Shore Power Breaker

[Whiskey Tango]

Dear Fellow Hunter Owners
I am renewing the Shore Power AC Breaker on my 1980 Hunter 27. The original breaker has no indication of the amperage value, as the sticker with this information has worn and fallen off.
My question is, what amp breaker should I use to replace the old one. I have this much information to offer

1. It was a three pole breaker. The black (hot) ran to the top pole. The white (neutral) ran to the middle pole. And the green (ground) ran to the bottom pole, which I assume is a reverse polarity trip coil.

2. The cable coming into the breaker from the shore power outlet is 10 gauge triplex marine grade. coming out of the breaker is a terminal bar connected by 10 gauge wire. Out from the terminal bar, runs three lengths of of 14 gauge triplex Marine grade, that lead to three individual outlets.

That is all the information I have. My question is what size breaker do I use. Practicality tells me I want at least a 30 amp breaker, being that, at shore I may be drawing 20 pluses amps with my inverter running and other gadgets. But good sense tells me that the 14 gauge triplex running fromm breaker to outlets should be protected by a 15 amp AC breaker. But that doesn't seem like it would be enough.

I would appreciate any information on the matter. I realize there is a many of you folks with a wealth of knowledge and a sea of information will flood in. But if possible can the input try and remain on topic, as these forums have a tendency to fly off the handle. Again, what size AC Breaker should I use for my shore power? Thank you for you diligence and steadfast dedication. Happy Sailing.

 

[Johnb]

Please confirm there are no other breakers between e.g. port outlets, starboard outlets, water heater services.

 

[ramblinrod]

If you have a 30 Amp shore power cord, and the boat was equipped for 30 Amp shore power (10 AWG cable from shore power to AC panel) then your main breaker can be no more than 30 A.

ramblinrod
www.sheenmarine.com

 

[ramblinrod]

Just read the second half of your original post.

Correct, each 14 AWG branch circuit should be protected by a 15 Amp breaker.

The main breaker is to prevent the shore power cord from burning, the branch breakers are to keep the 14 AWG wire from burning.

ramblin rod
www.sheenmarine.com

 

[uncledom]

Dear Fellow Hunter Owners I am renewing the Shore Power AC Breaker on my 1980 Hunter 27. The original breaker has no indication of the amperage value, as the sticker with this information has worn and fallen off. My question is, what amp breaker should I use to replace the old one. I have this much information to offer 1. It was a three pole breaker. The black (hot) ran to the top pole. The white (neutral) ran to the middle pole. And the green (ground) ran to the bottom pole, which I assume is a reverse polarity trip coil. 2. The cable coming into the breaker from the shore power outlet is 10 gauge triplex marine grade. coming out of the breaker is a terminal bar connected by 10 gauge wire. Out from the terminal bar, runs three lengths of of 14 gauge triplex Marine grade, that lead to three individual outlets. That is all the information I have. My question is what size breaker do I use. Practicality tells me I want at least a 30 amp breaker, being that, at shore I may be drawing 20 pluses amps with my inverter running and other gadgets. But good sense tells me that the 14 gauge triplex running fromm breaker to outlets should be protected by a 15 amp AC breaker. But that doesn't seem like it would be enough. I would appreciate any information on the matter. I realize there is a many of you folks with a wealth of knowledge and a sea of information will flood in. But if possible can the input try and remain on topic, as these forums have a tendency to fly off the handle. Again, what size AC Breaker should I use for my shore power? Thank you for you diligence and steadfast dedication. Happy Sailing.

You seem to already get the idea of matching breaker size to wire size. The key is to get a breaker panel that covers each wire or group of wires with the correct size breaker for the wire gauge. Spring for a new panel with a 30 Amp main and correctly rated distribution breakers for each load or loads. You can put more than one outlet on a 15 amp breaker as it is unlikely you will be using 15 amps from any one source at a time. (Make her use a smaller hair dryer on the boat). Have fun.

 

[Whiskey Tango]

Thank you for all the Excellent suggestions. It is very helpful. It sounds like the most proper thing to do is to install a 30 amp breaker as a main for the shore power, and three 15 amp breakers for the outlet branches, as they are wired with 14 gauge.
That being said, my boat was originally wired with only one main breaker, in which all the outlets terminated directly to that. The electrical schematic I obtained showes this, so it's not that a previouse owner had incorrectly rewired the boat, it came like this from Hunter. So then did the folks over at Hunter make a mistake and fail to protect the 14 AWG branches. Or perhaps the original main shore Power breaker was only a 15 amp breaker to begin with. Thanks

 

[Johnb]

They violated a fundamental principle of protection, which is that the breaker/fuse is sized to protect the smallest size wire downstream of it.

 

[uncledom]

Unfortunately they did not wire to the National Electrical Code rules. I don't think anyone was looking back then.

 

[buzzerk]

try AirPax . . . the number on my Hunter 36 1980 30A ac breaker with rev polarity is VPG 666-4094-1. this number worked in 2008 . . . prob obs by now . . . forgot to save the 'new' numbers when I replaced mine. Other folks have posted . . . search airpax this forum

 

[artboas]

Triple pole breaker

Dear Fellow Hunter Owners
I am renewing the Shore Power AC Breaker on my 1980 Hunter 27. The original breaker has no indication of the amperage value, as the sticker with this information has worn and fallen off.
My question is, what amp breaker should I use to replace the old one. I have this much information to offer

1. It was a three pole breaker. The black (hot) ran to the top pole. The white (neutral) ran to the middle pole. And the green (ground) ran to the bottom pole, which I assume is a reverse polarity trip coil.

2. The cable coming into the breaker from the shore power outlet is 10 gauge triplex marine grade. coming out of the breaker is a terminal bar connected by 10 gauge wire. Out from the terminal bar, runs three lengths of of 14 gauge triplex Marine grade, that lead to three individual outlets.

That is all the information I have. My question is what size breaker do I use. Practicality tells me I want at least a 30 amp breaker, being that, at shore I may be drawing 20 pluses amps with my inverter running and other gadgets. But good sense tells me that the 14 gauge triplex running fromm breaker to outlets should be protected by a 15 amp AC breaker. But that doesn't seem like it would be enough.

I would appreciate any information on the matter. I realize there is a many of you folks with a wealth of knowledge and a sea of information will flood in. But if possible can the input try and remain on topic, as these forums have a tendency to fly off the handle. Again, what size AC Breaker should I use for my shore power? Thank you for you diligence and steadfast dedication. Happy Sailing.

If this is a triple pole breaker, then the ground leg is not a breaker; it is a switch.
You would never use a breaker in the ground leg.
Airpax makes triple pole devices which has breakers for hot & neutral, with the ground being a switch

 

[buzzerk]

CORRECTION . . . p/n VPG666-4094-1

I found my old receipt from 2008 and checked the vendor stock . . . this breaker is still available at onlinecomponents.com

It's not cheap . . . you may want to consider dropping the reverse polarity function and go with just a two pole breaker.

 

[Whiskey Tango]

Thank you folks for all of the fantastic advice. Based on the recommendations given above I ordered the PANELTRONICS 9972313B STANDARD AC 3 POSITION BREAKER PANEL & MAIN.
This panel fits all of the recommendations suggested, and all in a nice neat package with out me having to build a panel myself. It has a three pole 30 amp main breaker, and three 15 amp breakers to protect the three branches of 14 gauge triplex. It has power indicator lights for each breaker and a reverse polarity warning light. I paid $134.67 which sounds like a faire price considering. Thank you all again for all of the diligent advice and steadfast effort.
Happy Sailing.

 

[woodster]

Thank you folks for all of the fantastic advice. Based on the recommendations given above I ordered the PANELTRONICS 9972313B STANDARD AC 3 POSITION BREAKER PANEL & MAIN.
This panel fits all of the recommendations suggested, and all in a nice neat package with out me having to build a panel myself. It has a three pole 30 amp main breaker, and three 15 amp breakers to protect the three branches of 14 gauge triplex. It has power indicator lights for each breaker and a reverse polarity warning light. I paid $134.67 which sounds like a faire price considering. Thank you all again for all of the diligent advice and steadfast effort.
Happy Sailing.

that was a very good price

 

[buzzerk]

good call . . .

 

[Stu Jackson]

It has a three pole 30 amp main breaker

I don't see that in the picture.

They don't make 3 pole main breakers for 110V service, only single or two pole (hot & neutral). You don't ever want to break the ground.

 

[Whiskey Tango]

Just to make sure I ordered the correct breaker this is what my hunter came wired with originally for its AC shore power breaker. The green ground is wired to the breaker which is in fact made by Airpax. There are no longer any specification labeled. So it's all guess work. I'm assuming (and I do know the old adage) that it is a 30amp breaker base on the fact it has 10 gauge triplex running to it. I'm also assuming that what the ground is connected to is a rehearse polarity trip coil. This is what I'm assuming to be true and is what I based my purchase off of, as was the original intention of the forum. I hope I assumed correctly without giving the trite proverb credence.

 

[Whiskey Tango]

Side view

 

[Whiskey Tango]

This is the Breaker that is in the panel I ordered. Here are the specs

Shore Main Circuit Breakers and Reverse Polarity Trip Coil
Amperage: 30 amps
Poles: Triple Pole
Shore main AC circuit breaker for Paneltronics electrical distribution panels.
120VAC 60Hz (simultaneously breaks both hot and neutral legs)
220VAC 50Hz (simultaneously breaks both live and neutral legs)
Reverse Polarity Protector 65VAC trip coil (Surge arrestor P/N 281-001 required) (ABYC E-11.6.3.3.1)
Smart Breaker: Trips automatically upon sensing reverse polarity.

 

[woodster]

I don't see that in the picture. They don't make 3 pole main breakers for 110V service, only single or two pole (hot & neutral). You don't ever want to break the ground.

that three pole breaker is designed to break the black 120 vac wire and the white 120vac common

The third part of the breaker is the reverse polarity pole the green ground hooks too. When you have a reverse polarity condition the third pole acts as latching device that will not let you power back up until you have corrected the reverse polarity problem. This has been discussed several times on here..........