3 shore support sockets and a phanton bilge pump

[Guest]

On my boat I have 3 shore support sockets 2 starboard locker 1 port locker.I obviously know which is the main 240v one.Decided to investigater the other 2. Plugged my lead in put my hands over my ears (Come on we`ve all done it) no one was looking. NOTHING TOTALLY DEAD.
Then arse about face got out the leccy meter lo & behold 12volts from both of them. What for? Any ideas standard 3 pin shore support socket.
Also found a bilge pump switch in gas locker cupboard dead. No sign of pump etc any ideas.Wonder if any Princess owners have any secrets in their lockers.Or anyone else for that matter.i.e. Are you still finding things on your boat,this is after 1 year.

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[hlb]

Sounds like a previous owner with a thing about gadgets. Mine has 12v sockets all over the place.

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Haydn

 

[Guest]

Re: mysterious switches

I have a question for any Fairline owners...

On the breaker panel, right at the top I have what appears to be a push button marked 'Bilge Pump'. It doesn't do anything, apparently. On the back of the panel, it looks just like the other switches, but the button part looks like only the stem without the button bit.

Any ideas?

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[hlb]

Re: mysterious switches

Probably no button, so cant turn it off.

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Haydn

 

[tcm]

Re: mysterious switches

um. I liked the fairline bilge switches. On ours they were automatic on float switches, with an override that could be used from the helm.

It's a "make friends" switch: It does nothing, or something very minor, but its main purpose is for you to ask neighbours or people on bulletin boards what it does, and they hopefully respond with useful information, and that way you make lots of new friends. Unfortunately, some twat is bound to just bounce in with "advice" when he knows nothing of any use whatsoever, so beware!

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[hlb]

Re: mysterious switches

Once had a f;oat switch blow up. Lad that works for me was twidling it cos it did not work. There was a hell of a bang, left my ears ringing. First time I've ever seen him ruffled. The whole thing was blown to bits!!

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Haydn

 

[byron]

<font color=blue>Does your boat have air conditioning? If so you may find (as I do) that you need one lead for general mains power and another to run the A/C because if you try to run both from one lead it trips the marina's supply box.

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[Guest]

yes Byron we have the Cruise air arrangement. We also find that the warm air on it is pretty good considering I was told when I first got the boat that the warm air side was supposed to be useless.Why would it have a 12 volt supply.

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[Guest]

Re: Ah, yes. Float switches

Bane of my bloody life, float switches!

Agree, it's all automatic, with an override from the helm, but wondered if this was another override. I'll just have to bell it out with a meter, I suppose...

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[byron]

<font color=blue>No! No! I was assuming the A/c was 100% mains powered as mine is. Works fine off the Gennie but if in port I need run two leads, one for the domestic 240 volt and one for the 240 vol Aircon. I have no idea what the extra 12 volt take off is, maybe the previous owner used to run something from there.

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[Guest]

The aircon is 100% mains also runs off genny but like all of them they draw a large amperage and would be useful to have seperate supply I presume yours is watercooled cruiseair version.

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[byron]

<font color=blue>Now you know why you have an extra shore supply socket. One for a/c one for domestics. Dunno about the 3rd.

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[Guest]

Could be amusing if you plug into pontoon boxes on different phases, then...

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[byron]

<font color=blue>The a/c unit and the domestics are on totally different circuits, at least mine are. The only time they are on the same circuit is if the Gennie is running.

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[tr7v8]

Still the potential (sic) to be dangerous, as if on different phases you have 415V AC between the 2 lives. Should be clearly labelled as such, although not sure on Pontoon rules and seperaion between the different phases. Still not too difficult if some of the shore power connections are in use though!

<hr width=100% size=1>Jim

Draco 2500

 

[Guest]

Do you have a bige pump switch in your gas locker.If so where`s the pump?

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[[2574]]

Re: mysterious switches

Graham,

The Fairline bilge pump switches that you refer to are non switchable circuit breakers. The idea is that the circuit is protected by the breaker but that you cannot isolate (by switching off the breaker as you can with all the other breakers) the bilge pumps. You will find that even when you throw the main DC isolator that you are still getting a supply to these independently wired bilge pump breakers. If the circuit is overloaded the breakers will pop out and you have to push them back in to reset the breaker.

Has your boat got a polarity indicator light in the top right had corner of the distribution board? I want to know what happens if the shorepower is wired the wrong way around - I presume the indicator light goes out (it's on all the time on my boat) but it would be useful to have some kind of audible warning that goes off should the French have chosen to swap live for neutral! Any ideas?

Rob

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[[2574]]

a switch in a gas locker? Sounds scary to me - is it a spark protected switch?

Rob

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[byron]

<font color=blue>My boat is 100% electric, hence the 9.7KVA gennie. The only bilge pumps switches (3) are on the control panel.

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[Guest]

I hope so. Certainly not a bright spark who put it there. It has its own trip and a red light on it.

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