AC Circuit

[Bobg]

funny thing happened to me, my main circuit breaker tripped, would not reset until all plugins where empty, hot water heater off, charger off, ect. when i put anything into a outlet, phone charger, even a dvm probes, the main breaker would trip.  I lowered the panel, removed the breaker to see what kind it was, (left the wires all hooked up), put it in again, and it worked. disconnected shore power whent sailing, came back I had the same issue when I connected the shore power.  I moved the shore power cord to a different outlet by the slip, and now it works again??
There is a light green wire connected with one of the terminals on the back of the circuit breaker, but the other end isn't connected to anything??

Does anyone have any ideas what is happening, could it just be the shore power electrical tower? 

[sailaway]

Bob your breaker is tripping for two reasons. One you have a short somewhere in your boat. Or the breaker is bad that happens I had to change mine. The power tower is up stream and should not effect your breaker but anything is possible with electricity. Charlie

[patrice]

Hi,

Not an electric pro, but could it be that the Post on your dock has reverse polarity ?  If you checked with another post and was working ok.
Isn't that the light indicate this issue ?
You never face this issue at your dock before, then it is not the polarity.

[Bobg]

not only does the breaker trip, it will trip when I plug anything in, like a cell phone charger minus the cell phone, in other words, plug in anything even without a load on it will trip immediately, can't even get the plug in in all the way.  The other shore power plug in was in the same shore power tower.  Is there a way I can check the shore power receptacle? My Marina manager won't do anything unless I can prove his receptacle is bad. I know my boat pretty well, this has me stumped.  Has anyone had to change the circuit breaker on the panel, if so where do I look for a direct replacement.  Thank you,   

[Ted Pounds]

I think you have a bad breaker.  Cell phone charger will draw a bit of power even though the phone is not plugged in.  Replace the breaker and I'll bet you'll be good to go.   

[SPembleton]

If you had a bad breaker it would not work on either outlet.  What is different about the other outlet?  Is it on a different master breaker? Does it have a different style of plug? Is there a different angle that the cord comes away from the outlet to your boat.  The answer must lie in something that is different about the other outlet. If I were to guess with the limited knowledge, I would think that there is a loose wire in the shore side plug of your shore cable.  The change in angle either causes it to connect or disconnect. But that is a guess.  Think of every difference between the 2 outlets.

Also unplug the cable from your outlet and replug it in.  Ensure it is not an every other time thing.

[KWKloeber]

What is different about the other outlet? ............ The answer must lie in something that is different about the other outlet. \

With the risk of being chastised for suggesting a good product (Smart Plug) for owners, take a look at the forensics that RC did on a female 1938 connector half way thru his article below

http://www.sailnet.com/forums/electrical-systems/119609-shore-power-smartplug-vs-1938-long-post.html

Based on what he found, yours is a very reasonable theory -- the TINY electrical contact area of the 1938 connector could be causing an intermittent "make/break."  They can be very touchy sometimes, specially when the power post has no provision for a locking ring and all the strain results on the connector blades.

Ken

[sailaway]

Bob I just wonder what you found to be the problem Charlie