Well - I Think I Found My Corrosion Problem

[xymotic]

So my 1938 Steel project boat has been chewing up zincs at a pretty alarming rate. Today I finally dug in there and had a look around.



note the disconnected ground on the main shorepower inlet. I know that flat connectors are a no-no, but surely the 'nut method' is safe, right?


But here is the Pièce de résistance!! the main ground bus, with every single circuit's neutral and ground crimped into a single connector.



Hmm, on second thought, I guess I still don't actually know what is causing the zincs to dissolve. UG. re-wiring was not on my project list for a while, but I guess I gotta at least do a proper inlet and one working circuit

I do have a few questions though. The boat is currently setup for a generator, (but there is not one installed) and I think I'm going to do away with that completely and build a custom dc generator/watermaker setup. Unless anyone has a compelling reason I need 120? I'm not going to have Air Cond or a microwave, so do I need anything more than an inverter?


Here's the current main panel:


I like the idea of being able to switch input to other systems, but honestly I have no clue how to wire such a setup up. Wouldn't I need like a separate 50 amp 240 inlet and then this switch would just split off one phase and drop the other? And how does the Cycle selector work?

I have a lot of 120 breakers, and very few 12v ones, and I want to switch that around. The PO re-did the 12v and has just a few mains that feed fuse blocks closer to the devices, scattered around the boat. I think I want to do the exact opposite of that and get rid of as many fuses as possible & replace with breakers, unless there's a compelling reason to leave as-is?

I'm also planning on totally ditching 120 lighting in favor of 12v LED. But how many outlets is a good rule of thumb per breaker? I'm thinking I will rarely use 15a total, maybe a seperate circuit for tv/stereo one for computer, and then all of the other outlets? Or again is there a compelling reason to split the boat up into smaller areas? Does the head or galley (outlets) *need* its own breaker?

I'm interested in minimalist panels and how they have worked out for you.

I'm thinking of:

mains
outlets
water heater
heater (currently has 120 but will probably put in a webasto instead)
fridge
nav station (computer)
TV

and that's it for 120 breakers am I missing anything important? boat is 36' and am thinking of only 30 amp, but would it be useful to have 50 on a world-cruising boat?

[j24jaded]

The pictures don't load.

[Hud3]

mains
outlets
water heater
heater (currently has 120 but will probably put in a webasto instead)
fridge
nav station (computer)
TV

What, no microwave? Ya need popcorn when you're watchin' a movie on your TV!

[boatman61]

Gotta use the 'attatchments' tool.....
Copy and Paste don't work any more...

[xymotic]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Gotta use the 'attatchments' tool.....
Copy and Paste don't work any more...

DO they work now? I was upgrading my image server last night. DO you get any error messages?

how's about these direct links:
AC wiring Projects

AC wiring Projects

[j24jaded]

yes, u fixed them

[Andina Marie]

Actually, although a disconnected ground is a safety hazard it makes an EXCELLENT isolator and prevents electrolysis coming from the shore power cable.

If you are using a copper based anti-fouling, do you have an epoxy coat between it and the steel to insulate it? We always use a coat of "coal tar expoxy" over the raw steel to seal and waterproof it and put the anti-fouling on top. It is important to get the anti-fouling coat put on within 24 to 48 hours after doing the epoxy coat. If the epoxy sets up too hard the anti-fouling will fail to adhere and come off later in large sheets. Don't ask how I KNOW this. grrr.

[xymotic]

Originally Posted by Andina Marie

Actually, although a disconnected ground is a safety hazard it makes an EXCELLENT isolator and prevents electrolysis coming from the shore power cable.

If you are using a copper based anti-fouling, do you have an epoxy coat between it and the steel to insulate it? We always use a coat of "coal tar expoxy" over the raw steel to seal and waterproof it and put the anti-fouling on top. It is important to get the anti-fouling coat put on within 24 to 48 hours after doing the epoxy coat. If the epoxy sets up too hard the anti-fouling will fail to adhere and come off later in large sheets. Don't ask how I KNOW this. grrr.

Thanks that's a good tip for this summer.

I the ground didn't bother me as much as the combination of no ground AND the neutral tied to the ground bus (and the hull)