Stirling battery charger throwing breakers

[seaangler23]

I have a Stirling pro charge d on board and it keeps throwing breakers from shore power, but what's bizarre is that just now its on the hard it's throwing the breaker in the yacht club which is well up the line! As it stands there is
Yacht club main panel- yard panel with breaker- 13amp fuse on extension- breaker on extension- 13amp fuse on plug- breaker on boat- fuse on charger plug

So there are many fail safes in the line but it always seem to be far up the line it does this, it's intermittent as well and doesn't do it all the time but had taken out a couple of pontoons over the summer which doesn't make you popular, with the charger unplugged there are no problems and it also does it with the output fuses to the battery's pulled

 

[VicS]

I have a Stirling pro charge d on board and it keeps throwing breakers from shore power, but what's bizarre is that just now its on the hard it's throwing the breaker in the yacht club which is well up the line! As it stands there is
Yacht club main panel- yard panel with breaker- 13amp fuse on extension- breaker on extension- 13amp fuse on plug- breaker on boat- fuse on charger plug

So there are many fail safes in the line but it always seem to be far up the line it does this, it's intermittent as well and doesn't do it all the time but had taken out a couple of pontoons over the summer which doesn't make you popular, with the charger unplugged there are no problems and it also does it with the output fuses to the battery's pulled

When you say "breakers" do you really mean the overcurrent circuit breakers or do you in fact mean the RCDs ?

Presumably the latter? If so it's the most sensitive one in the supply that will trip in the event of an earth leakage fault. They can vary a bit even when nominally the same trip rating.
I'd suggest getting the charger properly tested by an electrician for an earth leakage fault / insulation resistance.

If you can unplug/ disconnect it take it to your local electrical repair shop for a PAT test.

 

[RichardS]

I have a Stirling pro charge d on board and it keeps throwing breakers from shore power, but what's bizarre is that just now its on the hard it's throwing the breaker in the yacht club which is well up the line! As it stands there is
Yacht club main panel- yard panel with breaker- 13amp fuse on extension- breaker on extension- 13amp fuse on plug- breaker on boat- fuse on charger plug

So there are many fail safes in the line but it always seem to be far up the line it does this, it's intermittent as well and doesn't do it all the time but had taken out a couple of pontoons over the summer which doesn't make you popular, with the charger unplugged there are no problems and it also does it with the output fuses to the battery's pulled

Surely it must be faulty? I can't imagine any other explanation.

Give Sterling a call and see if they will fix it for a reasonable price or, if it's very old, just replace it.

Richard

 

[lpdsn]

Surely it must be faulty? I can't imagine any other explanation.

Give Sterling a call and see if they will fix it for a reasonable price or, if it's very old, just replace it.

Richard

Seems very likely. Pre-empting the OP's answer to VicS's question and making the assumption it's the RCD that is tripping, then there'll be earth leakage somewhere. Assuming it's not in the wiring or something else connected to the 230V circuits, then it must be the battery charger.

 

[VicS]

Good video explaining RCDs for anyone not sure of their purpose or how they work.

 

[seaangler23]

When you say "breakers" do you really mean the overcurrent circuit breakers or do you in fact mean the RCDs ?

Presumably the latter? If so it's the most sensitive one in the supply that will trip in the event of an earth leakage fault. They can vary a bit even when nominally the same trip rating.
I'd suggest getting the charger properly tested by an electrician for an earth leakage fault / insulation resistance.

If you can unplug/ disconnect it take it to your local electrical repair shop for a PAT test.

Yes the rcd,s but it doesn't do the one on board or on the distribution panel which would be the lower rating it always takes out one up the line which must be higher rated as as it supply's the distribution board for many boats.
Il remove it for a test but it's the newest but of kit on the boat so I hope its save able

 

[earlybird]

Yes the rcd,s but it doesn't do the one on board or on the distribution panel which would be the lower rating it always takes out one up the line which must be higher rated as as it supply's the distribution board for many boats.

Are you sure that it's actually supplied through the on-board RCD?

 

[savageseadog]

Might be damp. Warm it up with a heater. Plug it in without using the boat shorepower, there might be an accumulation of leakage current.

 

[BabaYaga]

Yes the rcd,s but it doesn't do the one on board or on the distribution panel which would be the lower rating it always takes out one up the line which must be higher rated as as it supply's the distribution board for many boats.
Il remove it for a test but it's the newest but of kit on the boat so I hope its save able

If it only trips rcd's up the line, in units that supply many boats, and if the fault is intermittent, can you be certain the fault is in your boat/charger?

 

[VicS]

Yes the rcd,s but it doesn't do the one on board or on the distribution panel which would be the lower rating it always takes out one up the line which must be higher rated as as it supply's the distribution board for many boats.
Il remove it for a test but it's the newest but of kit on the boat so I hope its save able

I think you misunderstand the ratings of RCDs

They have a max current capacity rating. Typically the one in your consumer unit might be rated be rated at 32 amps , but that is the max current it is rated to handle . It is NOT it's tripping current. There are higher rated RCDs for use where larger loads are supplied but again it's the max current they are rated to handle.

When installed for protection of persons from electrocution they have a nominal tripping current of 30 mA ....... Thirty milliamps ....... regardless of the max current they can handle ( There are higher, and lower, tripping current ones which can be used for other specific purposes)

Their tripping current, is a nominal value above which they must trip within a specified time, but they can vary within those limits. The one that trips will be the most sensitive or the fastest.

I repeat they are not overcurrent protection devices. Their purpose is protection of people from electrocution.

I am sure John Ward explains this in his video .... go watch!

 

[Hoolie]

If it only trips rcd's up the line, in units that supply many boats, and if the fault is intermittent, can you be certain the fault is in your boat/charger?

Indeed. Your charger may just be the proverbial final straw!

 

[seaangler23]

Wel that was easy, removed the charger and shook it upside down for a scorched split pin to fall out! Now just need to find that little screw I dropped inside and try it again