Water Heater wire to breaker fried/breaker trips

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Bob4203

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Jul 1, 2004
398
Catalina 30 Atlanta GA
I hope someone can give me some sound advice here. My Catalina is the 1988 Mark II model. My hot water heater was never replaced and never seemed to be a problem. While up on the boat today, when I ran the hot water at the galley faucet the AC breaker on the panel "popped". I pushed it back in and a few seconds later it "popped" again. I was not getting hot water at the faucet. My water tanks had plenty of water. Once I pulled the boats electrical panel cover off I noticed that the outer sheathing on the AC breaker wire was brittle and broken off, the exposed wire looked frayed up to three inches up from the connection to the breaker and burned.

I now have to evaluate if the issue is the breaker, if the black AC wire over time bent enough over the years from opening and closing the panel cover to weaken it (I doubt this) or I have a bad water heater? I did not inspect the water heater yet.

The Water Heater breaker was very hot to the touch! I will have to replace the wire from the water heater to the breaker, which could be a challenge, but how do I determine if its the water heater or the breaker? Electrical work has never been my greatest strength :eek:

Thanks

Bob
1988 Mark II
 
hvbaker

hvbaker

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Oct 5, 2010
322
Catalina 30 mkII St. Augustine
Get a snake and it will not be difficult to run new wire.
 
Stu Jackson

Stu Jackson

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Feb 26, 2004
22,996
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
replace the breaker

replace the wiring

inspect the wiring at the heater

step by step

you're just not there yet
 
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Capt jgw

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Feb 8, 2014
1,300
Columbia 36 Muskegon
The element in the heater may have failed. Was the heater ever turned on with no water in it? That will kill it in a heartbeat. They usually melt off and just quit working, but it could have shorted against the case. It's an easy fix, you can probably get a new element at Home Depot and others. Wire needs to be replaced as well, the insulation is likely compromised. The breaker is probably alright.
 
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Bob4203

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Jul 1, 2004
398
Catalina 30 Atlanta GA
Thanks for the responses everyone. Sound advice. I was on CatalinaDirect last night and they have replacement breakers, heater elements, water heaters, etc,. I do believe that the breaker might be okay and will use that first before replacing (replacement is $75). Its a short distance for the "black" wire from the panel to the heater, so once I figure out the gauge I will start with that and work forward.

Bob
 
woodster

woodster

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Sep 15, 2009
6,243
S2 9.2a Fairhope Al
Bob4203 said:
Thanks for the responses everyone. Sound advice. I was on CatalinaDirect last night and they have replacement breakers, heater elements, water heaters, etc,. I do believe that the breaker might be okay and will use that first before replacing (replacement is $75). Its a short distance for the "black" wire from the panel to the heater, so once I figure out the gauge I will start with that and work forward.

Bob
Click to expand
it should be a 1500 watt unit use 12 gauge wire 2 conductor with a ground ....black white green
they may call it 3 conductor at west and use tinned wire
 
Stu Jackson

Stu Jackson

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Feb 26, 2004
22,996
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Shop around for a replacement Seaward Heater. I found one that was many $$s less than CD. Google is your friend.
 
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Bob4203

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Jul 1, 2004
398
Catalina 30 Atlanta GA
Thanks Stu.
Right, CD is competitive, but shipping is costly from California to Georgia. Given that, I did find several lower cost replacements. As I unravel this mystery, after I map the wiring on the heater panel and run new triplex line to the panel, I will try to remove the heating element and determine if replacement is necessary.........that might be all I need............step by step as you stated earlier.

We just had a thread run on just how to remove these water heaters in the Catalina 30. If the drawer unit has to be removed (near the insulated cooler) to get the heater out, its a JOB!! :eek:


Bob
 
hvbaker

hvbaker

.
Oct 5, 2010
322
Catalina 30 mkII St. Augustine
Bob4203 said:
Thanks for the responses everyone. Sound advice. I was on CatalinaDirect last night and they have replacement breakers, heater elements, water heaters, etc,. I do believe that the breaker might be okay and will use that first before replacing (replacement is $75). Its a short distance for the "black" wire from the panel to the heater, so once I figure out the gauge I will start with that and work forward. Bob
Click to expand
Get breakers from Allied Electric they have the best prices. About a 1/3 or less of CD or West Marine for the same part and number.
 
B

Bob4203

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Jul 1, 2004
398
Catalina 30 Atlanta GA
Great info on the breaker replacement..............I will check out the Allied Electric website.

Thanks
 
B

Bob4203

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Jul 1, 2004
398
Catalina 30 Atlanta GA
Thanks. Went online to Allied and located the identical breaker through their easy search process. Cost? $17.95. At other retail locations? $75.00!! Go figure!!:eek:

Bob
 
hvbaker

hvbaker

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Oct 5, 2010
322
Catalina 30 mkII St. Augustine
Bob4203 said:
Thanks. Went online to Allied and located the identical breaker through their easy search process. Cost? $17.95. At other retail locations? $75.00!! Go figure!!:eek: Bob
Click to expand
Bob, my pleasure. Allied is great on some items the savings are even larger. Please pass along to others.
 
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