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Looking for good marine electrician on east coast

Discussion in 'Technical Discussion' started by KalaKai, Mar 2, 2020.

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  1. CSkipR, Mar 6, 2020
    #21
    CSkipR

    CSkipR Member

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    I believe before but I'm not positive on that. Here is a picture if that helps.

    (Mod Edit: Image size reduced)

    Attached Files:

    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 7, 2020
  2. chesapeake46, Mar 6, 2020
    #22
    chesapeake46

    chesapeake46 Senior Member

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    Cant tell from the pic but it's a nice clean installation FWIW.
  3. MBevins, Mar 6, 2020
    #23
    MBevins

    MBevins Senior Member

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    Based on the warning label, I'dbet on before the main breaker.
    However I'd like to think it's like my Viking, a breaker at ship entry, isolation transformer, then main breaker in master panel.
  4. d_meister, Mar 7, 2020
    #24
    d_meister

    d_meister Senior Member

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    The photo shows a triple breaker for the 120/240 supply, which would be Line 1, Line 2, and Neutral, ordinarily. There isn't usually a breaker for ground. A galvanic isolator is a simple device that passes the shore ground through a diode. The diode has a voltage drop of about half of a volt. The idea is that stray DC current entering the marina ground system from a nearby boat, won't find a path to the water through your boat and eat your zincs and other metals.
  5. KalaKai, Mar 11, 2020
    #25
    KalaKai

    KalaKai New Member

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    Update:

    Went to another marina with new GFCI pedestals (Hiton Head) and tripped the pedestal breaker.

    Local mechanic happened to be at the marina and looked at things....

    * He said shore power circuits and inverter circuits neutral wires are on the same bus bar, he said the needed to be on separate bars.
    * He bypassed the inverter (disconnected in and out to inveter, then connected them).
    * Shore power works fine with inverter out of the loop

    I called the guy who installed the Xantrex inverter who said

    * neutral wires do not have to be separated on different bus bars
    * the inverter has an auto switch that breaks the ground/neutral bonding when shore power is on
    * there is a setting on the inverter he's looking for that will make the break at a lower threshold and should fix it

    So we know it has something to do with the inverter or the way it's set up. I asked about putting a manual switch on the a/c in line before the inverter that bypassed it when I wanted to use shore power, he didn't seem to think that was a good idea.

    I'll update again if his solution works, should be of value to others running into this.

    Thanks again for those who tried to help.
  6. Capt Ralph, Mar 12, 2020
    #26
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    Glad your fixed. Takes that tension out of cruising.
  7. KalaKai, Apr 20, 2020
    #27
    KalaKai

    KalaKai New Member

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    Update:

    Went to another marina and tripped the breaker. Local electrician identified problem that inverter neutral circuits were on the same bus bar as shore power. Inverter circuits and inverter out have to have their own bus bar. We bypassed the inverter completely and shore power worked fine.

    The above bypass did not work at the next marina. Electrician there did a little trouble shooting and said I needed to install isolation transformer as tracing the leak would be too difficult and maybe impossible. I wasn't ready to give up finding the actual problem, so moved on.

    I really need a top notch marine electrician to look at my boat. I'm near Reedville VA and headed to Washington DC.

    Anyone know of a great marine electrician on the Potomac River?
  8. Capt J, Apr 20, 2020
    #28
    Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    Start here. Does the boat trip the shorepower breaker IF the shorepower is plugged in and breaker for shorepower on and ALL other AC breakers are off? If no, then start there, then turn out each breaker, one at a time, and wait 30 seconds until you find the circuit that trips the shore breaker GFCI. It can be something as simple as a clogged A/C condensate drain, or an ice maker compressor that's old/on it's way out the door. Once you find the circuit that is tripping the GFCI, then you know exactly where to look.
  9. KalaKai, Apr 20, 2020
    #29
    KalaKai

    KalaKai New Member

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    I did this and found 3 offending circuits, but neither I, nor the electrician, could not find the neutral wires for them, or the where they were getting the ground/neutral leak. Even when all neutral wires were taken off of the neutral bus bar, these circuits still have full power. 1 circuit supplies 4 a/c outlets, the other 2 are single outlet breakers for a microwave and reefer. A small household fan was plugged into the the reefer outlet at the time.

    I just don't see myself figuring this out and need a good electrician/detective.
  10. rtrafford, Apr 20, 2020
    #30
    rtrafford

    rtrafford Senior Member

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    Questions that jump to mind:

    • Are the fridge and microwave outlets grounded to your system? Check them for open ground?
    • Also, same question regards the 4 outlets, and check to see if any is a ground fault variety? Is anything plugged into these 4 outlets?
  11. KalaKai, Apr 20, 2020
    #31
    KalaKai

    KalaKai New Member

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    Hate to expose my ignorance, but I don't know what you mean by, or how to test for 'open ground', or how to know if they are grounded to my system.

    * reefer circuit has 1 3-wire cable which was plugged into a small household fan at the time
    * microwave circuit has same type of setup plugged into microwave
    * none of 4 outlets are GFI. they had TV, lamp, computer, printer, router and toaster oven plugged in

    I have 2 'outlet' breakers. I was able to identify one of them which, but not the one discussed above.
  12. MBevins, Apr 20, 2020
    #32
    MBevins

    MBevins Senior Member

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    Did you unplug all those devices?
    If not, do so with the breaker off, then individually turn the breakers all back on. If nothing tripped , it's whatever was plugged in, again one at a time plug each one in and see what happens.
  13. Capt Ralph, Apr 20, 2020
    #33
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    Yep, I have seen this before. Some clunker before has used the green wire for a white wire.
    Sense white and green are tied at the shore pedestal and usually tied at the gen-set, it works but not correctly.
    Probably past family of the guy who installed the inverter.

    Kalakai, How far you have till home? Or, your leaving home?
    What dock you going to be on for two weeks?
    You picked a heck of a pandemic to travel thru.

    We have to find this kid a tech and stop throwing ideas at him.
  14. Capt Ralph, Apr 20, 2020
    #34
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    Inverter update;
    In doing some research on inverters, I found Some Magnum inverters allow dual input neutrals tied only.
    In looking at a Magnum PAE inverters, the schematic does show a direct connect between white wire internally in & out on this model only.
    When stacking inverters (two for split phase 240Vac), I have found white wires tied for in and out but not on the same buss.

    Not sure of your exact model, I'm sure correcting the inverter did help at least improve your CFR and ABYC install.
  15. Capt Ralph, Apr 20, 2020
    #35
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    If your still in SC, I'm available.
  16. motoryachtlover, Apr 20, 2020
    #36
    motoryachtlover

    motoryachtlover Senior Member

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    The upper Va bay does not always have the best marine service close by. The solomons will have some good marine techs as will Annapolis. I would try to find a good yard in the solomons or Annapolis and go from there. Zahnisers in the Solomons has a good reputation but I have no experience with them
  17. PacBlue, Apr 20, 2020
    #37
    PacBlue

    PacBlue Senior Member

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  18. PacBlue, Apr 21, 2020
    #38
    PacBlue

    PacBlue Senior Member

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    You may want to check below, if you have an access hatch from the galley floor to an equipment room below the galley, there should be a Main GFI Outlet that ties into the Garbage Disposal and maybe some of the Galley Appliances.
  19. KalaKai, Apr 21, 2020
    #39
    KalaKai

    KalaKai New Member

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    Thanks very much for all of the replies!

    * I did find a someone I trust to take a look at my situation
    * He won't look at it for a couple of weeks, but I'll post result when that's done

    cheers!
  20. Pascal, Apr 21, 2020
    #40
    Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    I installed a inverter on my 53 Hatteras but That was years ago... back then I got conflicting info on whether the neutral bus should be split between inverter powered and non inverter power circuit. I ended up splitting the neutral bus which wasn’t fun but it did make sense.

    Now if the inverter is a marine inverter then it should only bond N to G when the inverter is active. RV and Off Grid inverter dont do that
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