amended, sec. 3, 70 Stat. 152; 46 U.S.C. 375, 416, 390b. Interpret or apply R.S. 4417, as amended, 4418, as amended, 4426, as amended, 4433, as amended, 4453, as amended, 4488, as amended; 46 U.S.C. 391, 392, 404, 411, 435, 481. Treasury Department Orders 120, July 31, 1950, 15 F.R. 6521; 167-20, June 18, 1956, 21 F.R. 4894; CGFR 56-28, July 24, 1956, 21 F.R. 5659; 167-38, October 26, 1959, 24 F.R. 8857.

SOURCE: The provisions of this Part 183 contained in CGFR 60-54, 25 F.R. 9338, Sept. 29, 1960, unless otherwise noted.

Subpart 183.01—Application and Intent

(a) This part is intended to provide a minimum standard of regulations for electrical installations and equipment that will result in a vessel that is reasonably safe from fire caused by and/or originating in electrical equipment, and reasonably safe from electrical shock of personnel.

§ 183.01-10 Special consideration for vital systems.

(a) Electrical equipment and circuits which are a necessary part of any system vital to the safe navigation of the vessel, such as propulsion and steering systems, will be given special consideration and shall be subject to certain additional requirements as determined by the Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection. These additional requirements are contained in applicable regulations in Subchapter J (Electrical Engineering) of this

chapter.

§ 183.01-15 General standards and requirements.

(a) All electrical installations shall be to the satisfaction of the Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection.

(b) The regulations contained in this Part are substantially in accord with, and in general are based upon established codes and recognized marine standards and practices. Certain of these codes and publications are referred to specifi

cally in some regulations in this part. A list of the publications follows: (1) Electrical Engineering Regulations, CG-259, published by United States Coast Guard.

(2) Recommended Practice for Electric Installations On Shipboard, AIEE No. 45, published by American Institute of Electrical Engineers, 33 West Thirtyninth Street, New York 18, N.Y.

(3) National Electrical Code, published by National Fire Protection Association, 60 Batterymarch Street, Boston 10, Mass.

(4) Standard for Marine Type Electric Lighting Fixtures, Subject 595, published by Underwriters' Laboratories, Inc., 207 East Ohio Street, Chicago 11, Ill.

(5) Standard for Commercial Electric Cooking Appliances, published by Underwriters' Laboratories, Inc., 207 East Ohio Street, Chicago 11, Ill. Subpart 183.05-Electrical Installations Operating at Potentials of Less Than 50 Volts

§ 183.05-1 Application.

(a) The regulations in this Subpart apply to electrical installations operating at potentials of less than 50 volts. Regulations covering electrical installations of 50 volts or more are contained in Subpart 183.10 of this part.

§ 183.05-5 Name plates (less than 50 volts).

(a) Each generator, motor and other major items of power equipment shall be provided with a name plate indicating the maker's name, its rating in volts and amperes or in volts and watts and when intended for connection to a normally grounded supply, the grounding polarity.

§ 183.05-10 Generators and motors (less than 50 volts).

(a) L. If both of the required fixed power bilge pumps (Table 182.25–10(a)) are electrically driven, two generators shall be provided. One of these generators shall be driven by a means independent of the main propulsion plant.

(b) S and L. Generators and motors shall be placed in dry, accessible and adequately ventilated locations.

(c) S and L. Independent generators and motors should be mounted on foundations as high as practicable above the bilges to avoid damage by splash or contact with low lying vapors. They shall

not be located in low or pocketed positions.

(d) S and L. All generators shall be suitably protected from overcurrent by circuit breakers, fuses or by an overcurrent relay.

(e) S and L. Overcurrent protection of a third brush type generator shall open the field circuit.

(f) S and L. An emergency switch shall be provided in the normally ungrounded main supply conductor from the battery and located as closely as practicable to the supply battery. [CGFR 63-40, 28 F.R. 9741, Sept. 6, 1963] § 183.05-15 Switchboards (less than 50 volts).

(a) Switchboards shall be placed in dry, accessible and adequately ventilated locations preferably outside the engine compartment. The switchboard shall be adequately protected and provision shall be made for access thereto. All uninsulated current carrying parts shall be mounted on nonabsorbent, noncombustible, high dielectric insulating material.

(b) Totally enclosed switchboards of the dead front type shall be used whenever they are accessible to passengers.

(c) Each ungrounded conductor of circuit supplying lights, motors or appliances shall be equipped with a circuit breaker or switch and fuses at the point of attachment to the power source. applies also to added circuits.

This

(d) Switches other than those mounted on the switchboard shall be of the enclosed type.

(e) If the storage battery is not in the same compartment and adjacent to the panel or box which distributes power to the various lighting, motor and appliance branch circuits the storage battery lead shall be fused close to the battery. § 183.05-20 Batteries (less than 50 volts).

(a) Batteries shall be so located that the gas generated in charging will be easily dissipated by natural or induced ventilation. Batteries should not be located in the same compartment with a gasoline tank or gasoline engine, but where location elsewhere is impracticable, they shall be effectively screened by a cage or similar structure to minimize the danger of accidental spark through dropping a metal object across terminals.

(b) Batteries shall be located as high above the bilge as practicable and secured against shifting with motion of the boat. They shall be accessible with not less than 10 inches head room.

(c) Battery terminals shall be of the soldered lug type and all connections shall be made to the battery terminals with permanent type connectors. Spring clips or other temporary type clamps are not permitted.

(d) Acid batteries shall be located in a tray of lead or other suitable material resistant to deteriorating action by the electrolyte.

(e) Alkaline batteries employing metal containers shall be mounted on suitable insulating support and shall be prevented from coming in contact with other metal which may result in a short circuit.

(f) A battery charger intended for connection to a commercial supply voltage shall employ a transformer of the isolating type. An ammeter that is readily visible shall be included in the battery charger circuit.

(g) A voltage dropping resistor provided for charging a battery shall be mounted in a suitable ventilated noncombustible enclosure, so installed as to prevent hazardous temperatures adjacent combustible materials.

at

§ 183.05-25 Radio-phone equipment (less than 50 volts).

(a) A separate circuit, fused at the main distribution panel shall be provided for each radio-phone installation.

(b) The supply cable to the radiophone installation shall be large enough to carry the current under any condition of normal operation.

§ 183.05-30 Circuit breakers (less than 50 volts).

(a) Circuit breakers, of the proper voltage rating, shall be of the manually reset type designed for inverse time delay, instantaneous short circuit protection and capable of repeatedly opening the circuit in which it is to be used without damage to the circuit breaker. § 183.05-35

volts).

Accessories (less than 50

(a) Accessories, such as switches, fuses, and sockets, shall be standard National Electrical Code types for the loads to be carried and shall be of types listed by, or types equal to those listed by Underwriters' Laboratories, Inc., or other recognized testing laboratory.

(b) All lights, receptacles and switches exposed to the weather shall be watertight and on vessels operating in salt water, shall be constructed of corrosionresistant material.

§ 183.05-40

Ignition wiring (installations less than 50 volts).

(a) Ignition wiring as supplied or recommended by engine manufacturers is generally acceptable.

§ 183.05-45 Lighting and power wiring size, insulation, etc. (less than 50 volts).

(a) Wiring sizes for lighting and power shall be in accordance with Table 183.05-45(a).

(b) As a precaution against rupture by vibration, all conductors shall be of the stranded type, except where type MI cable is employed, and no conductor smaller than No. 14 A.W.G. shall be used except for short fixture leads or intercommunication wiring as set forth in paragraph (k) of this section.

TABLE 183.05-45(a).-ALLOWABLE CURRENT-CARRYING CAPACITIES OF CONDUCTORS BASED ON ROOM TEMPERATURE OF 30° C., 86° F.

[See National Electrical Code for other sizes]

NOTE: (1) The current-carrying capacities listed in this table are for 1-, 2-, and 3-conductor cables; 80 percent of these capacities must be used for 4-, 5-, and 6-conductor cables, and 70 percent for 7-, 8-, and 9-conductor cables. (2) The allowable current-carrying capacities in this table are based on temperature alone and do not take voltage drop into consideration.

(c) Table 183.05-45 (c) indicates the size of conductor required for corresponding lengths and steady state (stable) values to obtain a voltage drop of not more than 10 percent at the load terminals of a two conductor circuit.

cm Circular-mil area of conductor. K= 10.75 (a constant representing the milfoot resistance of copper).

L= Load current, in amperes. I= Length of conductor from center of distribution, in feet.

E= Voltage drop at load, in volts.

(d) After computing the circular-mil area required, reference may be made to Table 183.05-45(a) for selection of the required conductor gage size. When the computed circular-mil area is found to be less than any value given in the table, the next larger size conductor shall be used.

(e) Light and power conductors for interior wiring shall be insulated in accordance with Table 183.05-45(e).

(f) Where desired, non-metallic sheathed multiple conductor cable may be employed instead of individual conductors.

(g) Lead sheathed unarmored conductors and conductors armored with spiral wound flat metal stripping shall not be used.

(h) Conductors armored with metallic basket weave, with or without inside lead sheathing, depending upon location, in accordance with the A.I.E.E. standard No. 45, Recommended Practice for Electrical Installations on Shipboard, may be used.

(i) Where desired, metallic sheathed cable type MI, as defined in the National

§ 183.05-50 Lighting and power wiring installation (less than 50 volts).

(a) Wiring. (1) All wiring shall be run as high as practicable above bilges.

(2) Wiring, where subject to mechanical damage shall be protected in accordance with the National Electrical Code: article 352 for metal raceways, article 346 for conduit, and article 348 for metallic tubing.

(b) Wiring joints and splices. (1) Wiring joints and splices shall be mechanically secure and made in junction boxes.

(2) Unless a splice is made by an insulated pressure wire connector listed by Underwriters' Laboratories, Inc., it shall be thoroughly soldered, taped first with rubber and then with friction tape, or the soldered joint shall be otherwise

protected as to provide an insulation the same as that of the conductors joined.

(3) Where ends of stranded conductors are to be clamped under terminal screws, they shall be formed and soldered unless fitted with pressure terminal connectors listed by Underwriters' Laboratories, Inc.

(c) Conductors. (1) Conductors shall be protected from overcurrent in accordance with their current-carrying capacities as given in Table 183.05-45(a).

NOTE: Overcurrent protection for conductors is provided for the purpose of opening the electric circuit if the current reaches a value which will cause an excessive or dangerous temperature in the conductor or conductor insulation.

(2) The conductors supplying motors and motor operated appliances shall be protected by a separate overcurrent device which is responsive to motor current. This device shall be rated or set at not more than 125 percent of the motor full-load current rating.

(d) Grounding. (1) On metal vessels the enclosures and frames of all major electrical equipment shall be permanently grounded to the metal hull of the vessel by the mounting bolts or other