Electrical hazard under the port settee?

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thinwater
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Electrical hazard under the port settee?

Post by thinwater »

I didn't even think about it, until looking at this photo (last one).

http://sail-delmarva.blogspot.com/2012/ ... plant.html

The thing is, there are un-fused electrical contacts exposed on the backside of the breaker, located in a compartment where things are stored that can move around. Exposed terminals are allowed in dedicated boxes, but certainly not in an open location like this. This considered a pretty serious violation that I'm surprised the surveyor missed. Other wise, PDQ did a solid job with electrical systems; I can't think of a similar hazard on the boat.

Solutions? Locating the whole business in a box would have been better, but I'm disinclined to tear it all out. I'm thinking about building a removable baffle attached to the back of the galley cabinet that would secure loose cargo away from the area. Fortunatly the exposed terminals are up and back where contact is not likely... but it's far from impossible. other ideas? I avoid storage in the starboard bins because of the proximity to the panel and inverter.

I'm not a surveyor, so I'm pretty slow some days.
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amytom
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Re: Electrical hazard under the port settee?

Post by amytom »

Drew,

Looked at your post and I'm wondering why the windlass breaker is on the port side anyways? On the DogHouse the windlass power runs from the main power bus in the starboard cabin, through the trunk to behind the power panel, to the breaker near the power panel, to the contactor, across the forward settee, through the behind fridge area, and finally to the anchor locker and windlass on the port bow. The contactor control lines run both to the helm and to a wired remote at the port bow.

I'm curious how your lines run so that the breaker ends up where it is.

Tom
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Page 83
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Re: Electrical hazard under the port settee?

Post by Page 83 »

Go to a Dollar store and get an appropropriately sized mini milk crate! You want to be able to smell the results if things start happening there.
Sandy Daugherty "Page 83" PDQ 36026
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thinwater
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Re: Electrical hazard under the port settee?

Post by thinwater »

Difference years, different installs. I beleive it is factory, as there is a protective plate on the bow, it is in the manual that came with the boat (1997), and I have seen the breaker in this location on other PDQ32s.

The power runs from the port battery (a pair of studs that serve as a local +/- buss) under the floor to the breaker, and then on to the port bow. It does not come through the main panel. There is a 150 amp fuse near the battery, so it is not completely unfused. Wiring high loads away from the main panel (starters and windlasses) is not unusual. It shaves 12 feet off the cable run, but leaves the breaker in an odd place.
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thinwater
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Re: Electrical hazard under the port settee?

Post by thinwater »

Page 83 wrote:Go to a Dollar store and get an appropriately sized mini milk crate! You want to be able to smell the results if things start happening there.
Yeah, may be. A little surgery to the crate and a few plastic conduit clamps might do something functional, safe. I was actually thinking of using a large PVC junction box in much the same manner, cutting most of it away. In any case, something removable and ventilated. I can also see I need to clip and reposition some wire ties to relieve tension. You kind of stand on your head to do this bit of wiring--It's amazing what stuffing a camera in a hole will reveal!
Writing full time since 2014.
"Rigging Modern Anchors,"Seaworthy Press, https://www.amazon.com/Rigging-Modern-A ... 1948494078
Book Store. http://sail-delmarva.blogspot.com/2017/ ... store.html
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Re: Electrical hazard under the port settee?

Post by Page 83 »

I bought a cheap usb clip on camera a couple years ago and use it (taped to a stick) to see places my tri-focal-impaired fat head won't go. This camera has a couple LEDs on it to terrify me with what lurks in the dark places on my fat, elderly PDQ 36. Not recommended for people who won't poke their hands is mysterious holes.
Sandy Daugherty "Page 83" PDQ 36026
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