and beautiful project!
11 min read
Electrical
Diagrams, designs, and installations of electrical projects.
Page 2 of 3
Redesigning the nav and electrical panel
My navigation and electrical panel has been in need of an update for a while. In addition, I have never liked the electrical circuit layout, and am out of DC circuits. I have a general design of what I would like, but still have not settled on a final solution for the electrical panel.
13 min read
USB power solutions are simple to add to your boat
Crew members on the sailboat expect to use their USB devices no matter where. Adding USB power throughout the boat is easy to do, and useful for the captain too.
4 min read
SmartThings keeps the boat warm during winter
Using SmartThings to control heaters and monitor temperatures on your boat is a great way to ensure things are safe during the winter.
5 min read
Charging away from the dock
Charging while away from the dock on the sailboat is a critical piece to enjoying your time on the water. In part 3 of my power upgrade project, I replace the alternator and regulator to ensure my new Firefly batteries are topped up.
5 min read
The arteries and veins of your electrical system
The arteries and veins of your electrical system are the wires, and you need to ensure they are taken care of just as much as the batteries and other parts. In part 2 of my power system upgrade, I replace the majority of my main system wiring to ensure a healthy system.
5 min read
Power System Design
Grace came with a very basic power system which had some major problems. I chose to update it using MasterVolt as the primary charging, distribution and control system, Balmar for engine power management, and Firefly carbon foam batteries as the heart.
9 min read
Solar simplification
My ongoing solar project at our family cabin in Eastern Washington took a simplification turn this last weekend. Much of what I’ve learned rewiring boats and working on DC systems has helped me fine-tune this installation.
7 min read
Terminal fuse blocks saved my batteries
BlueSea terminal fuse blocks saved my Firefly batteries from damage after a short circuit.
2 min read
Grace's integrated 5 part network
Large sailboat network including NMEA 2000, SeaTalk, MasterBus, WiFi and ethernet. I believe in deeply integrated and instrumented systems, and want to know everything about anything, anywhere.
11 min read
Halogen light replacement with CREE LEDs
Good quality lighting is not something you have to sacrifice on a sailboat. It can also be economical now with the advent of LEDs. CREE LEDs are my favorite because of their color and quality, and I replaced almost everything on Grace with them.
4 min read
Save your battery and your beer with the Stainless Lobster Fridge Optimizer
The fridge is always one of the most power hungry items on a sailboat. Mine was no exception, and never seemed to get things as cold as I wanted. The Stainless Lobster Fridge Optimizer cut my power usage in half and kept things cooler than ever before.
9 min read