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72 Offshore 2006 Pneumatic Door

Discussion in 'Technical Discussion' started by Serenita, Oct 5, 2012.

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  1. Serenita

    Serenita New Member

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    Oct 5, 2012
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    Port Washington
    How do shut down the power for the pneumatic door control panel on this boat?
    I tried everything from testing all the breakers to killing the power to the entire boat and the power was still on. I am running into brick walls every where I turn. Can not find any wiring going to the batteries or in line fuses. Not sure if has something to do with the inverter. Any Offshore techies know the secret?

    Serenita
  2. Ozzie

    Ozzie Member

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    Hello,
    The power is coming from 2-4 small motorcycle sized batteries mounted in a cubby that will be located very close to the door. Normally this is on stbd, but it could be on port. Look for an access panel with 4 screws and you should find them there.
    Let us know how you do.
  3. Serenita

    Serenita New Member

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    Thanks for the reply. I have been told by others that there is a battery pack some where supplying emergency power but I have not been able to find it yet. Our salon settee is on the port side while our TV and all our A/V equipment is on the stbd side. If the box is behind the A/V equipment racks it will be a nightmare getting to it.

    Now the second stage of my problem is: since we could not figure out how to shut the power down, we shut down the whole boat to remove the control panel, we figured the controller had the battery inside so we removed it while it was still hot. I suppose the batteries still had power going to it and of course it shorted out while removing it. I am hoping there is an in line fuse that blew because we cannot get power to the leads. Any suggestions for getting the power back to the original leads. Is there a fuse or a breaker when we find the battery box?
  4. Ozzie

    Ozzie Member

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    Following the control wiring should take you right to a junction box and the batteries. There should be a fuse there in the j-box.
    Again, all of this is going to be relatively close to the door, so if you're not finding it in the settee then it's probably in with the racks.
    Bear in mind that one of these batteries is about 1/8 the size of a group 27 battery.
    Are there no drawings onboard?
  5. PacBlue

    PacBlue Senior Member

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    It sounds like you are getting good advice, but I am curious why are you looking for a solution here as opposed to talking to someone at Offshore? :confused:
  6. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    What is it with some builders who install systems without providing easy and obvious way to shut them down! Yeah I m ranting but really if the system fails you have to ve able to shut it down

    On the Johnson i run the air door has a clearly labelled breaker on the DC panel firvthe control circuitry and a breaker on the AC panel for the air compressor. And if you have to shut it down, there are valves to relieve the pressure and open the door manually like any sliding door

    It s not rocket science!!! Remind of a 60' marquis on which there are no obvious Breaker to shut down the platform lift! Inexcusable'
  7. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    Or fuses or breakers for the Bow and Stern Thrusters on the Marquis either which resulted in more than one burning to the waterline.
  8. Serenita

    Serenita New Member

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    Once Again, Thanks for the reply s.
    I spent a few hours yesterday searching for the battery box to no avail. The people at Offshore said the same thing that I am hearing here but could not tell me exactly and have not returned my calls. The boat did come with schematics and I must say that everything on this build has been relatively well thought out as far as manuals,access, labeling and breaker panels with the exception of this door. There was no info regarding anything for the air assist door and every problem we have had has taken weeks to fix. Every part I have needed I purchased 2 of because everything was in Taiwan. I agree there should be clearly labeled breaker on the panel to shut the system down and it looks like I may have to install one by running a new lead to engine room because I looked everywhere accessible and have not been able to find the batteries or J box. We took apart the settee, we took apart the A/V racks, we pulled any wall paneling off, we pulled out the aft deck fridge, we checked underneath in the utility room, we checked the ER. When I pulled the switches, the wiring goes down into about a 1 inch space in between to panels so I cannot trace it without a fox and hound (tools I dont have) or cutting open the panels. The only things I did notice is that there was some aftermarket work done and that there was a small junction box next to control panel with 2 relays in it which does not seem to be Original Equipment. Is it possible they did away with the battery box and hot wired it to the 24V system? I did speak with the company that did the aftermarket mods but the said the Captain at the time was able to shut the power down before the worked on the system. I am hitting brick walls everywhere I turn.
    The only place I have not checked is the overheads but I am not pulling those unless someone tells me for sure that its up there.
  9. Serenita

    Serenita New Member

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    Found it!

    As it turns out, the fuse was in the first place I looked but hidden. On the 72 Offshore, the 24V house/inverter bank fuse panel is under the master S/R bunk. The main panel has the red push button style breakers/fuses where I thought it originally to be. But mounted behind that main bus panel is an independent fuse tucked away in the corner. The only way I found it was on the schematics. It was even labeled air assist door but the fuse and placard was tucked away out of plain sight. There never was any battery box by the door on this boat.

    Problem solved!
  10. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    Glad you figured it out but i have to wonder what offshore was thinking Placing a breaker panel under a master sr bed! And then hiding a fuse...

    "sorry honey, get out of bed I have to reset a breaker" is ok on a 30 footer not on a boat that size!
  11. Serenita

    Serenita New Member

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    I hear that! Well the house/inverters battery bank is in the bilges under the master S/R which are the cleanest/driest bilges on the boat. The 24 V breaker panel is in the wheelhouse for all the small stuff but the battery isolator for the whole house bank/inverter system is down there along with the big breakers (high amperage) for the P/H panel, windless, alternators, inverter. These need to be distributed from close to the bank to avoid shorts. I have to give credit where credit is due. At least the fuse was on the schematics. It probably was the best place for the big stuff. (If one of those pops, you most likely have bigger problems and want to be awake anyway!) But,,,the door fuse should be more visible if not on the main panel. The only reason I can guess for it being down there and the 24V power for the door being hot wired to the bus panel would be in the event of a emergency where you lose shore/generator power, the door can still be opened as long as there is a charge on the batteries. Even if you trip/lose the main panel in the P/H you will still have power going to the door. The only way to shut it off is to pull the fuse OR turn off the isolator switch from down below.
  12. Ozzie

    Ozzie Member

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    Nice work on tracking it down. Sorry for the goose chase, but it did sound like you had the auxiliary supply installed.