Electrical wiring and systems are convenient in that they provide you power wherever they are, but that doesn’t mean that they find all environments agreeable. Boats and marinas are certainly places that don’t always get along with electrical components. Marine environments don’t just involve water but also corrosive chemicals, extreme heat, movement, pounding and vibrations. If you deal with boats or marinas to make money or spend time recreationally, you need to know basic electrical tips to keep yourself and those around you safe.
1. Look for Exposed Cables and Wires
Electrical safety on boats and at marinas starts with watching out for exposed cables and wires. If you can physically see a wire, then salt corrosion, wind and water all have an obvious point of entry. Check your cables and wires for abrasions, cuts and other kinds of damage that might result in electric shock, sparks, fires or power outages. Make sure the power is off before any repairs take place.
2. Hire a Professional for the Installation
Whether it’s an emergency shut-off switch or waterproof boxes that keep components dry, always have a licensed electrical contractor handle the installation work. Electrical jobs are best left to the professionals regardless of your skill at handyman tasks. Given the nature of electricity itself, an installation that’s only slightly faulty can jeopardize you, your boat, and your family or crew members. Electrical professionals install things in ways that keep you safe, even if something were to go wrong.
3. Be Safe at Fuel Pumps
The fuel pump for your boat is one of the most likely places to deal with electrical risk, and there are two common conditions here. The first is electrical connections that are close to the water and boost the risk of shock in the water or on the dock, and the second is an opportunity for static electricity to accumulate along the hoses between the dock and the boat’s fuel tank. Be mindful of the chance of static electricity igniting fuel fumes, causing a fire.
4. Pay Attention to Your Dock Surroundings
One of the best electrical safety tips for boat operators is to pay attention to their dock surroundings. At a fuel station, see and know where the emergency shut-offs are located. Also, be mindful of neighboring docks that might be shock hazards even when your own dock is grounded professionally. Many accidents are avoidable, especially when you communicate crucial safety knowledge to your adjacent dock masters.
5. Inspect Outlets, Panels, and Switches
Wiring isn’t the only thing to keep an eye on. You must also inspect your boat’s switches, panels and outlets to minimize the potential for electric shock. Look for fractures, cracks and chips that might let water enter a component and hurt the internal wiring. Scratches and scuffs might indicate too much equipment slamming into the covering to the point of inside wiring becoming damaged.
6. Install a GFCI
Whether your electrical receptacles are inside your boat or a part of your outdoor enclosures, they need to have ground fault circuit interrupters every single time. These quick-acting circuit breakers should meet the 2011 National Electrical Code standards or better, specifically as outlined in NEC article 533 or 555. GFCIs meeting these standards can react in less than 25 milliseconds when they close the electrical current off. That keeps you and anyone else on the boat safe.
7. Have Bonding Jumpers Installed
A bonding jumper is a device that connects the metal parts of your boat dock to a ground rod located on the actual shore. When a boat dock is grounded properly, any electrical charge on your dock will activate GFCI units, so the power is immediately disabled. Combining all these devices means your safety on the dock is far higher, and you’ll be free to focus more on your activities.
8. Make Safety a Seasonal Habit
If you boat recreationally, then electrical safety practices on the water during summertime are a great thing to review every year when you first prepare your boat for the season. Alternatively, if you’re fortunate enough to live or work somewhere that boating can be done across multiple seasons, then safety tips and inspections should be something you review every three or four months. A checklist makes it easy to review everything you need to check, inspect or remember.
9. Cut Down on Chafing
Over half of all boat fires result from electrical failures or bad wiring. Entry points for wiring are especially risky for exposure. Protect all your electrical wiring entry points from chafing. That’s a primary cause of insulation failure, resulting in many boat fires. Protect entry points with conduit sections, sealed plastic collars or rubber grommets. Even electrical tape is better than nothing, although it’s not a permanent solution.
10. Schedule Professional Inspections
One of the best electrical safety tips for marina owners and boat operators is to have routine electrical inspections handled by a professional. In addition to your own regular inspections, an annual inspection by a certified industry professional means a trained set of eyeballs that ensures your boat and dock are ready for a fun or commercial activity season.
Have Fun Safely
Proper marine electrical safety is important to know whether you spend time on the water as a career or do it recreationally. Common sense and awareness of your surroundings are a great start, but you need to know everything about electrical safety in marinas and boats. Get a full marine electrical audit to soothe any concerns that you might have, and invest in high-caliber boat wiring, battery cables and other electrical components for true peace of mind.