12v circuit problems

[Theo]

Why, thank you George for the kind and uplifting words. You surely meant the late PlasticIne period. I'm a bit of a Fred Dibnah really, what looks right is right, well almost. My reference to appliances ROBBING each other which was ridiculed by some due to faulty connections or wiring was in my experience the simplest way to explain to a customer what might be happening with their electrics, which they seem to understand rather than by waffling away, showing off, blinding them with science and getting too technical about high and low resistances and all the other technical facts figures, laws and goodness knows what appertaining to the mysterious and invisible force called electricity. By the way I'm not an electrician by trade, just call me a Sparks.

And Theo old bean, of course my boat is double wired.

Of course you are my dear chap! If I implied that I thought you were not, I apologise. The comment was intended for general rather than particular consumption.

 

N

[bizzard]

Of course you are my dear chap! If I implied that I thought you were not, I apologise. The comment was intended for general rather than particular consumption.

 

N

Ahoy Nick. No my fault for not wording things concisely. I prefer doin daft stories really. I probably confused some and possibly you by mentioning the fact that most metal bodied vehicles are single wired, and it was possibly assumed that my boat was too.

[smileypete]

Why not get yourself a DC clamp ammeter, it'll let you find

 

Thank you everyone for your posts.

 

Sorry not for replying sooner but been off the interweb for a while.

We managed to find the problem after much probing into small dusty and dirty alcoves - it was as suggested by Bizz as the first reply. The main negative connection to the isolation switch was loose, causing the wiring to move about when the engine was running (to recharge the batteries) and arc/disconnect.

All tightened and sorted now - thanks again for the helpful (and a few off track!) posts

 

Why not get yourself a DC clamp ammeter, £25 to £40ish; it'll let you find a fault like that in about 5 seconds. More info on the other thread:

 

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=61874&p=1181206

 

cheers, Pete.

~smpt~