Splitter Gone Bad.

[Suspicious Behavior]

This is my first Boat and I'm learning as I go.
All things Electrical worked fine at 2 Marinas in TX. Sailed it to Alabama , most things worked there but had to return to work so don't remember which or what.
Now I've got Electrical issues.
After being away from the Boat for 3 weeks I came back to a Dead Boat ( electrically) and dead house batteries.

The local electrician check the Marina's box. After some trial and error it works. At the 50 Amp - where the Splitter was connected good power going in. But does not split going out. 240 going in. 240 coming out of at least one split. It's supposed to be 120 at both.

There are two breakers just inside the stern that tripped because of the overload I guess .
The electrical meter that measure AC power inside the Boat fried too. And now with the power cords attached to two different 30 amp connections the Battery charger circuit breaker continues to trip. In fact won't stay in place at all.

Soooo. Pulled the meter out of the circuit. Plug ins. Lights. Water heater. And AC are working off shore power just fine. Just not the battery charger.

Any ideas?

 

[Ron20324]

Might depend on which model number splitter you're using. One type plugs into 115 volt/50 amp outlets. The splitter just parallels two 30 amp connectors. Another type splitter fits 50 amp 220 v outlets. That probably does not split the voltage in half? and you connected 115 appliances to 220 volts AC. My 2 cents.

The 220/50 or 120/250 is not the same connecter configuration as the 115/30.

 

[Suspicious Behavior]

So the splitter would fit into any type of 50 amp connector at the dock ? Or only one or the other ? I'll look to see if the splitter is labeled. Thanks

 

[Ron20324]

I'm looking at the Marinco Boaters Guide to AC Electrical Systems. You might find that same info online? If the numbers have not changed, they'd be something like 152AY/153AY/151AY.

 

[Suspicious Behavior]

Thanks all. I found out you were right. The splitter is an older model. In fact most Marinas power outlets won't hook up to them any more.

It wasn't reducing the power before the split. Just sending 240 x 2 on thru.
How it worked ok in Tx I don't know.

Anyway. Where's the best online store to buy a splitter ?

 

[ITMaster]

You can try looking at the Ship Store at this website, or Defender, West Marine, JamestownDistributors to name a few. Google search is your friend.

 

[jlp0217]

The dock is wired wrong if you're gettine 250 volts \out of the splitter. There's supposed to be 2 hots, a neutral, and a gournd. Each of the hots should be 120 relative to the neutral, Across the 2 hots give you 250. Its just like your house wiring, giving you 240 volts for dryer, stove, furnace & HVAC and 120 for everything else. Each side of the splitter should give you one hot, neutral, and ground, a 120 Volt supply.
A volt meter measuring between hot and either of the other 2 legs should read 110 - 120. between the other 2 legs should read 0. Only 1 of the 3 legs should have voltage.

 

[Ron20324]

Not necessarily, jlp. Looking at the (older) Marinco book, 240 at the dock requires a 4-conductor plug/cable/boat input. In their schematics, the 110 is tapped off the 240 INSIDE the boat. A system for 125/250 volts is different plugs yet- but only 3 wire. To the OP, what is your marina outlet, 3 or 4 wire.

 

[jlp0217]

A 250 Volt 3 wire setup would be a European setup, and would require an on board transformer to get 120 volts from it. In the US, 50 amp pedestals are either 125 V 50A (3wire) or 250V 50A (4wire). Unless of course the dock was wired specifically for a European 240 Volt boat. The plugs for each of those are not interchangeable. I still say the dock is wired wrong.

 

[heritage]

I agree with jlpo217. Somewhere in the circuit there is a short between two (out of phase) 120v hot wires. Probably in the dock's pedestal, but could be in your power cord connectors, or in your ac panel on the boat. Easy to eliminate the dock's pedestal by checking with a multimeter. Each hot should read 120v to ground.