Shore Power AC Reset Breaker

[smokey73]

1994 Hunter 40.5

One of the two 30A AC Reset Reset "Pop-Up" resets seems to be weak on holding current and pops well below 30a, while the other one does not. When the one on the right pops the "reverse polarity" light comes but there still seems to be some power to the AC circuit as the reverse polarity light is on and when I plug in a circuit checker it shows Power and Ground are reversed (only does this when the one of two 30 reset popup pops.

Here is a picture of the AC Reset Breakers (with both shut - ie not popped up) It looks like the left one has been replaced as it is different from the right one (or visa-versa).

Does anyone know a source for these pop up breakers? I see similar blue sea breakers (see picture) but they seem to only be listed for 30a DC circuits when it comes to buying them. The side of the breaker says 125V-250V AC / 32V DC. Will this breaker work for a 120V AC pop-up reset breaker?

Here is the Blue Sea that might work? In the ordering info it only says 30a DC - nothing about using in an AC system?

 

[Davidasailor26]

I’m not as comfortable with AC as DC, but I’ll speculate. My guess is that the breaker that’s popping is on the neutral side, so the hot side is still connected. Anything that’s plugged in will then conduct that electricity from the hot side to the neutral, energizing the neutral side which has nowhere to go. That would explain the reverse polarity indication - the neutral side becomes high/low potential relative to ground.

The breaker you show seems to say it is rated for 125/250 V AC, so my guess is that it would work as a replacement. But it would probably be better to replace both with a single two pole breaker, which would break both hot and neutral upon a fault.

 

[dlochner]

A lot has changed since your boat was built. ABYC Standards now call for an ELCI within 10 wire feet of the AC inlet.

The ELCI is a double pole breaker that will trip if there is current leakage and working much the same way a GFCI does and protects the whole boat. While not as simple as a plug and play replace the breaker you have, it will make your boat safer.

The photo only shows one AC reset, the other is a rebranded Blue Seas Breaker for a windlass or other large current DC device, the current BS version is a 285 Series.

Probably the best course of action is to replace both of the breakers and replace them with an ELCI in a more weather protected area. In theory this is not a terribly difficult job skill wise, however, every boat is different and it may become more challenging when running wires and positioning the ELCI.

 

[smokey73]

@dlochner Thanks for the reply. The larger breaker you are seeing off to the left is a separate DC breaker for my Halyard Winch, as you pointed out. The small pop up breaker with the 30 on it is connected to the black wires (AC hot) and the one with no marking on the right is connected to the white wires (AC Neutral). It is the non-marked one on the right that is popping. Both come directly from the AC ship side plug between the plug and the boats wiring about 4 inches from the plug. I have room to wire a ELCI double pole breaker within about 12 inches from the shore power inlet plug.

 

[smokey73]

Its well over 10 feet wire length from the shore power inlet to my electrical panel. What I have seen so far in ELCI two pole breaker are all designed for mounting in a panel. Not sure if I can fit it on the panel where the picture is taken?

 

[dlochner]

@dlochner Thanks for the reply. The larger breaker you are seeing off to the left is a separate DC breaker for my Halyard Winch, as you pointed out. The small pop up breaker with the 30 on it is connected to the black wires (AC hot) and the one with no marking on the right is connected to the white wires (AC Neutral). It is the non-marked one on the right that is popping. Both come directly from the AC ship side plug between the plug and the boats wiring about 4 inches from the plug. I have room to wire a ELCI double pole breaker within about 12 inches from the shore power inlet plug.

ts well over 10 feet wire length from the shore power inlet to my electrical panel. What I have seen so far in ELCI two pole breaker are all designed for mounting in a panel. Not sure if I can fit it on the panel where the picture is taken?

That would be the best way to go. I cheated a bit when I installed the ECLI on the AC panel. It is probably about 15 feet as the wire runs, however it was the best I could do easily. An older boat with an ECLI is likely a rarity, so any surveyor would probably not worry about strict ABYC compliance. The good news with AC is wire distances are one way, not 2 way like DC.