LP Monitor Breaker Keeps Popping ???

[pkdailey4]

Hello, We have the Trident gas control panel on our 79 Hunter Cherubini 37 and the breaker pops randomly quite frequently. I changed out the regulator at the tank and it seemed to help for a while but now it's popping multiple times every time we cook. Any suggestions on what is going on and how we fix this problem? Thanks.

[Paul L]

Possibly a short from chafed wire or a corroded wire connection somewhere. Possible bad breaker.

You could measure the resistance on the solenoid at the tank end. Then measure the resistance at the breaker. Should be close.

Another test would be to temporaily move to another breakers of the same amperage,

[Sailmonkey]

You say you changed the regulator, but what about the solenoid? The regulator has nothing to do with the propane breaker.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

You say you changed the regulator, but what about the solenoid? The regulator has nothing to do with the propane breaker.

I missed that in the OP. Just assumed he changed both.

[pkdailey4]

I didn't change the solenoid. The regulator was corroded badly. The inside and outside had white powdery stuff so figured that was the issue.

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by pkdailey4

I didn't change the solenoid. The regulator was corroded badly. The inside and outside had white powdery stuff so figured that was the issue.

The regulator isn’t electrically powered. The solenoid though is. If it’s extremely hot to the touch, it’s possible it’s electrically breaking down and is pulling more current than designed.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, pkdailey.

[stewie]

Replace the breaker as when they start to pop, a replacement is often the solution.

[Scubaseas]

My Trident panel did the same. Turned out to be the solenoid.



Try disconnecting the solenoid and see if the fuse still blows. Also if the solenoid gets hot it's time to replace it.

[Maka]

Depending which Trident gas control panel you have, what functions are available.
The high end one not only turns gas on and off, but also detects gas leaks in three places and has alarms, audio and visual. It also has a "Mute / Test" button.
The point is: there may be another function besides the solenoid that is shorting out if replacing that does not work.
Good Luck.

[chowdan]

Originally Posted by Scubaseas

Also if the solenoid gets hot it's time to replace it.

This is not entirely true. My solenoid is brand new and runs hot. Not going to be like cast iron skin melting hot, but definitely "oh that's way hotter than expected"

All 3 previous solenoids have run hot as well.

[Shoalbay]

A bad connection on the line side or source side of the circuit breaker can generate sufficient heat to trip a 15 amp circuit breaker, even when drawing only 1 amp. Tighten the connections.
The solenoid will have a specification for its resistance. Look it up. Turn the breaker off and measure the resistance at the solenoid terminals. The specified resistance and the measured resistance should be within 10% or so.
If the R values are a close enough match then the circuit breaker may have become hypersensitive, not an uncommon mode of failure. Either swing the solenoid / sniffer wire over to another breaker, as suggested by Paul L, or measure the current draw of the solenoid circuit by monitoring your system ammeter or by connecting your DMM in series (10 amp setting) with the Sol circuit. The current should be around 1 amp or so.
If it looks like an intermittent short, then you can assume it's downstream of the sniffer unit since it only happens while cooking. Disconnect the wire going from the sniffer unit to the solenoid and run a temporary wire from the sniffer to the solenoid. See if the breaker still trips.
To locate an intermittent fault, you can temporarily connect a 12V light (a bright one) in series with the solenoid part of the circuit and turn on the breaker. Monitor the light as you manually shift the harness/cabling along the length of the run. Any change in the brilliance of the light indicates a problem area. .
It's also possible that the sniffer module that drives the solenoid may be faulting intermittently but this is unlikely.

[ccannan]

Originally Posted by pkdailey4

Hello, We have the Trident gas control panel on our 79 Hunter Cherubini 37 and the breaker pops randomly quite frequently. I changed out the regulator at the tank and it seemed to help for a while but now it's popping multiple times every time we cook. Any suggestions on what is going on and how we fix this problem? Thanks.

A tripping C/B is not something you should automatically try to reset. Ostensibly, a properly functioning C/B that trips is telling you that the electrically powered equipment on that circuit is drawing too much amperage. Too much amperage can cause equipment to overheat, fail, or cause fires. If you continue to troubleshoot, do yourself, and your neighbors a favor and close the valves on your gas cylinders. My guess is that your solenoid needs replacing. C/B failure is much less common.

[sailorboy1]

it's a bad solenoid, breaker, or a shorting wire

since it's "random" I bet it's the breaker or soleniod

[Scotty Kiwi]

I had a similar problem with a gas sniffer and circuit breaker a few years back.

Of course this might not be relevant. Anyway ....

Turned out that Damp was causing the gas sniffer to trigger the circuit breaker, turn the solenoid, and cut the gas.

The Sniffer was in the bilge, just under the Saloon floorboards and about 3 ft from the bilge bottom. Installed a little platform underneath the sniffer to protect it from splashing. Replaced the Sniffer. Each action reduced but did not entirely fix the problem.

The Sniffer was required for survey.

Eventually installed a secret bypass switch to bypass the sniffer, and used that when required.

Hope this helps.