[C320-list] Shore power system

[Ron Squires]

Wrap up on the shore power problems.

1. With both electrical systems shut down and shore power cord removed, I removed one of the jumpers on the terminal strip thereby separating the  neutral (white) and safety ground (green) busses. Checking for continuity with both AC main breakers "on" all three lines came in at 0.0 ohms from the shore power plug to the main breaker panel and terminal strips. And "open" when checking between hot - neutral - safety ground.
2. Checking the polarity again from the source gave correct indications. But I still had a reverse polarity light at the transom breaker panel as soon as the breaker was turned on. I pulled the panel and found the light was not connected correctly! Instead of being connected between the green and white on the shore side of the breaker, some genius had it connected between the green wire and black "HOT" on the boat side of the breaker! It looks as if he or she wanted some kind of a "power on" light, but even that was not installed correctly. The green should never be used to carry power. Not to mention its a red light labeled "Reverse Polarity"
For those reading this who have not looked into the AC wiring, the green is in this case is a separate wire from the safety ground buss back to the shore power inlet breaker panel since the safety ground wire from the plug to the buss is to be an unbroken run, except for a galvanic isolator.

Now with the jumper removed, the neutral and safety ground busses separated, and the reverse polarity light  at the transom connected correctly(our boat has reverse polarity lights on both the transom breaker panel and the main breaker panel), everything checks out and the shore power system is functioning as it should without tripping the GFCI at the power source.

Thanks to all for your input and advise.

Regards,
Ron & Michelle
#26 1994 Island Time

_/) Sent from my iPhone 5

On Jul 25, 2013, at 1:28 PM, "John Frost" <john at frostnet.net> wrote:

> As an Electrical Safety Engineer, I investigated the electrocution of a
> young man when he touched his Dad's RV parked in the driveway.
> I determined that he was killed because the neutral and ground were
> connected together in the RV AND the power cord leading from the garage had
> a 3 wire to 2 wire adapter that happened to be plugged in with the polarity
> reversed. This energized the frame of the RV just like it would energize
> most of the metal in your boat.
> 
> Please do separate your neutral and ground.
> 
> Safe Sailing!
> 
> John
> 2007 C320MKII
> Hull 1118
> Guntersville, AL
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com
> [mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On Behalf Of Warren Updike
> Sent: Tuesday, July 23, 2013 10:38 AM
> To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Shore power system
> 
> Ok, I agree. The AC white and green should only be connected ashore.  I
> can't imagine who/why such a change would be made unless by mistake or
> misunderstanding.  You seem to know what's what.  I hope you get it
> resolved.  
> At this point, were it me, I'd opt for a certified marine electrician to
> review the whole AC system.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ron Squires [mailto:rsquires77 at netzero.com]
> Sent: Monday, July 22, 2013 8:20 PM
> To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Shore power system
> 
> Warren thank you for responding, I was hoping for replies from owners of
> mid-nineties boats. The only wiring I am addressing in this post is the 120v
> system. On our boat the neutral (white wire) and the safety ground (green
> wire) buses are connected via the over the top of the separators jumpers
> used on these type of terminal strips. To be clear the terminal strip has
> twelve positions, all of them are connected via jumpers. Four positions are
> white wires and six are green wires, with two unused in between. This does
> not match the 1993 schematic included in the owners manual, nor any other
> schematic I have been able to locate. All the opinions I have read conclude
> that these two buses should not be connected on a boat, only "at the power
> source". I'm not talking about those boats carrying a gen-set, but those
> like ours using a shore power cord and on shore source. The ABYC
> recommendation to connect the safety ground (green wire) and 12v negative
> (black wire) buses is not at issue here. I see no indication that these two
> are connected on our boat.
> 
> Ron & Michelle
> # 26 1994 "Island Time"
> 
> _/) Sent from my iPhone 5
> 
> On Jul 22, 2013, at 6:02 PM, Warren Updike <wupdike at hotmail.com> wrote:
> 
>> To be clear, when you say, "neutral bus" do you mean the negative
>> (black) side of the DC service?  When you say, "safety ground bus" do 
>> you mean the frame ground (green) side of the AC service?  If the 
>> answer to both is yes, then this is a normal and recommended 
>> connection.  Our 1994 hull also has this connection.  This is not 
>> likely contributing to your problem.  Nor, is it a reason why your 
>> GFCI is tripping.  If everything else is OK, there should be no 
>> voltage across the green/white or green/black wires of the AC service 
>> that
> would trip the GFCI.
>> 
>> I think you should find your problem along the lines suggested by others.
>> Check every point of connection between the dock and the AC breaker.
>> 
>> Warren & Pattie Updike
>> 1994 C320 #62 "Warr De Mar"
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Ron Squires [mailto:rsquires77 at netzero.com]
>> Sent: Monday, July 22, 2013 10:35 AM
>> To: C-320 List
>> Subject: [C320-list] Shore power system
>> 
>> This is our first season with this boat. When we connect to the shore 
>> power supply we encounter two problems, so far. First is we get a 
>> reverse current light, second when turning on the main AC breakers in 
>> order first the one at the inlet then the one the panel, the GFCI at 
>> the
> supply point trips.
>> 
>> What we have noted already while investigating is that the neutral bus 
>> and the safety ground bus are connected on the single shared terminal 
>> strip via what look to be original jumpers.
>> The boat does not have an isolation transformer.
>> 
>> I can't believe this boat has been miswired this long without someone 
>> questioning the buses being connected.
>> Can anyone think of a reason they would have, or should be connected 
>> on the early series boats(hull #26)?
>> The buses being connected does explain the GFCI trip but not the 
>> reverse current light. We have checked the source and cord with a 
>> polarity checker and they are OK.
>> We need to dig deeper into the AC system, will we find any more 
>> surprises with the system on a boat with an early hull number?
>> 
>> _/) Sent from my iPhone 5
> 
> 
> 
> 
>