shore power won’t reset on boat
- Thread starter BugOutBoat
- Start date
This is our configuration: We have twin 30 Amp shore power connections running on a single 50 amp pedestal using a Y shore power adaptor. The Marina we are at has recently installed new smart meters and had issues installing them that affected the pier. The fault indications are: Shore power A shore power breaker when attempting to reset after the trip will show a shore blip on the Bus A light, then the smart meter breaker on shore will trip. The A shore power breaker on the boats main panel will continue to stay on, the shore power breaker near the shore power plugs also remains on. When we replaced the smart plug (when this happened before) everything went to normal. Then we overloaded the circuit again and now we have same tripping action. Leading me to think the shore power smart plugs short out when they fail. What do you think?
On my A panel I have 7 single pole breakers with one dual pole for the generator, and 1 three pole shore power breaker. The B Bus has the 1 three pole shore power, 1 dual pole generator, and 4 single poles.
I totally agree that they are supposed to open on heat, however the tripping of the smart meter breaker and not the boats internal breakers leads me to think the smart plugs actually short out. Would not an open result in no electrical power getting to the A bus panel breaker? I can measure the 120 VAC at the panel but when any load is added whatsoever none of the boats breakers trip but the smart meter breaker trips.
No problem. Just for giggles if you take the plugs off the boat and use a meter to check voltage on the plugs coming off the 50 adaptor to the boat.
l l
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The one on the right should be hot and should have roughly 115V between either the neutral (left) or the bottom (ground)
l l
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The one on the right should be hot and should have roughly 115V between either the neutral (left) or the bottom (ground)
Yes - this is what I did.
1. Disconnected shore power cables from boat.
2. Measured the 50AMP plug on the pedestal to ensure 120VAC from the Pedestal.
3. Then I attached the Y connector and checked the plugs on the cables to ensure my cables and Y were good.
4. I turned the A and B shore power breakers in the boat to off, connected the shore power cables and measured the hot side of the breakers to verify I didn't have a short between the shore power plugs and the shore power breaker panel. Both A and B measured 120VAC.
5. I then turned both A and B on at the shore power breaker panel.
6. I then went to the main power panel and measured the voltage on the input side of the 3 pole shore power breakers on the back side of the panel. Both read 120VAC.
7. I then energized the B power panel shore power breaker and had power supplied to loads. I get a very dim reverse polarity on this bus.
8. I then attempted to turn on the A power panel shore power breaker and the BUS A lights flickers and the breaker proceeds to turn on but the breaker at the smart meter on shore trips.
9. I turn on the generator and load the A BUS loads and I turn on multiple loads and everything runs.
What I believe is happening is that the smart plug is damaged and once current flows it shorts out. This would be the second smart plug that does this. Seems like a bad failure mode. Possibly we blew the new smart plug? Its an expensive fuse.
back to our original post. We know that we're tripping the breaker by too many loads. It is the issue that occurs after that is throwing us for a loop. Do you think that we may need to replace the panel A main breaker? Due to the possibility that we've tripped the breaker multiple times?