| Upgrades to the 125VAC Electrical Power
System |
| When I purchased Sarah in 2000 it was wired for 125VAC 60Hz
shore power. The AC power system consisted of a deck
receptacle on the aft cockpit coaming, a distribution/breaker panel
integrated with the 12VDC panel above the navigation station, eight
(8) power outlets in the 3 cabins, plus an AC-powered Air
Conditioner, refrigeration, hot water heater and battery charger.
Many of these AC devices have been replaced or upgraded over the
years, but the AC wiring has not been changed a great deal. |
|
Isolation Transformer |
My
initial change to the shore power wiring was the installation of a
Mastervolt isolation transformer in 2005. The transformer was
installed to allow Sarah to be connected to the 240VAC 50Hz mains
power available in Europe. I have described the installation
and operation of the isolation transformer in the
European Shore Power Plan webpage. |
|
Replacing the AC
Power Source Switch |
In
addition to the shore power connection, Sarah also has a Northern
Lights 4.5Kw generator located in the aft cockpit lazarette.
Since there can be only one source for AC power onboard Sarah was
fitted with power source switch. Unfortunately this switch was
located in the center of the main electrical panel. I don't
know how many times I've knocked my forehead against the large knob
on this switch when working at the navigation station desk.
Worse the back of the switch, where the AC wiring is attached is
uncovered and right in the middle of all of the 12VDC wiring.
The picture on the right shows the back of the switch (blue device)
after it was disconnected and being removed this year, 2008. |
I had wanted to move this switch off of the electrical panel for
years, however as long as it was working I had enough other projects
so the switch stayed in its place.
Finally
in November, 2007 the switch failed. I had just returned to
the marina from a weekend at anchor. When I connected Sarah to
shore power and turned the switch from generator to shore there was
no AC power to the panel. I suspected a problem with the power
on the dock. I verified that other dock outlets had power.
I connected Sarah to one of the other outlets, but still no power on
Sarah. I then checked the breaker on the isolation transformer
and it was fine. I was able to measure 125 VAC at the output
of the transformer. So the problem was between transformer and
the AC Voltmeter on the panel. The only device of any
significance was the power switch. I had been running the
generator while at anchor that weekend so I knew that side of the
switch was working. I disconnected the generator from the
switch and connected the shore power input to those terminals.
When I turned the switch to "GEN" power came up on the panel.
So there obviously was a problem in the switch. Something had
failed internal to the switch on either the hot or neutral shore
power terminals. In the picture above of the removed switch
you can see a great deal of corrosion on the left-most terminal.
That is the hot terminal. |
| I left the shore power connected to the GEN terminals on the
switch and did without the generator over the winter and most of the
following summer. Finally I needed to get the generator back in
operation and I still wanted to move the switch from the electrical
panel. I purchased a Blue Sea 9009 AC Rotary Switch from West
Marine. This switch is made by the same company, Kraus &
Naimer, who made the old switch. Blue Sea is just a reseller
of the switch. The new switch has only 2 terminals and is much
more compact. |
To
install the new switch I selected the location of the original
battery switch on Sarah, on the aft bulkhead below the navigation
desk. The escutcheon plate that came with the switch was too
small to cover the battery switch hole so I cut a larger escutcheon
plate from a sheet of Lexan, painted it and then mounted the new
switch on the Lexan cover plate.
|
The
most difficult task in this rewiring was getting the old shore power
and generator cables out from behind the electrical panel.
This involved cutting a lot of cable ties and a lot of awkward
pulling on the wires. Finally the wires came loose so I could
connect them to the switch and then I ran a new wire set from the
output terminals on the switch back to the 50A AC breaker on the
panel |
While
I was messing with the AC wiring on the electrical panel I took the
opportunity to replace the original AC Ammeter on the panel.
The meter stopped working several years ago. I think the meter
itself (back of meter at the bottom of the picture on the right) is
fine, but the transformer coil (yellow device in the center of the
picture) has gone bad. There is a clear burn mark on one side
of the coil.
I purchased a Blue Sea AC Ammeter from West Marine, which included a
new transformer coil. |
The
new meter is the one on the far left at the top of the panel.
It doesn't match the old Marinetics meters, but I once again know
how many amps the hot water heater, frig and other devices are
pulling from the dock or the generator. |