Planning my 12v narrowboat electrics (the SIMPLE way)

[@dremein]

If I were building out a narrow boat I'd parallel four 12V batteries so my electrical trunks were running at 48V and use a 48 to 12 volt converter to step down the voltage for individual or closely grouped sockets/appliances. Stepping up the voltage drops the current and allows you to use a much smaller wire size. In the long run this will likely be less expensive. You can check this out yourself but estimating a run from the electrical closet to the bow of the boat for say running lights/tunnel lights/bedside sockets. Be sure to allow for the vertical runs and give yourself a bit extra length. Then do a wire gauge calculation (Blue Sea has a real good one) using 12V at X amps vs 48V at X/4 amps. Lastly price out the 12V wire vs the 48V wire + 48/12V converter(s) needed.

[@docostler]

A couple of things I'd like to mention. 1) Do not use standard house wire on a boat. The conductors are solid and can fail due to the vibrations inherent in boating. Flexible strand wiring is the way to go. 2) In my experience, it is very easy to underestimate your electrical requirements. Wiring in more outlets than you think you need (and potentially ending up unused) will be far more economical than trying to add circuits after the interior is completed. I know it is tempting to skimp on wiring as it is so expensive, but I'd be wary. Even if you simply run wires from the distribution panel into various areas of the boat and simply terminate them in a junction box will mean any expansion to the circuit count wouldn't have to be run all the way back to the panel. 3) Labeling is your friend. All wires look the same when you're upside down with a flashlight in your mouth and some wire cutters embedded in your palm.

[@TrogART]

I actually purchased a plug that you could plug items into and it gave a readout of what it would pull, it was handy as some items have more of a draw when powering up and then settle down once running, so its nice to know this as well. I then tested every item I was going to use on my boat and I have a lot of kit, large screen TV's, computers, iPads, iPhones, low power kettle and some greedy kitchen appliances, some of these I would only use on shore power as I have an inverter charger on my boat. I have some items I only use when on shore power and others when traveling. I got a widebeam sailaway only fitted to first fix on the electric side, battened inside with foam insulation painted on the outside and engine and batteries plus engine electrics all set up but had the entire fit out to do inside. Have done a Dutch Barge replica and a Widebeam now, one more boat maybe as they say it takes 3 to get it really right.

[@DriftwoodFolk]

Ooh this is useful to know! Thanks!

[@put301]

Remember to add lights outside for use in tunnels and a horn to your map 😊

[@DriftwoodFolk]

Yeah those would be useful wouldn’t they 😅😂

[@mikejfranklin7000]

Don't forget that the rated output of solar panels is the maximum they can output at mid-day on the sunniest day ever!

[@RetireMentalityChallenged]

Be sure to factor in the window locations for this plan. That will relate to daytime vs. night time needs and if you have an accurate rendition of the window positions it will help with socket and switch placement. I'd recommend you try to make your plan as close to scale as you can, it will pay off.

[@mattwhitehall9536]

You are doing a great job planning first, your next thing will be the cable runs, you can then do the cable calculations to give you the right size cable for current load requirement, but also to cover volt drop as you have some long runs and at 12v dc it doesn't take much to loose a couple of volts. This will also give you your fuse sizes and remember fuse for the size of cable and not what you want to run off it, the fuse is there to protect the cable and nothing else. It stops the cable burning out and causing a fire. You will need to use multi strand cables like on cars as there will be vibration so don't use household cabling, not even for the 230v side. If you are running cable in for lights then don't use battery lights as well, run them all at 12volt. And switch as many as you can independently so you only have on what you need, think carefully where you place lights especially over work areas so you are not standing causing a shadow over you work too or desk. Don't forget outside and navigation lights. Think about how many 12v sockets you actually need and what you will use them for. And where you can use a usb socket. If you do use usb then make sure you use standard and C type to future proof. Don't bunch too many cables together and keep the 12v dc and 230v ac separate I hope this helps

[@Bari_Khan_CEng_CMarEng]

Smart lady, and fun project and planning. Good efforts and video

[@BellaTrix0707]

There is a YT channel called Narrowboatelectrician ... His videos are impressive. The Narrowboat that James build also is very good reg electrics. Between these two, you guys should have no further issues.

[@DriftwoodFolk]

Thank you for the recs!!

[@carlf8291]

You go girl I think you have it under control good job.

[@DriftwoodFolk]

Aw thanks Carl!

[@alisongalloway1455]

I live off grid alone and have a 2300 inverter. I would never go smaller as you will add more items and maybe more people to the equation.

[@cappokenneth]

you can get a/c outlets with USB charging sockets built into them

[@mike-driftwoodfolk2651]

Hi ken you can and that is neater but unfortunately you would need the inverter on to power them because they are integral to the socket so instead of it being 12v its 12v jumped up to 240v then back down again to 12v for those sockets. So on a boat or a 12/24v system you would lose way more power in the conversion process then just running a 12v socket instead.

[@robtheplod]

Nice vlog,. Whilst working out your power audit its really hard to be accurate, and it does grow. A much easier way is to fit as much solar as you can afford/have room for - you cant have too much solar! If you watch most narrowboat vloggers they often end up adding additional solar, which costs more than doing it in one hit.

[@DriftwoodFolk]

Absolutely! We’re doubling what our calc said we need but it was really helpful to know the minimum needed as a starting reference

[@mauricewatts2380]

So good to see to being so upbeat. The refurb is really coming along. .. a couple of points , a washing machine and other electric motor driven appliances cause a high load on start so factor that into your thoughts on inverters etc. Also its a good idea to have lighting in the bow and stern along with a tunnel light . These can all be LED so no great power drain. Keep going and you'll be cruising this summer.

[@liamhainsworth9620]

Great, informative video. However; have you allowed for the standby of appliances, voltage drop, and inverter power? Power will get lost during DC/AC conversion and in standby. I would likely say you need twice the AH capacity looking at your layout. Also, don’t forget to swap your alternator for lithium. We fit 1000AH AGM in our regular diesel boat, and 4000AH Lithium Life Po4 in our electrical boats. If you need help. Reach out

[@DEmma1972]

Most rooms will need 2 way light switches at either end of the room, otherwise you may have to traverse the length of the room in the dark to turn a light on to see what you tripped over.

[@mike-driftwoodfolk2651]

Agreed ... We will in the living room to kitchen end as thats the majority of the boat and all open planned, but as for the bathroom or bedroom theres no point as you cant even swing a cat 🤣🤣

[@DEmma1972]

@@mike-driftwoodfolk2651 well, if you do try swinging a cat in the bathroom, make sure the light is on so that you dont yeet the cat down the toilet.

[@mike-driftwoodfolk2651]

​@@DEmma1972 😂😂😂 will keep you posted on that one 🙈😂

[@otter736]

Good job !!

[@forresteralex]

Just make sure your using artic flex and if I was you I'd run 240 on one side of the boat unless your gunna buy 100 metre roll of artic flex like I had to.. and make sure your fuse box is in a waterproof box... Plan looks good look your 12 v lights I'd use strips too use less power 😁 keep up great work

[@mike-driftwoodfolk2651]

Hey thanks for your comment. Yes we are gonna run a 240v ring main down one side of the boat and then back down the other end. Definitely. Thanks taken a while to workout ha. Thats a good shout actually we will keep that in mind.

[@forresteralex]

@@mike-driftwoodfolk2651 no worries deffo buy 100 metre roll if you haven't done so already don't forget the galvanic isolater:)

[@mike-driftwoodfolk2651]

​@@forresteralex haha our boat isnt that long 😅 (wish it was tho) but will definitely be buying a roll dont worry haha. I almost did actually thanks for the reminder 💪🏽

[@rotinkerbell]

using smart stuff all your lights can be controlled remotely so no need for 2 way switches any more. xx

[@mike-driftwoodfolk2651]

We will be having some smart stuff but the cost of all that plus having a wifi connection strong enough is wild and sockets are very much cheaper and are reliable.

[@MrPeterJMilner]

Good afternoon,. I am a Territorial Army Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers trained vehicle electrician. I currently own and run a commercial drone flying school and am a filmmaker and editor. I am in the middle of replacing my entire electrical system on my own narrowboat. It is custom designed by me but based on mostly off the shelf Victron equipment. This includes 800Ah of Victron Smart Lithium batteries for which I have special approval from my insurance company to install myself. The whole system and all auxiliary services such as system monitoring, solar dump hot water system and the central heating system is all computer controlled, automated and controllable from either on the boat or remotely across the internet. If I can give you any advice, let me know. Cheers, Peter.

[@elizaandalisa]

BIG SWELLS guys cheese n onion pie homemade awaits Atlas she's a guddun bring the lads to Oz cheers n beers Marty Australia

[@shogun666able]

Now your walking a minefield about what your going use in regards to appliances. You can get nearly 12 volts everything (DC), but as a rule they are far more expensive to buy, with a limited chose To take the worry out of being able to start the engine if you can fit another alternator to the engine to feed just the engine through an ordinary car battery. Easy done with a bracket from a scrap yard? for the second altimeter and a longer drive belt. So your engine starter has it's own battery as a car does and it matters not if your others go flat or through use not have enough power to start the engine. If it was me I would go 12 volt DC through a good size battery bank upto a 240 AC inverter. WIre for 240 volt AC, throughout the boat, as a ring main in a house, (so that's in one socket and out the same socket leaving a folded pair about 300mm long hanging out and on to the next) all around the boat leaving two wires (start and finish) join each pair to one fuse in the distribution board, (fuse board) L to live,(out of the fuse) N to neutral, E to earth, on each buzz bar, (line of connecters in the dis. board) fed by the inverter, as whatever small stuff your using will have their own transformers. Lighting I would do the same in 240 AC. There are plenty of places you can get all the info with diagrams showing you power and lighting ring mains, switches / two way switches etc. But do the groundwork and have it all tested by a electrician before powering it up. One thing people tend to forget is Earth sleeving, (plastic green and yellow hollow thin plastic tubing pushed over the single wire Earth) but remember long wires for terminating folded neat and tidy in their respective back boxes. Once you're into it and started it, it will all become as clear as mud for abit, but your more than able to sort it. Workout how many outlets you want then double it, at high and low level (cut the dangling leads down) And where is the girl that thought she couldn't when we all know she can! Another to remember if you wire in DC 12 volt the wire can be a lot thicker as the wire size works off of total amp requirements for a wire size rating, thus far more expensive. Have fun!

[@DriftwoodFolk]

Wow thanks for all the info, Arthur!

[@markdoble736]

Do not use twin and earth cable on any of your circuits which require the aforementioned earth sleeving on the bare earth cable. As many others have said, only use arctic or HO7RN-F cable for the 230V mains circuits. Similarly, only use twin red and black flexible cable for the low voltage circuits sized at the appropriate cross sectional area (mm²) to suit the load of the equipment being supplied.

[@dnewnova]

12v is very inefficent 24 volt enables you to use thinner gauge wire and the inverters are not that more expensive

[@mike-driftwoodfolk2651]

Yes and know ... Would need alot more solar to charge them and mor batteries and a different inverter ... Its good in some ways but for us it would be more expensive plus we havnt got alot of room for solar panels as it is 🙈😅

[@leroytrio5227]

Nothing to do with your circuit diagram, but a sink in a corner is usually best avoided.

[@mike-driftwoodfolk2651]

Haha its not really in the corner its about 1ft off as we wanted it by the window plus using an old skin fitting so less plumbing needed