Beneteau 45 AC circuit breaker popped? I can't find the correct breaker?

bb2021

.
May 28, 2021
3
beneteau oceanis 45 Annapolis
I was on deck doing post sailing cleanup. Wife was below cleaning up there. She pops her head up and says the AC (all three) stopped working, not sure at what point they stopped working? Believes they were working when we first plugged into shore power and turned them on.

Recycled shore power completely, found some breakers below the port helm, checked behind the radio panel and behind the power panel, looked around the AC unit in the saloon. All no joy. Called the broker who suggested looking near the nav table (This has a movable table I'd call the nav table. They may be referring to something different?).

Everything else seems to be powering normally (but may not have checked literally anything). Inverter works, lights work, electronics work, etc.

The fact that all three stopped at the same time steers me toward a circuit breaker I'm not finding. Also could be a fuse but I don't know which or where to look?

I read the owner's manuals. I have a full set. Each for individual equipment systems but don't relate to their installation on this boat. So far I'm not getting much help there.
 
Jun 10, 2019
57
Beneteau First 36.7 Marina Village, Alameda
Are all three units serviced from a common breaker on the main service panel? If so, you'll need to verify that the line coming from the common breaker is actually energized. A clamp-on voltmeter is best for that task, but wire leads can be used carefully. If the line is energized try to visualize the path the line takes from the service panel and follow it to potential branch points. If you end at an AC unit, check again to verify the line is energized at the unit's power coupling.
 
Jul 17, 2011
21
Beneteau oceans 321 Saint John
I would start at the source breaker for your shore power ie where your shore power is supplied .Ensure that breaker is in on position also check to see if there is ground fault protection at this point also.If there is power there start checking on the boat by turning off all AC powered breakers then power system back up one item at a time
 
Oct 26, 2010
2,023
Hunter 40.5 Beaufort, SC
Everything else seems to be powering normally (but may not have checked literally anything). Inverter works, lights work, electronics work, etc.
Unless your boat is really unusual, the inverter (power in), most lights, and all the electronics (instruments, vhf, stereo, tank levels, etc) are all DC powered and independent of the Alternating Current System that your Air Conditioner's operate from. Are other AC (Alternating Current, not Air Conditioning) items working. Plug a fan into an AC outlet and see if it works? You should have a breaker within 10 feet of where your shore power plug is on your boat. Check to see if that is closed. To do so you may need to "open it, and then reclose it". If its a pop up breaker you won't be able to reset it if a fault is still there. Then check if there is an AC power switch on your main panel. Again, you may have to open it (turn off) and then reclose to get the breaker to reset. If it won't reset then you probably have a fault somewhere. You may have just overloaded the AC system, especially with all three air con's running, probably the Water heater (cleaning up?) and maybe some other loads. Try the easy stuff before breaking out the voltmeter. Also, an old rule of thumb that we used in the Navy was you could reset a breaker two times, after that, then its time to break out the instruments and find the fault. Turn all the Alternating Current loads (Air con, water heater, plug circuits, microwave, etc first before you try to reset the breaker and then turn on the loads one at a time and observe. Just my 2 Cents - your milage may vary.
 
Dec 2, 2003
763
Hunter 260 winnipeg, Manitoba
Check for breakers in the locations indicated on page 44 of this manual as well as the shore power pedestal.

 
Mar 20, 2016
595
Beneteau 351 WYC Whitby
Each A/C must have its own breaker by code . My 16000 btu alone pulls 13.5 amps with pump. 3 A/C units depending on size would at least pull well over 30 amps
 
  • Like
Likes: smokey73
Jan 7, 2014
432
Beneteau 45F5 51551 Port Jefferson
I assume you checked the shore power breaker. You said your inverter is working, does it have a built in transfer switch? If so and you have power from the inverter, the problem is upstream from the inverter or it is the transfer switch within the inverter. Some inverters have a breaker. If it's a xantrex there is a reset button.