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Circuit Breaker labeled APS?

Discussion in 'Electronics' started by Bayhouse, Nov 22, 2023.

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  1. Bayhouse, Nov 22, 2023
    #1
    Bayhouse

    Bayhouse New Member

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    On my 2005 43' Egg Harbor Sportfish (twin C12), there's a circuit breaker on the ER panel (with batt switches) that is labeled APS.

    Anyone have a suggestion for what APS stands for?

    Boat is on the hard for the winter and will eventually trace the wires to find out but this has been nagging at me. CB is inoperable at the moment and everything (I think) still works.
  2. Capt Ralph, Nov 22, 2023
    #2
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    #1 SWAG,
    Active Protection System

    Do you have Barnacle Busters or Cathode protection in/on/under your hull?

    #2
    Auxiliary Propulsion System
    Uh,,, Not on an Egg

    #3
    Ah, I know. It don't make sense but trust me..
    You owe us a beer.. :D:D

    BTW
    Welcome to Yacht Forums.
    There are a few Post Kids in your hood.
    I can not remember any Egg owners but I know a few are close to you also.
  3. BlueNomad, Nov 22, 2023
    #3
    BlueNomad

    BlueNomad Member

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    APS = Automatic Power Selector

    Sounds like you have multiple battery banks (probably 2?) which are connected as inputs to this unit. There should be a single output feeding something important, possibly house loads in your case. The APS simply selects the input with highest voltage to supply the output.
  4. Capt Ralph, Nov 22, 2023
    #4
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    SShhhh
    I wanted a beer
  5. BlueNomad, Nov 22, 2023
    #5
    BlueNomad

    BlueNomad Member

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    Sorry! :confused:
  6. Bayhouse, Nov 25, 2023
    #6
    Bayhouse

    Bayhouse New Member

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    3 banks actually - one for each engine and one for the generator.

    This answer is really intriguing and I'm scratching my head. I had just assumed that one of the engine banks was hard wired for the house loads. I really need to get into the ER and see how it's wired. What's more confusing now is the circuit breaker seems to be bad, it won't stay in the on position.o_O
  7. Bayhouse, Nov 25, 2023
    #7
    Bayhouse

    Bayhouse New Member

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    Thanks, good to be here - Beer is on me!
  8. DOCKMASTER, Nov 26, 2023
    #8
    DOCKMASTER

    DOCKMASTER Senior Member

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    So is this APS system basically just a load sensing relay? Draws from one bank then if voltage drops to a point it switches to the other? If the main engine batteries are powering house loads I wonder if it also has a set point where it drops the house load entirely to ensure enough power to start the engines?
  9. BlueNomad, Nov 26, 2023
    #9
    BlueNomad

    BlueNomad Member

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    Yes.
    No.
    Not likely. My guess is engine batteries are on one input, genset battery on the other, so output is from whichever is showing a charging voltage. Basically an auto-select switch for running vs moored.

    OP should provide specs or make/model for further info.
  10. BlueNomad, Nov 26, 2023
    #10
    BlueNomad

    BlueNomad Member

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    There's usually a reason for that ;)
  11. Capt Ralph, Nov 27, 2023
    #11
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    Geeez..
    He just asked what APS stood for.
    And your guessing also.
    I look forward to what your further investigations find.
    Is there anything in the prints, manual or logs?
  12. BlueNomad, Nov 27, 2023
    #12
    BlueNomad

    BlueNomad Member

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    True. Hopefully I made that clear.
    At least he knows where to look now ;)
  13. Capt J, Nov 27, 2023
    #13
    Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    Could be Auto Pilot System.
  14. Bayhouse, Dec 8, 2023
    #14
    Bayhouse

    Bayhouse New Member

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    Definitely not the auto pilot.

    The boat is on the hard for the winter, I'll try to get to her to track it down and really hope that it is wired between Genset battery and engine battery. There is no house bank and my electronics reset if I start the engines so they're pulling from one of the engine batts. I was going to add a house bank, but if it's wired to the genset, hopefully replacing the CB will fix the electronics problem.

    Will post an update when I get on the boat.
  15. Bayhouse, May 4, 2024
    #15
    Bayhouse

    Bayhouse New Member

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    Back with an update, was able to hop on the boat today and found this is the transformer in the storage area opposite the engine bulkhead where the circuit breaker is:

    https://us.rs-online.com/product/acme-electric-corporation/t181047/70267014/

    Also, I may have confused things above, I should have said there are two banks on the mains, the genset is an isolated bank. I can try to swap out the CB and see if that is the problem, otherwise I will have to assume that the transformer is bad? Boat is 12v throughout.

    Now the real question as I now semi-understand how this is supposed to work:rolleyes: to reduce or raise line voltage. Without a true house bank isolated from the mains, if my Furuno electronics are on and the engines are off, starting the engines will reset all of my electronics - and I truly hate that. Would this transformer potentially help or prevent that? I know Furuono is pretty power sensitive so maybe not.

    I was considering adding a house bank to protect the electronics so maybe this transformer is there to prevent the need...
  16. rtrafford, May 4, 2024
    #16
    rtrafford

    rtrafford Senior Member

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    I have an APS breaker on my 24v panel. It's the Auto Pilot Solenoid. Activate the hydraulic steering pump, and the pilot steers by solenoid.
  17. Capt Ralph, May 4, 2024
    #17
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    I think that transformer is just to knock down voltage for lights.
  18. ranger58sb, May 5, 2024
    #18
    ranger58sb

    ranger58sb Senior member

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    It's apparently quite common (on twin engine U.S. made boats) to have a bank for each engine and approx. half the house each. Not a horrible set-up; have to do cost/benefit analysis to decide whether a separate house bank would be worth the effort. Yes, there's that potential voltage drop thing; don't turn on your electronics before starting your engines. :)

    The headline on your link says AC input, DC output... so maybe it would keep your Furuno stuff ON if (when) you have shore power or genset power feeding the transformer. ??? The way that product is described in the table, I'm guessing there are several versions, one each for 120 or 240VAC input, and one each for 12 or 24VDC output. Four versions??? Or maybe feed it either 120VAC or 240VAC and get either (both?) 12VDC and 24VDC output. Two versions???

    If you try that RS "find similar products" option, then filter by Acme and buck/boost transformers, you'll get 50 results... so presumably each of the individual products (numbers) does something slightly different...

    Our isolation transformer is by Acme, and I just yesterday learned in another forum that Acme has become part of Hubbell. You might ask them...

    -Chris
  19. Capt Ralph, May 5, 2024
    #19
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    Not correct.
    That is ACv in, ACv out.
    It is a transformer, not a power supply.
    My lights on a vintage Pequod worked this way.
    Hatterass has this still.
  20. ranger58sb, May 5, 2024
    #20
    ranger58sb

    ranger58sb Senior member

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    That's consistent with their description in that link:
    "The most common example is boosting 208 volts to 230 volts, usually to operate a 230 volt motor such as an air-conditioner compressor, from a 208 volt supply line."​

    I don't quite see how to translate their product headline that way:
    "...1-Phase, 60 Hz 120 X 240 V Input 12/24 V Output, 0.05KVA"​

    ???

    -Chris
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