No shore power - any advice?

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Saintlysimon

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Hello

Waiting for our local marine electrician, but he can't take a look for another two weeks!

Shore power has been working fine to all sockets. This morning something tripped and the fan heater went off.

I've checked the marina power outlet and had the Marina guys inspect it and it's my boat with the issue.

Upon checking the power inlets nothing has tripped ?? I'm also getting two little lights when plugged into the shore power suggesting power is reaching the boat.

But the 'power on' light is not coming on.

Anyone have any advice?

Thank you
 
Firstly, what boat?

I had a similar problem and found that there were internal fuses as well as the trip switch. You have an access panel to the main switch board, that would be the first place to look for the blown internal fuses. could be spending a lot of money for an electrician to change a fuse!

Edit

Hi and welcome to the forum, if its a fuse you owe me a virtual pint or two!
 
What is behind this panel?

swp_zpsug6w8rox.jpg
 
Are you saying the two circuit breakers on your photographs have not tripped? If so has the circuit breaker on the marina pedistal tripped ?
If the pedistal breaker trips each time you plug in try a different shore power cable.
 
MartynG said:
Are you saying the two circuit breakers on your photographs have not tripped? If so has the circuit breaker on the marina pedistal tripped ?
If the pedistal breaker trips each time you plug in try a different shore power cable.
Click to expand...

Correct sir - they have no tripped at all.

The Marina outlet has circuit breakers - these have not tripped either. The chaos tested the outlet with some kind of plug which had three lights - all is perfect at their end.

All I have are those two lights suggesting polarity is fine - but no light showing power on.

When I unplug the cable from the Marina outlet to the back of my boat, the two polarity lights go out. So something is happening.
 
It sounds like you have lost the neutral on the shore power lead.

Leave the shore side connected and test for voltage between live and earth pins and the between live and neutral pins.

If you get 230 volt both times the problem is not with the shore power lead.

Should you fail to get a reading at one of the above DISCONNECT THE SHORE POWER FROM THE MARINA SUPPLY and check the plug and socket (The one you plug into the boat).

It's probably a bad connection in one or the other.

The polarity light will light up in spite of the above so it is a red herring.
 
Thanks Doug

I don't know how or have no ability too, test pins for voltage.

But if you suspect it could be a bad connect in the cable o can get a new cable and try that. If that doesn't work it sounds like it could be the plug which is a fixed to the boat - the one I plug the cable in too. So I'd need a marine sparky to fix that I guess

Hope I have understood you correctly


Thank you
 
See if you can borrow a shore power cable off a boating neighbour.
Or remove the shore power cable and unscrew the plug/socket each end of the existing cable and check the wires aren't loose /corroded.
On the other hand its not a bad idea to have a spare cable.
 
Thanks dougal

I have tested and flipped both - and nothing changes - tried flipping and pressing the test buttons.

Is this switch located on the galvanic isolator? I searched all around the unit and could see anything ??
 
Plot thickens - tried running the engine and now the alternator seems like it is not working - there's no charge coming from the engine to the batteries - normally he engine will trickle charge the batteries at a steady rate.

I did some digging and found this compartment under the sofa

http://a68.tinypic.com/20idwf6.
http://a64.tinypic.com/2q9fnrb.jpg

Apologies only had the boat a week and I'm new to boats pretty much

Thanks
 
This is well meant, apart from trying another shore power lead, I suggest you get a sparks: you don't give the impression that you have a great deal of understanding & eletrickery kills.

Good luck,

John G
 
Saintlysimon said:
Thanks dougal

I have tested and flipped both - and nothing changes - tried flipping and pressing the test buttons.

Is this switch located on the galvanic isolator? I searched all around the unit and could see anything ??
Click to expand...

A closer look at the picture and the installation manual shows that the unit is (as normal) only on the earth lead, the legend on the front panel shows how and where to install it, not an issue here.

So, the test buttons dont make the associated switches flip?
 
So there is not a switch on this galvanic unit? I've read the manual and can't see anything related to a switch.

I will need to go back and try again, from memory the test buttons did flip the switches - rather I meant nothing changes as in the situation.

Thank you
 
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