(Adapted from:D.T.

Hall:Practical Marine Electrical Knowledge)

 From the surveyor’s point of view steering
gear system can be envisaged as consisting
of three parts:
 Power unit
 Steering control
 Indications and alarms
 On many ships one of the steering gear
motors will be supplied via the emergency
switchboard as recommended by the SOLAS
requirements for certain vessel types, e.g.
passenger ships and ferries.
 Rudder control from the bridge position may
be via a hydraulic tele-motor or via an
electric controller or both. Main and
alternative electric supplies, including any
changeover facilities for the electric control
from the steering wheel and for the auto
pilot, must be tested
 The steering gear and its control must be
functionally tested for its response. This is
generally specified to be that the rudder must
be swung from 32° port to 32° starboard in
28 seconds.
 Note, a fully loaded response can only be
obtained when the ship is loaded and under
way at sea. Steering gear status indications
must be operating correctly in the steering
flat, main control room and on the bridge.
 The rudder position indicators on the bridge
may be checked during the functional testing
of the steering gear. The bridge indication
should be compared with the direct
mechanical indicator on the rudder stock in
the steering flat.
 Motor overcurrent alarms can be initiated by
simulating the action of the overcurrent relay.
 Remember that a steering gear motor does
not have overcurrent trip protection; the only
main circuit protection being from the back-
up fuses which are essential for short-circuit
protection.
 Hydraulic fluid low level alarms, if fitted,
must be checked for correct initiation by the
oil level sensors.
 Essentially, the surveyor will expect to prove
that the navigation light indicator operates
correctly and gives the appropriate alarms. A
broken wire or lamp can be simulated by
pulling the appropriate fuse.
 The power supply for the navigation lights
must be duplicated (usually the alternative
supply is obtained from the emergency
switchboard) and the changeover facilities
must be checked.
 Although the actual light fittings for
navigation are part of the Safety Equipment
Survey, the electrical survey will naturally
include a check on the supply cables to the
lights.
 If a ship is classified for Unattended
Machinery Space (UMS) operation, the
electrical survey will be extended to include
all the alarms, fire detection, controls and
fail-safe features of such an installation.
 All alarms associated with the main engine,
auxiliary machines, lubrication and cooling
are to be tested for correct operation.
 Testing of the electrical circuits from the
various sensors is relatively straightforward.
 This can be achieved by operating the sensor
switch by hand or by simulating the switch
action under the expected alarm condition.
 To prove that the overall sensor
(pressurestat, flow switch, level switch,
temperature switch, etc.) is functioning
correctly is obviously more involved.
 Often, specialist contractors may be called
upon to service and calibrate the sensors and
alarm annunciators.
 Particular attention will be paid to the main
engine and auxiliary generators in respect of
their alarms for lubrication and cooling.
 Initiation and action of automatic shut-down
features will be tested.
 Essential drives for lubrication, cooling and
fuel supply are duplicated and arranged so
that one pump can be selected on a
duty/standby basis.
 Loss of pressure at the duty pump should
automatically start up the standby unit.
 Automatic start-up of the emergency
generator must be demonstrated.
 The initiation of the undervoltage or under-
frequency relay can usually be accomplished
by pulling the fuses in the detection unit.
 The emergency generator should then run up
to speed and supply voltage to the
emergency switchboard.
 UMS requirements demand that a standby
main generator starts automatically on loss of
the duty generator. The standby generator is
to start and close onto the dead bus-bars
within 45 seconds.
 This is followed by automatic sequential re-
starting of essential auxiliaries for
lubrication, cooling, fuel and steering. The
correct functioning of the system will be
tested. The duplicate bilge level alarms
together with automatic bilge pumping must
be proven to the surveyor's satisfaction.
 The main and standby electric power supplies
to the overall alarm monitoring system must
be inspected and tested.
 The standby power arrangement usually
includes battery back-up.
 It will be necessary to inspect the general
condition of the battery and its trickle-
charger.
 Tests are made on the UMS alarm system to
verify:
 that alarms displayed on the main console in
the engine control room are relayed to the
smaller group alarm panel on the bridge;
 that the duty engineer call system is
operating in the accommodation areas, i.e. in
the cabin of the selected duty engineer and in
the duty mess and lounges;
 that the selected duty engineer is allowed 2-3
minutes to respond to a machinery alarm. If
the engineer has not reached the control
room and accepted the alarm within this
time, a dead man alarm should be sounded
generally in the alleyway adjacent to the
engineers' accommodation.
 A complete inspection and test of the fire
detection apparatus must be performed.
 All smoke, heat and flame sensors must
function correctly to initiate the appropriate
audible and visual alarms on the bridge, in
the main control room and in the
accommodation.
 Hand operated fire-alarm switches of the
break-glass type must also be examined and
tested to be in proper working order.
 Main engine controls must function correctly
and will be tested from the bridge position,
local position (engine control room) and at
the emergency position alongside the engine.
 The operational features of the electrical
equipment for main engine control and
indication will be best demonstrated during a
full engine test during an engine survey.
 Such electrical equipment and connections
associated with engine control will be
examined as usual for wear and tear,
insulation level, cleanliness, loose
connections and overheating.