Help with shore power

kappykaplan · Mar 9, 2021

Some photos might help us help you. :beer:

rgranger · Mar 9, 2021

Without more info, it would be a wild guess. Here are a few guesses...

You have a circuit breaker that needs to be reset?

In your boat?
At the marina's power pedistal?

You have a ground-fault protected outlet that tripped?
You have an in-line fuse that blew?

Tom J · Mar 9, 2021

Shut off shore power at the pedestal and then disconnect the shore power cord. Look for melted, burned prongs on the ends of the power cord. If the cord looks ok, check the back of the receptacle where the power cord connects to the boat and look for burned cables. Running a heater will often max out the capacity of shore power, and lead to arcing at the weak spots.

Davidasailor26 · Mar 9, 2021

The bilge pump *should* not be related to the shore power system. The only way it might be is if the pump was running and it kicked a battery charger into a higher output mode, enough to pop a circuit breaker.

Do you have a multimeter that you can use to test voltage at the shore pedestal, end of the cable, and boat outlets, to start to isolate the fault?

Justin_NSA · Mar 9, 2021

How many watts is your heater? a 1500 watt heater will draw 12.5 amps.
Like David mentioned, your bilge pump probably triggered your charger. Between the 2 you probably exceeded your CB rating. Just a guess though.
You should still check your connections for heat damage

Tom J · Mar 9, 2021

tlott1980 said:
I was running my heater then the bilge pump came on for an extended time. Then the switch power switch blew.

I checked the shore power and the main power and both was switched on

I'm not sure which switches you are referring to. On my boat, the shore power is fed through a circuit breaker that can be switched on or off. If yours is similar, it might be necessary to cycle the breaker off and then on to reset it.

higgs · Mar 9, 2021

David has the solution. Use a meter to determine where you are getting power and where that ends. When you say power switch I am guessing the AC breaker inside your boat and it is possible that has gone bad. See if you have 120 up to the breaker. If you do, next step is to test the output side of the breaker. If that is dead, then it is your breaker.

Calif. Ted · Mar 9, 2021

tlott1980 said:
I have been looking around and have not found any other fuse boxes or switches.

There should be a main breaker for A/C within close proximity of the shorepower inlet, start at the back side of the plug on boat and trace the wire.

Ralph Johnstone · Mar 9, 2021

Davidasailor26 said:
Do you have a multimeter that you can use to test voltage at the shore pedestal, end of the cable, and boat outlets, to start to isolate the fault?

Welcome to the site @tlott1980. You will find a library of useful information here on every imaginable aspect of boats but you're going to have to accept some responsibility here.

1. If you don't have a multimeter in your hand when you start to look at this problem, don't waste your time.

2. If you don't own a multimeter or know how to use one, purchase one and follow the instructions. Simple ones are cheap.

3. If you're not able to do this, call a marine electrician and pay a fortune.

Your boat, your choice with kind regards to @Stu Jackson.

Tally Ho · Mar 10, 2021

My Hunter 280 (1996) had a breaker where the shore power cord connected to the boat...inside in the rear berth.

If you use your tester and find power at the boat end of the power cord, but no power to the boat...look near where the power cord connects to the boat.

Greg

Ron20324 · Mar 10, 2021

Calif. Ted said:
There should be a main breaker for A/C within close proximity of the shorepower inlet, start at the back side of the plug on boat and trace the wire.

All boats with shore power are supposed to have a breaker within 10 feet of the inlet connector.