Short of some kind in the electrical system

P

PM in TO

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Apr 16, 2010
23
Catalina 310 RCYC, Toronto
Has any one had any issues with some kind of an electrical short in there 310?
The other day I was cleaning up the haul getting ready for launch and in the process my bare arm touch the prop shaft and I fell a shock :eek:, not really bad but enough to know it was there. I was plugged in to shore power. So the steps I have so far taken are:

Make sure the twist lock power cord was firmly seated
Turn all the 110volt switched off. I could no longer feel the current.
So I start to turn them on one by one the current could be felt only when I turned the outlets on, BW there is nothing plugged in to any of them.
The bilge is bone dry and of course switch off

Any one had similar problem or and ideas?
 
F

Forrest15112

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Jan 22, 2008
423
Catalina 30 Mandeville, La.
I would check the polarity of the AC supply. The black wire is the hot wire and will read 110VAC between it and the white neutral wire. It will also read 110v from ground to black as well. In your case, if the shore power plug is reversed, your AC wiring system on the boat would have hot on white and neutral to black. If you have a meter or test light that measures ac voltage, you can test this easily by connecting the meter to a regular outlet on the boat when shore power is connected. Common 110v outlets have polarized connectors. One side is smaller than the other. You have probably noticed that most ac appliances will only plug into an outlet in one direction. The Hot lead is connected to the smaller opening on an outlet. You should measure the full 110v AC between there and the round ground socket. If you measure 110v across the larger socket opening and ground, it's reversed somewhere in the system. It could be the shore power cable, the outlet where it's plugged in, the wiring on the boat, etc.

Here's a cheap and easy way to monitor this when you connect shore power in unknown marinas. Get two AC rated LED's from West Marine, just a couple of bucks each. A green and a red. Connect the green one from the black lead on the shore power side of the main AC breaker and AC ground. When the shore power cord is plugged in,before you turn on the main breaker, the green led will light up indicating the shore power outlet is wired correctly. Wire the red led from the neutral on the shore power side of the main breaker to ground. If the wires are reversed, and hot is now on neutral, the red LED will light up indicating a fault.

Another thing to look for is if the neutral and ground are connected to each other ON THE BOAT. It should be bonded at the main breaker panel of the marina, your house, etc. Some people attach neutral and ground on the boat as well and that can create ground loops that can put voltage on the ground system. This will often cause GFCI outlets to trip when power is applied. If you have a separate AC generator on the boat, the neutral and ground must be bonded there, but switched out when on shore power.

http://www.westmarine.com/buy/blue-sea-systems--led-indicator-lights--P009_273_003_509
This is a link to the LED's I used. I just drilled a hole next to the breaker and pushed it in. It's designed to slip snugly into a hole drilled into the electrical panel - no glue or screws. While I was at it, I added "on" indicator lamps to all DC breakers too.
 
JK_Boston_Catalina310

JK_Boston_Catalina310

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Nov 18, 2010
2,441
Catalina 310 Hingham, MA
KZW said:
Same items also available at Amazon for 4.25 and 4.29, respectively. Nice gadget. I will add one to the tool box.
Click to expand
We have two. One plugged into the outlet in the galley most of the time or right next to it. Whenever we plug in and turn on the main power and the outlets we know immediately. The other is kept with our 30 amp to standard plug adapter. We can test the shore power before plug in.
 
KZW

KZW

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May 17, 2014
831
Catalina 310 #307 Bluewater Bay, FL
JK_Boston_Catalina310 said:
The other is kept with our 30 amp to standard plug adapter. We can test the shore power before plug in.
Click to expand
Do you have a picture, or source for the 30-Amp to standard Adaptor. That is something to have as well!!!
 
P

peter_ms

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Jan 22, 2008
214
Catalina 310 #147 Oakville Yacht Squadron
My hull #147 is equipped with a reverse polarity light built into the panel; and it works.
Were earlier or later 310's not so equipped?
 
KZW

KZW

.
May 17, 2014
831
Catalina 310 #307 Bluewater Bay, FL
peter_ms said:
My hull #147 is equipped with a reverse polarity light built into the panel; and it works.
Were earlier or later 310's not so equipped?
Click to expand
Do you have a picture of the panel? I've not noticed such a light on my panel. Next time at the boat I will check.
 
Stu Jackson

Stu Jackson

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Feb 26, 2004
22,878
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
1986 boats from Catalina came with them. Mine did. I'm sure the earlier C30s and C36s did, too. It's there, perhaps you never noticed 'cuz it never came on. RTFM???:):):)
 
KZW

KZW

.
May 17, 2014
831
Catalina 310 #307 Bluewater Bay, FL
PaulJ
Thank you for the picture. I note just under the AC on switch with green LED the label 30 Amp dual main breaker reversed polarity. I will check my panel. I don't recall seeing such an item.

What is the switch underneath the battery voltage meter do? It is not labeled. I'm sure I don't have one of those.

Stu,

- Thanks for you input.
I've RTFM from cover to cover, as related to you in previous discussions in other forums. Also restated here; the manual sucks. It is flat wrong in locations of several items to include, but not limited to:
- Location of the macerator through hull
- The three position switch for directing waste from the head. No such switch in my boat. They changed the plumbing to run the head directly to the holding tank. Catalina could not have been bothered to update the manual.
- Numerous wiring changes which are not reflected in the manual.
It is clear that over the years Catalina made changes to the boat and could not be bothered to update the manual. I can tell you from the picture above that my battery switch (1, Both, 2) is different than that depicted. Also, where the panel says Accessory in the AC switch bank, mine has a switch for the battery charger and is so labeled (and not in the wiring diagram in the manual).

Cheers
 
Stu Jackson

Stu Jackson

.
Feb 26, 2004
22,878
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
KZW said:
Stu,

- Thanks for you input.
I've RTFM from cover to cover, as related to you in previous discussions in other forums. Also restated here; the manual sucks. It is flat wrong in locations of several items to include, but not limited to............
Click to expand
KZW,

I apologize, I keep forgetting your valiant efforts to make those corrections. Most of the rest of the Catalina manuals are way way better, sorry yours are that poor.

Stu

PS - Looks like Paul added a head exhaust fan.
 
KZW

KZW

.
May 17, 2014
831
Catalina 310 #307 Bluewater Bay, FL
Stu Jackson said:
KZW,

I apologize, I keep forgetting your valiant efforts to make those corrections. Most of the rest of the Catalina manuals are way way better, sorry yours are that poor.

Stu
Click to expand


The 310 was the shortest production run of all the boat series Catalina produced (only about 350 made in just under a decade). It faced stiff price competition from Hunter and Beneteau. The 310 had (has) several higher end amenities, with a sticker price to match. My guess is over the production run they made changes to cut the cost here and there, and simply didn't update the manual to reflect the changes.
My power panel has subtle difference from the one pictured above, but the manual and wiring diagram doesn't reflect reality. Another example: my wiring diagram shows a 12 VDC outlet on the pedestal. Two boats in my local area, one produced in 2001 and one produced in 2003 have such an outlet. My 2005 boat does not. Its on my project list to put in.
 
P

PM in TO

.
Apr 16, 2010
23
Catalina 310 RCYC, Toronto
Hi Thanks to all,
I did find the issue, was an intermittent ground connection at the shore power end .
Thanks again

Regards P
 
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