ABYC MARINE SYSTEMS ELECTRICAL AND
POWER DISTRIBUTION CORE TOPICS
REVIEW SHEET FULL ANSWER
COLLECTION
●● What type of clamps are to be used for supporting wire bundles
when routed over engines and machinery?
Answer: Insulated Metallic Hanger Clamps
●● What tensile force must a 10 Gauge crimp connector withstand for
one minute?
Answer: 40 lbs (E-11 Table XV)
●● What is the max allowed unsupported cable length for battery
cables?
Answer: 36 inches
●● T or F: Running AC and DC conductors together is allowed so long
as the AC conductors are sheathed.
Answer: True
●● The most common electrical circuit problem in marine applications
is:
,A. Short circuits
B. Too much continuity
C. Unwanted open
D. Inter circuit Short
Answer: C. Unwanted open
●● The primary by-product of excessive electrical resistance is:
A. Increased Amperage
B. Increased Voltage
C. Reduced Ambient Temperature
D. Heat
Answer: D. Heat
●● One HP = how many watts?
Answer: 1 HP = 746 Watts
●● What is the preferred tool for tracing shorted and open circuits?
A. Ohm meter
B. Amp clamp
C. Volt meter
D. TDR (time-domain reflectometer)
Answer: D. TDR (time-domain reflectometer)
,●● A technician is installing a cable run from the batteries to the main
DC panel board on a boat as part of a refit. The boat has a 12-volt
system and the distance form the panel to the batteries is 15 ft. The
maximum current draw from the panel is calculated at 90 amps. What
guage cable should be used (minimum)?
Answer: 0 AWG
●● DC grounded conductors on new boats that are also equipped with
AC systems should use what color insulated wire?
Answer: Yellow
●● What is the smallest guage wire allowed for unsheathed wire runs
through the boat?
Answer: 16 AWG
●● T or F: Compared to deep cycle (house) batteries, cranking batteries
will have thicker lead plates to facilitate the higher, short-duration
current draws.
Answer: False. Start batteries have a greater number of thinner plates
within each cell.
●● Which type of battery generally recharges faster? Deep cycle or
cranking?
Answer: Cranking
, ●● What tool and common household staple are used to clean battery
terminals?
Answer: Wire brush and backing soda.
●● Why might a fully-discharged wet-cell type battery freeze?
Answer: Most of the sulfuric acid has been absorbed into the lead plates,
leaving mostly water in the electrolyte.
●● Batteries must be secured to prevent movement of more than ______
inches in any direction when a pulling force of _____ or _____,
whichever is less, is applied through the center of gravity of the battery
for how long?
Answer: 1 inch, 90 lbs or 2x the battery weight, for 1 minute in each
direction.
●● T or F: it is ok to install batteries directly below an uninterrupted fuel
line?
Answer: True
●● What provision must be in place on any fuel line located within 12
inches of a battery terminals?
Answer: Must be protected with dielectric insulating material
POWER DISTRIBUTION CORE TOPICS
REVIEW SHEET FULL ANSWER
COLLECTION
●● What type of clamps are to be used for supporting wire bundles
when routed over engines and machinery?
Answer: Insulated Metallic Hanger Clamps
●● What tensile force must a 10 Gauge crimp connector withstand for
one minute?
Answer: 40 lbs (E-11 Table XV)
●● What is the max allowed unsupported cable length for battery
cables?
Answer: 36 inches
●● T or F: Running AC and DC conductors together is allowed so long
as the AC conductors are sheathed.
Answer: True
●● The most common electrical circuit problem in marine applications
is:
,A. Short circuits
B. Too much continuity
C. Unwanted open
D. Inter circuit Short
Answer: C. Unwanted open
●● The primary by-product of excessive electrical resistance is:
A. Increased Amperage
B. Increased Voltage
C. Reduced Ambient Temperature
D. Heat
Answer: D. Heat
●● One HP = how many watts?
Answer: 1 HP = 746 Watts
●● What is the preferred tool for tracing shorted and open circuits?
A. Ohm meter
B. Amp clamp
C. Volt meter
D. TDR (time-domain reflectometer)
Answer: D. TDR (time-domain reflectometer)
,●● A technician is installing a cable run from the batteries to the main
DC panel board on a boat as part of a refit. The boat has a 12-volt
system and the distance form the panel to the batteries is 15 ft. The
maximum current draw from the panel is calculated at 90 amps. What
guage cable should be used (minimum)?
Answer: 0 AWG
●● DC grounded conductors on new boats that are also equipped with
AC systems should use what color insulated wire?
Answer: Yellow
●● What is the smallest guage wire allowed for unsheathed wire runs
through the boat?
Answer: 16 AWG
●● T or F: Compared to deep cycle (house) batteries, cranking batteries
will have thicker lead plates to facilitate the higher, short-duration
current draws.
Answer: False. Start batteries have a greater number of thinner plates
within each cell.
●● Which type of battery generally recharges faster? Deep cycle or
cranking?
Answer: Cranking
, ●● What tool and common household staple are used to clean battery
terminals?
Answer: Wire brush and backing soda.
●● Why might a fully-discharged wet-cell type battery freeze?
Answer: Most of the sulfuric acid has been absorbed into the lead plates,
leaving mostly water in the electrolyte.
●● Batteries must be secured to prevent movement of more than ______
inches in any direction when a pulling force of _____ or _____,
whichever is less, is applied through the center of gravity of the battery
for how long?
Answer: 1 inch, 90 lbs or 2x the battery weight, for 1 minute in each
direction.
●● T or F: it is ok to install batteries directly below an uninterrupted fuel
line?
Answer: True
●● What provision must be in place on any fuel line located within 12
inches of a battery terminals?
Answer: Must be protected with dielectric insulating material
