No joy on shore power

[Peterbreit]

If you have installed a battery charger/inverter you will not get AC power to the outlets if the re-set button is in the off position. Push it in and you should get AC power. If not the charger/inverter is broken. Happened to me on my Beneteau 461. I am not sure why Beneteau wires the AC outlets through the battery charger ?!

[nematon785]

Before hiring an electrician, you can check a few things very easily without putting yourself in danger.

1st, if you just want light inside the boat, plug a lamp into your cord, bypass the boat electrical system entirely. Finish the project you started.

2nd, flip switches. try breakers, check GFI type outlet resets, battery main, light switches, etc...

If your battery charger is receiving power, it likely will have some indication, such as an led at green or red.

I think it helps to remember there are 2 systems here. 110v and 12v. If using a multimeter is too dangerous or risky pull a battery, toss in the car, have it checked at Auto zone (I'll save you the trip, they are gonna tell you it's dead)

Throw your car battery in there, see if your interior lights and the vhf turn on, If so, 12v DC works. You just cut your problem diagnosis in half. Don't leave it on too long, you want to be able to start your car when it is time to go home. Now you can look at things between shore power from your cord to your charger.

If disconnecting your battery is too dangerous or risky, well, I don't know what to say...

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by Peterbreit

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...................... I am not sure why Beneteau wires the AC outlets through the battery charger ?!

Because inverter/charger combo units usually have an automatic transfer switch built in.

Shorepower goes to the I/C first because either the batteries or the shorepower are the source.

[DotDun]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

Because inverter/charger combo units usually have an automatic transfer switch built in.

Shorepower goes to the I/C first because either the batteries or the shorepower are the source.

But the point he made was the I/C switch has to "ON" for the transfer switch to operate.

Some I/C manufacturers don't require the switch to be "ON" for the transfer switch to work. E.g. - Victron does, Xantrex does not.

I don't understand why Victron requires the switch to be on before connecting shorepower thru.

[btrayfors]

Downright scary discussion here....lots of suggestions by well-meaning folks to a newbie who clearly has no useful knowledge of AC or DC circuits and who could do himself -- or others -- serious damage.

Rod (Sheen Mariine) was right: STOP THIS INSTANT . Find a knowledgeable marine electrician and pay him for an hour's work to check out your boat's AC and DC systems.

Bill

[nematon785]

"The lawnmower won't start"

"Is there gas in the tank?"


"WAIT!! gasoline is incredible dangerous!!! don't do anything or even go near it! Call a mechanic!!!"


"Groan..."

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by ramblinrod

It seems you have limited knowledge of marine electrical systems.

My best advice is, "STOP THIS INSTANT!" ......

That's the best advice so far.

It's not possible to become a marine electrician from reading a few posts on a web forum.

I will say this though: If you think the batteries are dead, disconnect them and take them to your local auto parts store to have them tested. Use your digital camera to take photos of which wire goes where. Physically label them as well.

My next door neighbor has a small trailered boat. He came over one day and asked me if it made a difference how the two battery cables were connected. I told him it did. He said his battery was dead so he bought a new one and installed it but the engine still wouldn't crank.

I went over, connected the red cable to the positive, the black to the negative, (he had reversed them) replaced the blown fuse under the motor cowling and it started right up.

[hsi88]

I agree. STOP. I just got finished reading an article talking about what causes most fires onboard. Electrical issues was at the top of the list.

I was hooking up a bilge pump to 12V and an internal short cooked the wires all the way back to the battery connection. Melted the insulation almost instantly and fire and smoke were right behind. Yanked the hot and now bare wire out with my hand to stop it. I would be VERY hesitant to just plug in without at least a preliminary check of the wiring. Is it fused everywhere, etc. etc. But hey, everyone's assessment of risk is different.

[ramblinrod]

Originally Posted by nematon785

"The lawnmower won't start"

"Is there gas in the tank?"


"WAIT!! gasoline is incredible dangerous!!! don't do anything or even go near it! Call a mechanic!!!"


"Groan..."

Last year while cruising the St. Lawrence 1000 Islands one friend assisting another friend, offered to pick them up with their jerry cans in their dinghy to run into Gananoque to fill them up.

On their way through the anchorage, they stopped by my boat to chat, with 4 jerry cans partially full, and the outboard fuel tank full.

After a few minutes, the one friend reached into his pocket, pulled out a pack of smokes, stuck one in his face and reached for his lighter.

I calmly said, "Hey buddy, look around you, if you're really gonna light that thing up, can you please push away from my boat and go way over there somewhere. The other guy, the dinghy owner, almost dirtied his shorts.

So yes, gasoline can be dangerous.

Is the Cal 27 in question equipped with gasoline tanks? Are there jerry cans in the lockers? Is there propane aboard? Was the bilge blower operated before connecting the shore power cord to an unknown electrical system that may have any number of faults (like previous owner removed equipment with bare, live AC wires laying around near grounded metal objects)?

Anyone who knows anything about marine electrical systems would advise, "Do Not Connect Any Power Source To An Unknown Vessel of Questionable Condition Until The Wiring Is Inspected And Assured Safe."

Anyone who suggests applying power and connecting a meter before checking out the system, is showing just how much they don't know about marine electrical systems, the sad state of most, and especially those on 27 foot boats that have been mistreated by unknowing owners and left in a yard for an unknown period for some newbie to unwittingly purchase and connect a shore power cord to.

Nobody here knows what state this vessel is in and what possible disaster awaits this new owner. "Plug it in and see what happens" is about the stupidest advice that can be given in this scenario.

[knockabout]

usa must be different / aus 240v system use a 240v hand drill plug into the shore power outlet / if the drill works plug the cord in/then connect the drill to the other end of the cord if the drill works plug the cord into the boat / switch on the ac / the indicator light should show on the board

[nematon785]

Don't forget to put on a helmet!

Next time you are at the boat, plug it in, but plug in the pedestal last, with a long cord, caution, I hope you brought your helmet, because apparently there will be a violent explosion,

You can also check for power at the pedestal by placing the shore power cord in your mouth. don't do this near the vessel as sparks may cause a violent explosion!

I don't always take advice from everyone who gives it, but I wear a helmet and carry a fire extinguisher in my hand anytime I get near a boat, and you should too!

[topmast]

Never over estimate a mans capabilities. Guy borrows a jumper battery and cables ,Need help? nope I'm OK . Comes back ,says cables melted It's junk Turns out he'd connected both to pos.

[jmccraw]

Is the main battery selector switch turned on to one or both batteries. If not any 12v stuff like lights etv wont work

[Bigjim]

Originally Posted by guyrj33

bigjim, do you have an electrically knowledgeable friend who would be willing to check things out with you?
Your assumption about the cabin lights working on 120v is naive, please find some experienced help or read a couple of good books on boats and electricity.

Naive? Really? I served aboard a US Navy destroy that was entirely DC powered. When we docked we hooked up to AC shore power. All the lights and outlets still worked.

I have a camping trailer. It is entirely DC powered. I have a DC battery in the trailer. When I'm hooked up to shore power the DC lights work. When I'm on battery power, my AC outlets are powered.

I hardly think is it "naive" to expect your internal systems to be powered no matter where the power comes from. If I designed a system from scratch, that is how I would design it. I guess I'm just "naive".

Perhaps that is NOT the way my boat is set up, I just bought it, so I'm not certain. But that is way I would want it to work.

Since I don't know HOW it was set up, I posed the question. To me, it's nice to hear how others have their boats set up or how they want them to be.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Bigjim

Naive? Really? I served aboard a US Navy destroy that was entirely DC powered. When we docked we hooked up to AC shore power. All the lights and outlets still worked.

I have a camping trailer. It is entirely DC powered. I have a DC battery in the trailer. When I'm hooked up to shore power the DC lights work. When I'm on battery power, my AC outlets are powered.

I hardly think is it "naive" to expect your internal systems to be powered no matter where the power comes from. If I designed a system from scratch, that is how I would design it. I guess I'm just "naive".

Perhaps that is NOT the way my boat is set up, I just bought it, so I'm not certain. But that is way I would want it to work.

Since I don't know HOW it was set up, I posed the question. To me, it's nice to hear how others have their boats set up or how they want them to be.

He just meant you seemed not to know that most sailboats like yours (and mine) run mainly off of DC from the onboard batteries.

Mine doesn't even have a receptacle for the shore power plug. I have to run it all the way in and then I only have one fluorescent light that I would plug into it or on rare occasions a battery charger.

I do have an AC Inverter though powered from my 12 volt batteries to run my fan, laptop, charge my phone, etc

I'm rarely hooked to shore power because I have a 100 watt solar panel charging my two 12 volt batteries (which are in parallel) through a controller