4 claims in “marine electrical engineering”
Bow thruster cable sizing must account for distance, not just manufacturer minimum specs—a long cable run may require heavier gauge than the manufacturer recommends to stay within the 10-volt-drop maximum, and can be calculated using the circular mils conversion formula.
Bow thruster electrical systems draw very high amperage (brief but intense draw) and can cause significant voltage drop to other boat systems if run from the main battery bank, causing electronics to lose power when the thruster is keyed; this problem is prevented by installing a dedicated battery near the thruster with its own charging system.
Shore power at AC dock pedestals should be tested to confirm correct voltage (120 or 240V), frequency (60 Hz), absence of stray current (ground faults), and proper grounding, because poor ground systems in marina wiring cause many electrical problems on boats.
For dual outboards, the negative terminals of the batteries should be connected together to prevent potential differences between the outboards, and ideally some bonding between the two outboards themselves should be established to eliminate additional issues, though Mike acknowledges limited personal experience with dual outboard systems.