Ground Fault Outlet

[emilbec]

When I had my boat surveyed (back a number of years ago), the surveyor remarked that I should have a ground fault outlet. I did not think that a bad idea and put in on the to do list. I just installed one and it does not work. My question is the is thus: the green wire is the ground (hopefully). To what is it grounded (if it is)to. What should I be looking for or should I think I intalled a defective outlet?

 

[Paul F]

GFCI

Installed a GFCI outlet directly to the shore power incoming wires. It was installed on a galley cabinet wall. It is the first connection to shore power even before going to the boat's switching panel. The switching panel's power is fed from the GFCI outlet. If you wire it right, all outlets down the line in the boat will also be protected. Please read Don Casey information in the link. This is the smartest addition to the boat's shore power that you can make. The green ground wire is part of the the three wires coming in on the shore power line from the dock. You can buy an inexpensive outlet tester to check all the outlets and tell you if the wiring is proper.

http://www.boatus.com/boattech/Casey/36.htm

 

[Forrest15112]

Does it trip every time you apply power to it or is it just not working at all? If it's the prior, it could caused by a neutral to ground bond on your boat AND another from the shore power. This can cause some cureent flow to ground and cause the outlet to fault. It could also trip if not grounded at all.

 

[emilbec]

Not working at all. There is power at the outlet, but not at the ones beyond it.

 

[Paul F]

Check your shore power source. At one dock I was at years ago the wiring to the dock was backwards. Get a testing plug from the hardware store and start testing the shore power lines first. If the shore power is right, keep the lines the same throughout the system, black-hot, white-neutral, and green-ground. Check each outlet with the testing plug to make sure it is wired correctly.
http://www.acmehowto.com/howto/homemaintenance/electrical/outlettest.php

 

[Jim Legere]

I have 2 GFCI plugs installed on my 1983 H37C - one for each plug circuit (P&S) - one is in the aft cabin and the other beside the switch panel. They work fine. My green wire in back of the AC panel is tied (connected) to the boat's DC Ground. Very occaisionally I have trouble with a marina GFCI tripping when I am hooked up to the shore power and switch on my Raritan battery charger. Other than that, no issues.

 

[woodster]

I have 2 GFCI plugs installed on my 1983 H37C - one for each plug circuit (P&S) - one is in the aft cabin and the other beside the switch panel. They work fine. My green wire in back of the AC panel is tied (connected) to the boat's DC Ground. Very occaisionally I have trouble with a marina GFCI tripping when I am hooked up to the shore power and switch on my Raritan battery charger. Other than that, no issues.

are you guys on 120vac or 240vac up in the north country?........

regards

woody

 

[Jim Legere]

120 VAC 60 Hz same as USA, Woodster - save those funny electrons for Europe!

 

[woodster]

120 VAC 60 Hz same as USA, Woodster - save those funny electrons for Europe!

hum they have that same crazy electrics in OZ as well....just was courious as i didnt know how much havoc Q Victoria may have done in her day....


regards

woody

 

[Ed Schenck]

Like Jim I wired mine after the circuit breakers, one for port and one for starboard. The first one on the starboard side is next to the red battery switch. That protects all the downstream outlets. I cannot remember where the first one is on port.

 

[simplicity]

If you had power at all the downstream outlets before you installed the GFI plug, and then after you installed it(assuming its wired correctly) had no power downstream then the GFI plug is faulty, but make sure it is wired correctly first. The GFI plug will have two screws marked LINE and the incoming power from your shore power should wire to these 2 screws.The other 2 swrews on a GFI plug should be marked LOAD and the white and black wires from the downstream outlets should be connected to these 2 screws.

 

[woodster]

Installed a GFCI outlet directly to the shore power incoming wires. It was installed on a galley cabinet wall. It is the first connection to shore power even before going to the boat's switching panel. The switching panel's power is fed from the GFCI outlet. If you wire it right, all outlets down the line in the boat will also be protected. Please read Don Casey information in the link. This is the smartest addition to the boat's shore power that you can make. The green ground wire is part of the the three wires coming in on the shore power line from the dock. You can buy an inexpensive outlet tester to check all the outlets and tell you if the wiring is proper.

http://www.boatus.com/boattech/Casey/36.htm

Paul.....what size GFCI receptial did you wire in the system before the switching panel and was the ac main breaker before or after the GFCI....

regards

woody

 

[Maine Sail]

If you have power to the outlet then it is possible you wired it backwards. If you wired the incoming power to the wrong side of the GFCI, the side intended for outlets down stream, then it won't work correctly. GFCI's have an in and out..

 

[Paul F]

Woody, I ran a 20 amp outlet with 12 gauge wire into and out of the outlet. It works fine with the electric draws that are made on the circuit. The largest are a small micro wave oven and the coffee maker. I took the water heater off the boat to save room.

The main breaker is after the GFCI outlet. On the old Hunter panel the main breaker is a strange three pole arrangement as you may already know. The original wiring method was used and works well.