circuit breakers

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Oct 29, 2005
3
Hunter 31_83-87 Beaufort, NC
i have a 1984 hunter 31 that the main 110 volt circuit breaker has died. mine has 5 lugs on the back and a single toggle on the front. it is as wide as 2 of the others. it has 5 lugs on the back. on the corners, one is for black, one is for green, one is for white and one is a white wire that goes to a bus. then there is a center lug that has a green wire that seems to go to the reverse polarity light. it is made by airpax and says it is 37 amp. i cant seem to find a replacement. is the type with a double toggle a replacement? i can cut the panel to accomodate one.
 

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Manny

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Oct 5, 2006
983
Hunter 82? 37 Cutter Wherever the wind takes me
I'm pretty sure my 27' had the same airpax breaker setup. I couldn't find the exact replacement at the time and ended up having to replace it with a stand-alone blue seas panel.

M
 
Jun 6, 2006
6,990
currently boatless wishing Harrington Harbor North, MD
The breaker is actually two breakers ganged together internally. The same thing can be accomplished with two single breakers connected together with the fancy little dowel and screws arrangement between the toggels on the front so they opperate together.
Electrically you are trying to switch both the hot (black) and neutral (white). that accounts for 4 of the lugs. The lug going to the green safety ground is just that, the safety ground for the breaker. the pics show it going to the (presumably) ground buss
Most ganged CBs have these so as long as you are OK with drilling another hole in the pane for the second toggle you can go the two single CBs ganged together route.
 
Feb 6, 1998
11,701
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
Paneltronics still offers "World Series" magnetic double pole breakers with a single toggle. For a 30A the part number should be 206-083S (unless my catalog is outdated). There is no need for the green wire to be connected to a fifth terminal on the breaker. These breakers are designed to open the white/neutral and black/hot wires in the event of a fault. You should have a reverse polarity indicator, which is easy to wire up if you don't have one.

Green just goes to the DC/AC neg bus with all the other green wires. White and Green are NEVER connected on-board the boat (unless at a "source" like a generator or inverter)..... If you don't understand what I have just written you'd be good to have a marine electrical specialist help you. 55% of boat fires are ELECTRICAL in nature and AC can kill.......
 
Jan 22, 2008
8,050
Beneteau 323 Annapolis MD
I just put two 30-amp AC breakers in a panel and had to undo that link between the two handles to install them. Surprised to find that without that link, you could not operate just one of the breakers. They HAD to be operated together. SO, if you think about getting two separate breakers not normally made for this use, but sure to link the two handles together.

If you don't have a spare c.b. hole, consider getting a separate two-hole breaker panel. The blank aluminum panel from Blue Seas is 25 bucks., but there is a cheaper version of plastic for about 11 from some other company.
 
Sep 28, 2008
922
Canadian Sailcraft CS27 Victoria B.C.
I just put two 30-amp AC breakers in a panel and had to undo that link between the two handles to install them. Surprised to find that without that link, you could not operate just one of the breakers. They HAD to be operated together. SO, if you think about getting two separate breakers not normally made for this use, but sure to link the two handles together.
You can't and shouldn't substitute 2 single breakers for a double breaker main. The double pole breakers, as Ron found out, are not just 2 singles but a unique breaker that is designed so that one cannot operate without the other.

From the pics it looks like a Blue Seas breaker will fit - pn 7238
 
Feb 6, 1998
11,701
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
From the pics it looks like a Blue Seas breaker will fit - pn 7238
The Blue Sea is a double toggle, double pole. I suspect his panel is a single hole for a single toggle double pole breaker...
 
Oct 29, 2005
3
Hunter 31_83-87 Beaufort, NC
as usual the forum comes through. all advice was good. finally found a replacement. mine isnt made any more. bass products was the company i ended up with. talked to an engineer and he sent me a wiring diagram on how to make his fit my application. simple and reasonable.

thanks guys

mike
 

Tim R.

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May 27, 2004
3,626
Caliber 40 Long Range Cruiser Portland, Maine
Bass is a great company. My oem panel is Bass. They have always been very helpful.
 
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