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Unknown circuit - 43 Post, possibly others

Discussion in 'Post Yacht' started by Greg Page, Sep 30, 2024.

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  1. Greg Page

    Greg Page Senior Member

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    The exposed contacts on the one end are 'pins', the recessed contacts on the other are 'sockets' There should be no circuit between any 2 of the 3 pins (Line 1, Line 2 and Neutral) or any of the pins and the ring at one end or outside plate at the other end which are ground. It's easiest to test at the visible/exposed pins and the ground at either end (use which ever is easier to access with the meter probes).
    C team likes this.
  2. Greg Page

    Greg Page Senior Member

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    Also, don't know what electrical they do but Chesapeake Dockside Mobile Marine, Chris Sjolie, was responsive and did a good job replacing my water heater. Can see if they do KI, work around Annapolis. 443-458-3820
  3. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    Well, err, ohh,, If the shore cord is still attached to the boat and your testing the cables male end where it plugs into the dock service and ship's ckt breakers are still enabled for the ships loads, you will probably see some resistance (continuity) between the L1, L2 & neutral. The important part is none of these pins show any value to ground.
  4. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    What trips the shore GFI breakers is some electricity is on the ground lead. Assuming a fault, it trips the breaker.

    The usual issue with false ground fault errors, Somewhere neutral and ground are tied together in your boat, then some stray return current hits the power pole on the ground line.
    The most common error on this is at the gen-set install. Next laundry machines. Next inverter installs.

    Rarely, a real issue does happen; we have found a bad A/C compressor (was running great), wet outlet, wet wires and cables, smashed wires/cables and even a bad garbage disposal.
    Our partner in Jax even found some bad wires in an old stove top.

    The confusion and head-ache is that folks don't realize there is a problem till they move to a new dock with these mandated GFI service breakers then the head scratching begins.
  5. Greg Page

    Greg Page Senior Member

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    Yes, I should have been more clear. 'Remove' is both ends.
  6. Greg Page

    Greg Page Senior Member

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    I was told that very common cause is bad/rusted hot water heater. Our boat was fine for 2 years before the unknown neutral decided to short. I guess I need to do a quick test before heading out on a trip. I've asked for a quote on an isolation transformer installation for reference.
  7. C team

    C team Senior Member

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    Thanks, I'll give them a call!
  8. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    A water heater could be a great example, I have heard of this issue before, just never experienced it.

    Isolation transformer; Now your sounding like a Hatterass owner, don't fix the issue (that could be life threatening) just cover it up with a non ground / self generating neutral, transformer.

    There was this one (isolated) boat that our divers complained about. They felt a charge under the boat and stopped servicing it. Owner never understood....
    He finally left the area.
    Last edited: Oct 14, 2024
  9. chesapeake46

    chesapeake46 Senior Member

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    That is interesting.
    The divers I have dealt with ask to have the boat power shut down, even unplugged, while they do their thing, which is understandable.
    Maybe your guys had a bigger, longer lasting, job tho.
  10. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    Yep, to many underwater electric events and divers want to survive.

    My past crew are all still vertical when on land.
    I know of other underwater events,,,, Not..

    Here is the evidence that there are more issues than we commonly chat about.
    SO, as my post #28, don't cover up your issues, fix them...
    Stray (fault) currents have to go somewhere, a transformer is not a fix...
    Last edited: Oct 14, 2024
  11. C team

    C team Senior Member

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    Greg, my diver at Piney Narrows Yacht Haven never has me unplug from shore power.
  12. Greg Page

    Greg Page Senior Member

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    Either has my diver at my home dock.

    I'm not an electrical engineer but how would an isolation transformer be different than a GenSet in this situation?
  13. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    240Vac Isolation transformers do not use neutral (white wire) from the dock service.
    Isolation transformers may not connect the ships ground (green wire) to the dock service either.
    The dock service does not receive any fault current and the GFI service breaker does not trip.
    Using this approach, any fault current stays on the boat, tripping breakers or leaking to the water.

    While using a gen-set, neutral and ground (white & green wires) are strapped together at the gen-set.
    Here again, any fault current stays on the boat, tripping breakers or leaking to the water.
  14. Greg Page

    Greg Page Senior Member

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    Thanks
  15. C team

    C team Senior Member

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    Hi Greg, I got a hold of Chesapeake Dockside but unfortunately, they do not come over to Kent Island.