triple breaker

Nov 26, 2008
1,970
Endeavour 42 Cruisin
The main breaker on one of my 110v feeds has been tripping. Would like to replace it. It is triple wide with one switch. Dont understand...

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Jan 11, 2014
12,960
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
Not sure about the "triple breaker" however on boats both the hot (black) and neutral (white) legs should be protected by a double pole breaker. This is different that shore based AC wiring where only the hot leg (black) is connected to the breaker.

If the breaker is tripping it would be good to figure out what is causing the circuit to overload. It could just be a failed breaker, but I'd rest easier if I knew what was causing a breaker to trip on my boat.
 
Sep 28, 2008
922
Canadian Sailcraft CS27 Victoria B.C.
What is connected to the breaker? Based on the wire colors the green ground is switched. Ground should not be switched.
 
Mar 3, 2009
30
Beneteau 49 Atlantic City, NJ
Why does the neutral need to be protected? If the main breaker is a double pole, do the branch circuits need to be double pole also?
 
Feb 6, 1998
11,709
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
The main breaker on one of my 110v feeds has been tripping. Would like to replace it. It is triple wide with one switch. Dont understand...

View attachment 123306
What you have is a single toggle double breaker (hot and neutral) with an additional reverse polarity trip coil (green wires). That breaker will trip upon sensing reverse polarity. Paneltronics has those 30A breakers but do be sure it is not a reverse polarity issue before replacing it.
 
Sep 15, 2009
6,243
S2 9.2a Fairhope Al
the green wire to the third segment of that breaker is there to keep the breaker active in the case of reverse polarity if you have reverse polarity the third segment locks out the breaker and keeps it that way until the polarity problem is corrected
 
Nov 26, 2008
1,970
Endeavour 42 Cruisin
RC

No changes to the system for 8 years, reverse polarity lights act normal.
Started happening with the installation of new Ocean Breeze aircon. If I wired the aircon backwards, wouldnt it trip right away? It starts up fine and runs a while before tripping. Ocean Breeze thinks the breaker has become weak. And, while hauled out for bottom job, I've had a battery charger running on that circuit for 10 days with no tripping
 

RoyS

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Jun 3, 2012
1,742
Hunter 33 Steamboat Wharf, Hull, MA
Borrow a clamp on Amp Meter and measure the current being drawn on the main circuit. Circuit breakers will trip on overloads after a short time of warming up. A thirty Amp breaker will pass thirty amps for a short time before tripping. As a quick test see if the breaker feels warm when it trips. Be careful of the live wires connected to the breakers.
 
Feb 6, 1998
11,709
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
RC

No changes to the system for 8 years, reverse polarity lights act normal.
Started happening with the installation of new Ocean Breeze aircon. If I wired the aircon backwards, wouldnt it trip right away? It starts up fine and runs a while before tripping. Ocean Breeze thinks the breaker has become weak. And, while hauled out for bottom job, I've had a battery charger running on that circuit for 10 days with no tripping

What else is on this 30Aservice? A correct & safe AC installation has it on its own 30A service or you bump the service to 50A. You really don't want to have large chargers plus a water heater, plus an AC etc. all on one 30A service.... May not be a weak breaker it may actually be getting overloaded when the AC & water heater and chargers are all running etc..
 
Dec 19, 2006
5,832
Hunter 36 Punta Gorda
On my 2007 H-36 I have 2 -30 amp plugs and 2 sets of breakers 1- 30 amp for the AC
and another 30 amp plug and breaker for hot water heater and other 110 outlets.
I usually only plug in one 30 amp plug but while running the AC I don't use hot water heater
or any other high draw units while using AC.
Nick
 
Feb 6, 1998
11,709
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
On my 2007 H-36 I have 2 -30 amp plugs and 2 sets of breakers 1- 30 amp for the AC
and another 30 amp plug and breaker for hot water heater and other 110 outlets.
I usually only plug in one 30 amp plug but while running the AC I don't use hot water heater
or any other high draw units while using AC.
Nick
If you only have one shore plug in use how could you even power the AC? It should be wired as independent 30A services..
 
Jul 7, 2004
8,492
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
As offered already. You may want to verify that your load is correct before spending $80+ for a new Paneltronics breaker.
 
Nov 26, 2008
1,970
Endeavour 42 Cruisin
I'm told the Ocean Breeze start up draw is only 12 amps so a 30 amp breaker should be fine. But to make sure, I kept the 40 amp charger, the only other item on that branch, off.
 
Nov 26, 2008
1,970
Endeavour 42 Cruisin
RC
Clarify...if I wired the aircon in reverse polarity, wouldnt this main breaker with reverse polarity protection trip immediately?

What I get is the unit will run for a while and then trip. If I reset it and try again, it will trip when the compressor kicks in. So it seems to be a draw issue, not a polarity issue. Factory told me the start up draw is 12 amps and continious is around 8 amps
 
Nov 26, 2008
1,970
Endeavour 42 Cruisin
Ping...
Shouldnt the reverse polarity sensor trip immediately? I can run the aircon for a while before it pops the first time. Then after resetting, it will trip when the compressor comes back on. Seems like a load issue, not a polarity issue.

If hot and neutral got crossed somewhere in the circuit, how would I chexk for that?
 
Sep 15, 2009
6,243
S2 9.2a Fairhope Al
gettinthere i have the same ac unit (16000 btu) and am having the same problem Joe at ob has helped me trouble shoot the unite plus i have checked everything in the system short of the freon it has boiled down to sending it to them and having it checked and fixed ......it cools till the amps get too high then it shuts down ....i know this i thread drift sorta but just thought you should know....if you would like to talk to me about this send me a pm
 
Nov 26, 2008
1,970
Endeavour 42 Cruisin
gettinthere i have the same ac unit (16000 btu) and am having the same problem Joe at ob has helped me trouble shoot the unite plus i have checked everything in the system short of the freon it has boiled down to sending it to them and having it checked and fixed ......it cools till the amps get too high then it shuts down ....i know this i thread drift sorta but just thought you should know....if you would like to talk to me about this send me a pm
Not thread drift at all. This could be exactly the same issue I am having. You did already, or are going to send it back?