Circuit breaker source ?

seadaddler · Jul 3, 2014

west marine

or do search on web for circuit breaker

Stu Jackson · Jul 3, 2014

Are you talking about these? "The reset buttons are black and difficult to spot, but the white name letters "batt charger output reset" are clearly seen. Both of these push button reset circuit breakers were installed by Hunter.."?

If so, they have been hard to find, especially in that size.

1. You could try a Google search on them.
2. You could try electricians in Ottowa.
3. You could consider replacing them with regular single pole breakers. In most cases the hole in the panel is the same.
4. You could write to Phil or Dave, our website hosts here, and ask them directly in addition to this post.

Bob 04 H260 · Jul 3, 2014

Hi Paul, I don't have a source for those breakers, I'll be interested to see where they can be bought.
On our boat the promariner was installed under the nav station seat. I installed the new one there as well and used a 60 Amp fuse to run it over to the battery selector switch connecting it straight to our house bank. The start battery is on an echo charger from the house bank. From your post it seems your battery charger output is going through the 12 v power panel, ours never did.

Bob

Maine Sail · Jul 3, 2014

There should be fuses within 7" of the positive battery terminals. MRBF, ANL or Class T type all meet the AIC ratings required. Most breakers do not meet the AIC requirements.

As for the AC circuit breaker, if that is tripping, then the wire must also be made larger. A 15A breaker should not trip on a newer more efficient 60A charger...

Claude16102 · Jul 4, 2014

You can contact this company

Wes-Grade Components
in Mississauga ON
905.542.0311

estepko@wesgrade.com

Good luck

kloudie1 · Jul 5, 2014

These will work but would require a little "fitting" to get there:
http://www.pyacht.com/blue-sea-medium-duty-breakers.htm

Bob 04 H260 · Jul 5, 2014

Paul, a few years ago I bought some small push button marine breakers at The Chandlery. They were a bit bigger than the one you have now. They needed a 3/8" hole to mount them and were white. I don't know if they went up to 60 amps. The other option is to replace it with a fuse. I mounted my fuse under the nav seat beside the Stirling charger, so it very easy to check and replace, and it protects the circuit from the charger.

I just took a second look at your panel. My original charger was 40 amp on two lines each going to one battery. I suspect your breakers are only rated for 20 amps each.

Bob

Maine Sail · Jul 5, 2014

PKFK said:
Thanks for the replies guys.

Stu - yes the switch and breaker is as you described. I will try to attach a photo. It is the white breaker button on the bottom right (labelled Batt charger output reset) that will pop if the charger is dumping the max 60 Amps into the house bank.

Bob - We had the exact same ProMariner charger in the same location. Mine also goes to the battery selector switch and straight to the house bank - except for that darn breaker included in the selector switch (see photo). The charger does not go thru the 12V panel otherwise on the way to the house bank. I also have the alternator going straight into the house bank and charge the starting battery only via an echo charger.

Maine - yes I have the large fuses (look like 12 ga. shotgun shells) installed right at the house bank - only enough wire before the fuses to handle the bend radius of the 00 cable - less than 7" for sure.

The AC breakers do not trip at all.....no do any of the ones on the 12V panel.....the only breaker tripping is the one shown in the photo on the Battery selector switch.....and the existing one there is 40A - matched to the old charger I suspect.

Which unfortunately brings me back to my original quest to replace it with a 60 Amp breaker.

I found the manufacturer:
http://www.mechprod.com/products/mp-series-16--push-to-reset-circuit-breaker/

But they dont sell to the public. I will contact them....but since hunter put these panels in their boats - I am hoping someone here might have a line on getting one.....Blue Sea seem to have them to fit, but only up to 40 Amps.

Thanks again for the advice and comments !

Paul

My point is the DC output leads of the charger should NOT pass through a breaker. The output leads of the 60A charger should use ANL or MRBF fuses, not a breaker. These fuses should be at least 80A for a 60A charger and within 7" of the battery or the battery positive distribution bus. The wire should be sized to safely handle the 80A+ fuse and not drop too much voltage at 60A..

You can't fuse of use breakers at 100% of their rating. A min of 20% headroom should be included in fuse or breaker sizing.. Thus you can't protect a 60A charger with a 60A fuse or breaker..

Stop looking for this breaker because it should not be there anyway, unless it can meet the AIC requirement and is within 7" of the battery.. Those push button breakers do not meet minimum AIC requirements. I have never seen that style breaker which meets the AIC requirements for a safe installation to a battery..

There are two ways to do this, the right way & Hunters way... Don't forget the green charger chassis ground wire...

Bob 04 H260 · Jul 6, 2014

Paul, I think the big battery fuses protect the big battery wires. What would happen if there was an issue with the charger that it drew say 100 amps from the batteries, would the large battery fuses blow ? Could this cause a fire ? That was my thinking in using the 60A fuse between the charger output and selector switch, it limits the ouput and input current to the charger. The fuse is mounted behind the charger, high, up under the seat. Did you check to see if Hunter installed one on your boat ? They are a bit hard to see. The fuse ends up not being too far away from the selector switch and the end of the battery charger wire, probably not 7" but not a lot more that that. I also should add the fuse is on the negative charger output wire as the original charger had two outputs with a common ground wire. On my Sterling charger all 3 outputs are bussed together, I left the fuse in the negative wire.
Bob

Circuit breaker source ?

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