Prosafe Galvanic Isolation Monitor, what is it?

[Ed]

On my 426 there is supposed to be (is on all others) a Prosafe Galvanic Isolation Monitor. I think it was left off by mistake - but that is another topic. I am about to ask the dealer to install it if it is supposed to be on the boat - but I have no idea what it is or what it does. Please help me out here. Sorry to be so dim, but don't understand what it protects and how. Thanks for any help here.I belive the reason it isn't on the boat is that this is hull number one and was completed just in time for the Newport show last year and was overloked or not in stock at the time. The boat is just now getting her sea trials and I will write a review in a week or so. Ed

 

[Chuck Wayne]

galvanic isolator

Hi ,Ed-not stupid questions, good ones for all of us! the isolator separates the dc and ac ground circuits on the boat from bad grounding on the dock-a swapped or leaky neutral/ground on the dock power line-fairly common-can convert your marina into a hotbed of leakage currents that will eat your submerged metal. Hunter has been known to leave them off, forget to connect them, or connect them incorrectly. look behind the power panel/nav station panel for a black box, about 4x4x4 with large ground cables (yellow) leading to it-that seems to be the common location

 

[Steve]

Not quite right...

A monitor does not separate the DC & AC grounds, but is strickly a monitor for the AC ground circuit. It monitors the AC ground (green wire) for stray current and if it sees current flowing in the wrong direction, it alarms. Mine is actually a two component system with a sensor and a head on my 356.The isolator can be different than the monitor, or part of an isolator/monitor system. See the link for a better explaination on the system from the manufacturer. Steve

 

[Chuck Wayne]

isolator-oops!

Steve is right, the isolator only separates the ac ground systems. Hunter does not (did not??)install the monitoring circuit on the 356, only the isolator-it's a plug in option. this is what happens when you answer questions late at night, 3 time zones away from home!