As any yacht owner knows, no matter how impressive the bells and whistles on your yacht may be, your yachts electrician, or in some cases a marine engineer, should be even more impressive. So what does a marine electrician do? In short, a marine electrician is responsible for the operation and distribution of power throughout a ship. A marine electrician maintains all onboard electrical systems, installs electrical equipment, and maintains the ships electrical system, and also ensures any onboard emergency or safety systems are operational. One of the most valuable things that any yacht owner can have for his ship is an experienced marine electrician.
Generally, marine electricians are responsible for things like fix onboard devices like two-way radios and stereos, locating and repairing electrical shorts, replacing faulty switches and fuses, and in many cases, much more. For example, many, but not all, marine electricians will also handle wiring installation and repair, battery replacement, electrical system management and consolidation, navigation installation, power management system design and installation and more.
Marine electricians will also handle general maintenance and electrical system repairs which typically includes testing onboard electrical equipment with devices like infrared testing, voltmeters, ohmmeters, autocad for design and any number of other tools or resources to perform thorough electrical testing and inspection. In any situation the appropriate tools and equipment will be primarily dependent upon the boat or yacht in question.
Typical Tasks For A Marine Electrician
A marine electrician, or yacht electrician, could be hired for a number of reasons including but not limited to simple electrical installations, design of electrical systems, integration of electrical components, re-wiring of onboard electrical systems, and any number of routine electrical maintenance tasks. Marine electricians would also be responsible for diagnosing or troubleshooting any onboard electrical issues impacting any of the yachts electrical systems.
In many cases, marine electricians will have a pre-existing set of blueprints and wiring diagrams mapping out most, if not all, of your yachts electrical system down to the fuse. This makes handling things like stripping wiring insulation to rewire, connecting power supplies, replacing blown fuses, and any number of higher risk electrical repairs considerably less dangerous. However, the mark of a true professional is attention to detail, especially when it comes to safety, so it’s important to work with marine electricians who take the necessary precautions to protect themselves against electrical shock and other dangers.
In some cases, especially for ships that make considerably longer trips, marine electricians can also consult on appropriate power usage in certain conditions as well as how to preserve power. This can include advising crew on suitable use of electrical power and how different weather and wind conditions may impact those decisions, assessing existing electrical systems capacity for specific situations, and making upgrades and modifications in preparation for specific needs.
Choosing A Marine Electrician
No matter the boat or the complexity of the job, it’s important that you work with a marine electrician that is not only experienced, but also one that has a strong reputation. As there is no official national certification, and many of the most talented marine electricians acquire their skills in on-the-job training or vocational programs, not all experienced marine electricians will have certification. However, when making a decision, knowing that an electrician holds one or more certifications should be significant.
Your best choice is to find a reputable company with a verifiable history, positive customer testimonials, and when possible verifiable online reviews. While there are countless talented independent marine electricians, working with an established company provides a number of benefits a single person never could. For example the combined generational experience of a team provides dual insight – years and years of practical insight matched with up to the minute understanding of the latest in marine electrical technology.
If you’re looking for an experienced marine electrician in South Florida with a verifiable client list that goes back decades, look no further than Tess LLC. Our experts are on call days, nights and weekends, and are ready to assist with your yacht or marine vessel, no matter the electrical issues.
