The boat: 1989 Catalina 30 MKII
The issue: Shore power circuit breaker tripping
Hi All,
My boat is in a slip, with 120VAC shore power. The dock-mounted shore power receptacle is on a 30-amp circuit breaker. After more than three years of no issues since I’ve been in this particular slip, I arrived at my boat and noticed that the shore power circuit breaker was tripped. I unplugged the shore power, and opened all of the AC circuit breakers on my boat’s electrical panel. The panel is 120VAC, 30-amp, 60HZ. There are three (3) 120VAC circuit breakers on the electrical panel. They are labeled ‘OUTLETS’ (15amp) ‘WATER HEATER’ (20 amp) and ACCESSORY’ (no amperage placarded). With the WATER HEATER breaker tripped (pulled) the shore power breaker does not trip, but it accepts limited load. The example being that if I turn on the microwave, the shore power breaker trips, or if I plug in a computer charger, the breaker trips. So, I am able to load to a low-draw (amperage). This low-draw includes the successful operation of my battery charger, and cellphone charger. Also, all of my DC lights are operable. Even after a few days of this low-draw load, the shore power breaker still trips.
Troubleshooting:
My slip AC power shares a common outlet box with my adjacent slip. I swapped my cord to the adjacent slip’s outlet, and that breaker also tripped under load, so that leaves the problem from the shore power outlet box on the dock, to the boat.
So, do shore power cord go bad? Could this be the culprit? What components could be the culprit from there? The shore power receptacle on the boat? Any, or all of the 120VAC circuit breakers? Wiring? Battery Charger? Batteries?
Thanks in advance for you input.
The issue: Shore power circuit breaker tripping
Hi All,
My boat is in a slip, with 120VAC shore power. The dock-mounted shore power receptacle is on a 30-amp circuit breaker. After more than three years of no issues since I’ve been in this particular slip, I arrived at my boat and noticed that the shore power circuit breaker was tripped. I unplugged the shore power, and opened all of the AC circuit breakers on my boat’s electrical panel. The panel is 120VAC, 30-amp, 60HZ. There are three (3) 120VAC circuit breakers on the electrical panel. They are labeled ‘OUTLETS’ (15amp) ‘WATER HEATER’ (20 amp) and ACCESSORY’ (no amperage placarded). With the WATER HEATER breaker tripped (pulled) the shore power breaker does not trip, but it accepts limited load. The example being that if I turn on the microwave, the shore power breaker trips, or if I plug in a computer charger, the breaker trips. So, I am able to load to a low-draw (amperage). This low-draw includes the successful operation of my battery charger, and cellphone charger. Also, all of my DC lights are operable. Even after a few days of this low-draw load, the shore power breaker still trips.
Troubleshooting:
My slip AC power shares a common outlet box with my adjacent slip. I swapped my cord to the adjacent slip’s outlet, and that breaker also tripped under load, so that leaves the problem from the shore power outlet box on the dock, to the boat.
So, do shore power cord go bad? Could this be the culprit? What components could be the culprit from there? The shore power receptacle on the boat? Any, or all of the 120VAC circuit breakers? Wiring? Battery Charger? Batteries?
Thanks in advance for you input.
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