Northern Lights AC breaker tripping to much

[HKTim]

Thanks for this. I'll need to check on my next trip to the boat.

A bit info From today. My electric panel has an AC amp meter. But only one of the air cons is hooked up to it. I am getting a reading of 5.8 amps when that air con is running but the air con label says full load amps is 4.5 amp (it's a Cruisair 16,000 btu 220 volt/50 Hz unit). Is this kind of discrepancy normal or does this indicate possible wiring problems with this air con? I will need to get a clamp meter to check the other AC items.


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[transmitterdan]

The current shown on the air con unit will not include the current drawn by the seawater cooling pump. So probably that current is responsible for the small extra you are measuring.

Strange that your AC amp meter does not measure all the AC current.

[HKTim]

Just reconsidered my last post. Was not including the pump in the expected amps draw from running the air con. I'll need to check the exact amp draw but that might be difference.


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[HKTim]

Reason for the amp meter not measuring everything is due to some circuits being linked to the inverter which was only recently installed. All the inverter circuits are not being measured. Others only to the genset or shore power are captured by the amp meter. This process has made me realize that and will be rectifying it so all AC loads can be measured.

Thanks for your help.


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[transmitterdan]

If your air con is a "split" unit then the current for the evaporator fan will not be included on the nameplate either.

[a64pilot]

66C, that's 151F.
I still think you need to improve airflow through the sound enclosure, that is too hot in my opinion, especially since once you opened the enclosure the temp dropped, that should not happen, if anything it should get hotter as an enclosure should be designed to direct cooling air where it's needed. If it weren't a Northern Lights I may suspect enclosure design, but it is a Northern Lights, so I gotta think they got the design right, again in my opinion.

On edit how is your ducting run? What kind of hose? It exhausts out of the boat?

[Wolfy]

Sounds as if you need to stay at Home to enjoy the luxury of a fully Air Conditioned living environment, spending any time on a boat (any boat) is all a question of compromise.
Constantly expecting to run THREE A/C units and other electrical equipment simultaneously which incurs maximum loading on the Generator you can fully anticipate problems with breakers and other components in the associated Electrical System.
Also, If you're resetting the breaker under load, you will also trash the breaker really quickly by building up the layers of carbon on the breaker contacts every time the contacts are manually reset, this carbon layering is caused by the Arc or Spark at the contacts when the circuit is re-established while under load.
Please remember to isolate ALL circuits prior to resetting the breaker which has tripped, if you don't, then you're exposing your family and friends to a possible dangerous situation of fire or even explosion if any propane should be creeping around the lower areas of your vessel.
Change the breaker immediately and run your electrical system where it's comfortable and therefore reliable i.e. 70 - 80% of full load.
If you run anything at Max it will fail sooner than later....