If you have been following our sailing tales, or the ones of any other sailor, you surely know that boat life is 10% sailing and 90% tackling bizarre problems that lurk behind every panel and cushion. Well, today was a prime example of the latter. We started out determined to hook up our new solar charge controller, totally oblivious to the little gremlin waiting to make our lives interesting.

So, there we were, elbows deep in electrical wiring, excited about adding more sustainable energy to our floating home. As we peeked behind the salon cushions (a spot that rarely sees the light of day), I spotted something that made us freeze in our tracks. One of the battery shoes was looking a bit… crispy. Yep, a melted mess tucked away in a spot no one in their right mind checks regularly. If you zoom in close on the photo below and focus on the red battery shoe right next to that big white box (a.k.a., the inverter/charger), you will notice the melted shoe. It is a small detail that could have led to a big disaster!

Why, if there is one thing we have learned, it is that melted battery parts are a bad omen—like, “grab the fire extinguisher” bad. This was not a simple fix; it was a neon sign screaming, “Find the problem or face a fiery doom!”

Cue the dramatic music as we donned our deerstalker hats and channeled our inner Sherlock Holmes. We knew we had to dig deeper. A simple replacement was not going to cut it. So, we started taking apart the fuse assembly, searching for clues. And boy, did we find our smoking gun—an improper washer wedged between the fuse and the cable lug. This little devil was causing poor contact, leading to higher resistance, and you guessed it, overheating.

Feeling a mix of relief and lingering dread, we decided to get a second opinion while picking up our custom-made battery cables (who in the world has a crumpet for 2/0 awg cable?) from the local marine electrician’s shop. After all, two heads (or three, or four) are better than one, right? He took one look and nodded in agreement. “Yup,” he said, “that washer’s a big no-go. It could definitely cause melting and possibly a fire.” Phew! Crisis averted… for now.

Energized by our fortunate discovery of this incorrect and dangerous installation, we continued to check as many nooks and crannies for similar issues. Hopefully no rogue washer or faulty connection escaped our scrutiny. But with an electric system as complex as the one on Koko…

Fingers crossed, we dodged a potential disaster thanks to a keen eye and a bit of luck. The moral of our adventure? Never take shortcuts when it comes to your boat’s safety, and always, always check those obscure spots you usually ignore. Who knows what you might find?