What you NEED to know about Boat Electrical (Part 1)

All sailors and boat owners should have a basic understanding of 12-Volt DC systems, basic electrical concepts, and the tools you need to maintain and fix your boat's electrical system. When you're traveling and something goes wrong, you can't just call an electrician—YOU must be the electrician. In this series, we want to empower you to do that. So today is the beginning of our multi-part series on Boat Electrical Systems. We'll start with the basics, then work our way up to troubleshooting common problems.

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PART 1: ELECTRICITY BASICS

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If you'd like to learn more about my BankManager:

IN THIS VIDEO:

[00:00] Video Start
[00:34] Intro
[00:46] Goal of this Series
[01:21] Why you Need Electrical Knowledge
[02:01] What's in this Episode?
[03:13] How to Keep This Series Going!
[04:02] Basic Electrical Terms
[04:13] Electricity
[04:27] Insulators vs. Conductors
[06:02] Resistance
[06:54] Voltage
[07:19] Current / Amperage
[07:39] The Only Math You Need
[08:33] The Ohm's Law Triangle Hack
[09:45] Example: Using Ohm's Law
[13:55] Electricity in Boats vs. Houses
[15:46] REVIEW / QUIZ
[18:34] Wrap-Up, Coming Up Next...

Have questions or comments? Leave them below! We do our best to read and answer all comments on our channel.

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[Clarks-Adventure]

Thanks for watching (and commenting) on this video series. If you have friends that you feel could benefit from what's presented here please consider sharing a link to this with them. I'd really appreciate it.

[JT-srpl]

This is excellent. Thought it was too basic for me, then quickly realised I was wrong.

[icarumba]

Clark is a rare breed. An Empathetic Genius = someone that can explain advanced concepts translated into simple terms paired with a want to share. Thanks!

[lpatrickdickerson]

Capsized best describes what happened in my life 5 years ago when an MS relapse disrupted most every facet of comfort that I knew. Over the months (and years) that followed, even more crumbled away. As I have been collecting the pieces that remain, …what is missing? What is this longing in my heart? It is to chart a new journey, one that I have dreamed about for most of my life. My goal is to be living on my own sailboat before the end of 2023 (within the next 17 months). I know that finances are such that I will need to find a good “fixer upper”. Where to begin and how best to proceed? Watching a number of sailing videos on YouTube, I recently stumbled across your channel. 🙏 Thank You so very much for the content you post. It is helping to provide the confidence that I will need to begin making this major life transition. Though I have very limited experience sailing in the open ocean, it is then that I felt most alive. It is my responsibility to myself to keep progressing towards this new reality.

[jrmil]

I learned this stuff in school 40+ years ago. I wish you were my instructor.

[moncorp]

Eye opener. Things I never thought about. The resistance in your wiring and connections, even if just a tiny bit, causing an even bigger power draw down.

[torch]

A happy upgrade to the usual sailing videos from youtube.

[acevedolc]

I loved your video. I now have my sailboat on a mooring ball. No shore power. I had to install solar panels. I realized how DC power is so important. Thanks, I'll keep watching.

[adammisner]

I'm never gonna fix the wiring of a boat, but I'm about to be working on a post apocalyptic book and one of the characters needs to be smarter than I am now. I actually found you guys because I wanted him to fix a refrigerator. Seems like a good way to make friends in a wasteland.

[MultiBmorgan]

I would love for you to complete this series. ELECTRICITY !!! And really like your videos. I wanna be a capable cruiser!!

[Dave-SailsAway]

Nice. The biggest help will come with video of the meter and how and where it is applied (showing good and bad circuits and connections). That is where most tutorials lose me...when they talk about it and don't show it. As a visual learner, that is key. Thanks

[raireva]

Do it!..., the first instalment is the clearest explanation of basic electric terms I have ever seen 👏

[j.brianbobiak]

I do electrical engineering for a living and Clark has done an excellent job teaching in this video. He's a natural! GREAT JOB!

[corbindallas]

Looking good Clark, glad to see you completely recovered from Covid. You look years younger than when you were sick.

[ianwilson]

Wow! In 20 minutes, you made more sense than my physics professors ever did. You need to run graduate seminars on common sense electric design and troubleshooting. THANK YOU!

[allanpierce]

Hi Clark and Emily.. perfect Clark. Just like sitting in class..didn't realize ohms was measured in divisions of feet.. and when you explain resistance, explain what zero resistance or a diminishing value of ohms mean in terms of heading straight towards or what is called a short in your terminological power points.. Wish all my teachers were as non condescending as you.. excellent scientifically tecnalysizeing introducing conductors and the relation to insulator elements.... Plastic and metal is exactly what I seem to recall as I remember reading when I began teaching myself all the electrical theory myself to do refrigeration..and that electricity is just a force or the differential interactions between Electron charges of the 108 elements on the chemical chart of known elements in the world...can't wait for your next ones Clark.. you both take care now.... You both have such an electrical magnetism about you... Esp Clark.. neat to see the comments from Brian .. I took electronics and loved his explanation of compartmentalizeing varying degrees of voltage needed for the work in watts needed... You two should start some cool inventions between yourselves... like making say guitar pedals... Or any number of a million things. ..
.

[realpetrovsky]

I need to buy you many beers. The two things holding me back from buying a liveaboard sailboat are the electrical and engine maintenance. You sir, have given me the confidence to keep learning and make my dream a reality. Thank you!

[elvan]

I just wanted to thank you for this series. I did not know even what a volt meant a month ago, however after watching some of your videos I finished installing a solar system on my boat today.

[pjorgerod]

Hello Clark, please continue. Who knows in the end you can build a electricity course. You already have one student interested. I am curious for the next lesson. This one was great. Thanks so much, Paul

[_pic_]

Well done !!! As an electrician, and familiar with harsh environments I would like to see you add a mention of dielectric grease. My only critique.