PSC deficiency code 02108: Electrical installations in general
This code is the catch-all for electrical defects that don't belong to a more specific item such as emergency lighting or the emergency generator. It covers switchboards, panels, cabling, junction boxes and fittings: anything that can shock someone or start a fire.
What the inspector looks at
Mostly a walk-through of the engine room, deck and accommodation, with a stop at the main switchboard.
- Earth fault (insulation) indicators on the main and emergency switchboards, and whether low readings are known and being traced
- Switchboard condition: covers and doors in place, no exposed busbars, insulating mats in front and behind, nothing stored against it
- Cable runs and penetrations: damaged sheathing, cables loose from trays, open or badly packed transits through bulkheads and decks
- Junction boxes, sockets and fittings with missing covers, broken glass or signs of water ingress, especially on open deck
- Temporary or improvised wiring, extension leads and domestic appliances in cabins and the galley
- In hazardous areas on tankers and gas carriers: whether fittings are of a certified safe type and intact
Common findings
- Main switchboard earth fault indicator showing low insulation, no record of fault finding
- Junction box cover missing, live terminals exposed
- Light fittings on deck broken, water inside
- Cable penetration through A-class bulkhead not sealed
- Insulating rubber mat missing in front of switchboard
- Unapproved extension cords and multi-plug adapters in crew cabins
The rule behind it
The requirements sit in SOLAS chapter II-1, Part D (electrical installations). Regulation 45 deals with precautions against shock, fire and other hazards of electrical origin, including earthing of exposed metal parts and the means of monitoring insulation on systems that aren't earthed. Penetrations through fire divisions also touch SOLAS chapter II-2, and class rules fill in the detail.
Action codes you are likely to see
A missing cover or a broken fitting is usually fixed on the spot (10) or given 17 to put right before departure. Low insulation that needs tracing often gets 16 or 15 when the inspector accepts it can't be done in port. It moves towards 30 when there are exposed live parts people can touch, a serious earth fault on essential circuits, or several defects together that show the system isn't being maintained. See action taken codes for what each code means.
How to close it
Replace covers, fittings and mats, repack penetrations with the approved system and remove improvised wiring. For earth faults, trace and fix the circuit, then record the insulation readings before and after in the electrical log. For small items, photos and the signed log page are normally enough; where a shore electrician or class was involved, keep their report. File all of it with the Form B so the next inspector can see the item was closed.