Diagnostic Capabilities
Diagnosis based on measurement, not guesswork. The instruments I bring aboard, and what each one isolates.
Diagnose First
Parts get replaced. Faults get found. Those are not the same thing. Before anything is swapped out, the fault is located and its cause identified. The instruments below measure current, leakage, insulation, power quality, corrosion potential, and network health directly, so the diagnosis rests on measurement rather than assumption. Every job ends with a written report of what was found and what it takes to correct it.
Diagnostic Equipment
The instruments used on site, grouped by what they measure.
Imaging & Waveform Capture
Thermal Imaging Camera
Infrared inspection of panels, terminations, and wiring under load. Identifies overheating connections before failure.
Handheld Oscilloscope
Captures alternator ripple, voltage transients, and switching noise as waveforms. Characterizes intermittent and time-dependent faults.
Power Quality Analyzer
Logs voltage imbalance, harmonic distortion, frequency, and sags across all phases. Used on generator, inverter, and three-phase distribution faults.
Logging Multimeter
Records voltage and current unattended over extended periods. Captures intermittent faults that cannot be reproduced on demand.
Current, Resistance & Insulation
DC Clamp Meter with Inrush Capture
Measures current on live circuits without disconnection. Quantifies parasitic drain, charging output, and motor inrush.
AC Leakage Clamp Meter
Resolves leakage current to fractions of a milliamp. Isolates ELCI trips and AC leakage into the water.
Insulation Resistance Tester
High-voltage testing of wiring, shore cords, and motor windings. Detects degraded insulation before breakdown.
Low-Resistance Ohmmeter
Measures crimps, lugs, and switch contacts in milliohms. Identifies high-resistance terminations on high-current circuits.
Corrosion & Stray Current
Silver/Silver-Chloride Reference Electrode
Measures hull potential in the water against a calibrated reference. Evaluates cathodic protection and anode performance to ABYC E-2.
DC Milliamp Clamp Meter
Measures galvanic and stray DC current on bonding conductors. Distinguishes normal protection current from leakage.
Gauss Meter
Measures magnetic fields on shafts, struts, and fittings. Detects DC current paths and magnetization caused by stray current.
Galvanic Isolator Tester
Verifies forward-voltage threshold and fail-safe continuity of the galvanic isolator. Confirms the A-28 protective device is functioning rather than failed open or shorted.
Networks, RF & Data Bus
NMEA 2000 Network Analyzer
Measures bus voltage, error rates, and traffic at the backbone. Isolates wiring and termination faults from device failure.
Ethernet Cable Qualifier
Tests network cabling, PoE delivery, and switch ports. Used on onboard camera, radar, and data networks.
Antenna & SWR Analyzer
Sweeps VHF and AIS antenna systems to measure feedline loss and match. Isolates antenna, cable, and radio faults.
CAN Bus Analyzer
Reads J1939 and CAN data from diesel and electric propulsion systems. Accesses system-reported sensor and fault data.
Components & Batteries
Battery Analyzer
Conductance testing of start and house banks. Determines state of health independent of resting voltage.
LCR Meter
Measures inductance, capacitance, and resistance on windings and components. Identifies shorted transformers and failing coils.
Carbon Pile Load Tester
Applies a calibrated load to start and house banks while measuring voltage under draw. Confirms cranking capacity that a no-load reading can mask.
Semiconductor Component Tester
Tests diodes, transistors, and capacitors at the device level. Isolates failed alternator rectifiers and faults on regulator, charger, and controller boards.
Have a Fault That Won't Quit?
Intermittent, hidden, and hard-to-find problems are the work I take on. Based in the East Bay, serving Alameda, Oakland, Berkeley, Richmond, Sausalito, and surrounding Bay Area marinas.