No Inverter or Generator Power

[bawerner]

2015 C-26 with generator has major electrical issue. No power when when I put rotary power panel switch to Inverter or generator. Shore power works, but the reverse polarity light is on. The generator control panel has no power to it either.
There is also no power to the breaker under the microwave. I've checked all the accessible fuses on the panels and the fuses connected to all the batteries. House batteries work fine, engine starts, all the batteries are putting out correct voltage. Is there a circuit breaker I haven't found or fuses on the back of the power panel?
Where is the inverter? The diagram shows it near the battery charger, but all I see is the water heater there.
Battery Charger is working when shore power is on.
I believe this happened when someone in my family took a 120 volt room heater to the boat and plugged it in. Probably overloaded something. The next time I went down there the breaker on the electric meter was tripped and there was no power to the inverter or generator. Before that everything was working perfectly. Anyone have any ideas?

 

[Matty]

There is a reset button on the inverter.i had to reset once.

 

[bawerner]

There is a reset button on the inverter.i had to reset once.

Where is the inverter? What does it look like? I can't find it.

 

[BradOwens]

On our boat, we have a combination charger inverter. I believe that is the most common type used by Ranger Tug. The reset switch should be shown in your user manual.

 

[bawerner]

On our boat, we have a combination charger inverter. I believe that is the most common type used by Ranger Tug. The reset switch should be shown in your user manual.

Thanks. I was thinking that was the case, but the manual for the battery charger didn't mention diddly about the inverter.
It said you have to hold a combination of buttons for 5 seconds to do a reset, so I will give that a try.

 

[BradOwens]

If your manual didn't talk about inverter use, then you probably have a separate inverter somewhere.
Ours is a ProMariner Combi 2500QS. I just did some research on the Cutwater 26, and if you have the ProNautic 1240P charger, it's not a combination inverter.

I'll do some research about where the inverter might be mounted on Cutwaters.

 

[bawerner]

If your manual didn't talk about inverter use, then you probably have a separate inverter somewhere.
Ours is a ProMariner Combi 2500QS. I just did some research on the Cutwater 26, and if you have the ProNautic 1240P charger, it's not a combination inverter.

I'll do some research about where the inverter might be mounted on Cutwaters.

Thanks. Mine is a ProNautic 1220P so it probably isn't. The boat manual diagram shows the inverter where the charger is and the the charger directly across from it, but there is no inverter in that compartment.

 

[trailertrawlerkismet]

Look on the side of your charger to see if there something that looks like a house wall plug. If so this is where the reset button might be that needs to be reset.

Jim F

 

[BradOwens]

Have you used 110 volt outlets or microwave without shore power or generator power, and with the rotary switch in inverter position before? If so, you must have an inverter somewhere.
As far as I can tell from limited research, some boats came without the inverter. That means 110 volt power is only from the generator or shore power. The power may run through the battery charger, so a reset button on the charger may need to be pressed.

 

[bawerner]

Have you used 110 volt outlets or microwave without shore power or generator power, and with the rotary switch in inverter position before? If so, you must have an inverter somewhere.
As far as I can tell from limited research, some boats came without the inverter. That means 110 volt power is only from the generator or shore power. The power may run through the battery charger, so a reset button on the charger may need to be pressed.

Now you have me questioning whether I ever did. I'm 80% sure I have, but, I've only had the boat for a couple of seasons and I never had shore power until this winter. I may be getting old, but I'm fairly sure I had green lights on the panel when I put it on inverter and I believe I ran the microwave just to test it.

 

[BB marine]

2015 C-26 with generator has major electrical issue. No power when when I put rotary power panel switch to Inverter or generator. Shore power works, but the reverse polarity light is on. The generator control panel has no power to it either.
There is also no power to the breaker under the microwave. I've checked all the accessible fuses on the panels and the fuses connected to all the batteries. House batteries work fine, engine starts, all the batteries are putting out correct voltage. Is there a circuit breaker I haven't found or fuses on the back of the power panel?
Where is the inverter? The diagram shows it near the battery charger, but all I see is the water heater there.
Battery Charger is working when shore power is on.
I believe this happened when someone in my family took a 120 volt room heater to the boat and plugged it in. Probably overloaded something. The next time I went down there the breaker on the electric meter was tripped and there was no power to the inverter or generator. Before that everything was working perfectly. Anyone have any ideas?

The inverter has a battery switch coming from the house battery bank it needs to be on to power the inverter. There is a 175amp fuse for the inverter. Inverter is located in the same compartment as the battery charger. Generator is started from engine battery. Both generator and inverter have over load breakers that may need to be reset. With the shore power plugged in to ( electric Meter) the green light should be on with rotary switch selecting shore power. When the rotary switch is on generator and generator running green light should be on. With the rotary switch to inverter and inverter on the green light should be on.
Does generator start? What is the voltage at the analog 120V ac meter?
Does inverter turn on? What is the voltage at the analog 120V ac meter?
Shore power on ? What is the voltage at the analog 120V ac meter?

 

[bawerner]

2015 C-26 with generator has major electrical issue. No power when when I put rotary power panel switch to Inverter or generator. Shore power works, but the reverse polarity light is on. The generator control panel has no power to it either.
There is also no power to the breaker under the microwave. I've checked all the accessible fuses on the panels and the fuses connected to all the batteries. House batteries work fine, engine starts, all the batteries are putting out correct voltage. Is there a circuit breaker I haven't found or fuses on the back of the power panel?
Where is the inverter? The diagram shows it near the battery charger, but all I see is the water heater there.
Battery Charger is working when shore power is on.
I believe this happened when someone in my family took a 120 volt room heater to the boat and plugged it in. Probably overloaded something. The next time I went down there the breaker on the electric meter was tripped and there was no power to the inverter or generator. Before that everything was working perfectly. Anyone have any ideas?

The inverter has a battery switch coming from the house battery bank it needs to be on to power the inverter. There is a 175amp fuse for the inverter. Inverter is located in the same compartment as the battery charger. Generator is started from engine battery. Both generator and inverter have over load breakers that may need to be reset. With the shore power plugged in to ( electric Meter) the green light should be on with rotary switch selecting shore power. When the rotary switch is on generator and generator running green light should be on. With the rotary switch to inverter and inverter on the green light should be on.
Does generator start? What is the voltage at the analog 120V ac meter?
Does inverter turn on? What is the voltage at the analog 120V ac meter?
Shore power on ? What is the voltage at the analog 120V ac meter?

I am dumbfounded that there is no inverter in that compartment. I swear I've tried out the inverter before. Could it be integrated into the Power Panel? At the bottom of the power panel is the word inverter, but there is nothing in the documentation.
The generator does not start because there is no power to the start button/generator display. I pulled it out (generator start display) and there were 3 or 4 fuses on the back of it. They were all good.
Analog power meter shows nothing when i turn the rotary switch to inverter. No green light.
Shore power shows 120 volts. Has a green light, but reverse polarity red light is on also.
There is a reset breaker on the outside of the generator housing, I've reset it with no improvement.

 

[BB marine]

Where is the inverter battery switch located? Is in on ?
When testing the fuses for generator start did you have 12.7 Volts ?
Is there 12.7 Volts at the starter of the generator ?

The rotary switch in The C26 and C28 is a standard switch. If the boat is ordered with a inverter then the inverter is wired to the switch if the inverter is not ordered there is nothing connected to the rotary witch.

If there is a Generator installed it ids wired to the rotary switch if not there is nothing connected.

When I purchased my C26 I ordered it with no inverter ( I wanted a better one that was not offered)
I ordered it without a generator I didn't want to spend the$$$ wish I did now!


I have the same rotary switch with the only component wired to the rotary switch was shore power.

You need to test your meter box at the dock it sounds that you have an issue there if you have a reverse polarity.

Also confirm that no house hold appliances are plugged into your outlets when checking the polarity. Shore power plugged in rotary switch off Voltage should show 120V on analog . Switch rotary switch to shore power main breaker off. What lights are on green/red or just green?

 

[scross]

The ProMariner inverter under our R25 port side step cockpit storage area is huge! About 15” by 12” by 6” deep. Quite a bit bigger than the battery charger which is under the Admiral’s station seat. If you have an independent inverter it’s hard to miss - at least on our boat!
PS: If yours was in the cockpit area is it possible someone stole it?

 

[BeaconBluff]

Bawerner:
On my 2018 R29S I have to turn on the stern thruster switch in order to start the generator, since it uses the thruster battery to start. My inverter/charger is located in the starboard lazzerette and is hard to miss.

Rodney

 

[Matty]

If you still have not found it look behind any panel near your breakers. Makes sense for it to be close to breaker panel. That is where it is on my R27.

 

[bawerner]

Thanks for all the input. Yesterday I spent a couple hours checking things out some more.
I have good voltage at the starter on the generator. There are 2 cables coming from the generator, one to the power panel and one to the generator control panel. There is no voltage going to the control panel. Digging through the manual I found there are 2 fuses inside the generator that are for the low voltage control system. I didn't have a short enough screwdriver to get access to them, but they are my main suspect for the generator problem.
As for the Inverter, I'm thinking I probably don't have one unless they installed them somewhere different on boats with solar panels.
One of you mentioned the wiring attached to the power panel rotary switch. I took a look yesterday and it looks like there are wires attached to the Inverter section of the rotary switch. I'll keep looking, but first I'm going to check these generator fuses. Stay tuned.

 

[bawerner]

Here is my power panel, I have all green lights on shore power (plus reverse polarity is on)
On Inverter and generator I have nothing.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1t1CvAL1hx0XvW8s0kViuA7srRXVZKV2R/view?usp=sharing


I only have these 3 battery switches plus one in the cockpit for the engine.
Would there be another one if I had an inverter or does the inverter use the House battery?

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sgJJoY3crsYb3_rphRkCxAe_GUS3AhQa/view?usp=sharing

 

[BB marine]

I could not open your photo's but I'm assuming this is your panel
gallery2.php?g2_itemId=47224
(this photo shows the panel and the rotary switches on inverter)

In order to get 120V from inverter green lights on you must have the following:
(1) an inverter
(2) the inverter battery switch must be on ( Inverter is powered from house battery bank but requires a separate battery switch as per installation instructions along with a fuse.)
(3) The inverter power switch most be turned on

To have power from the generator showing 120V and green lights on you must have:
(1) A generator
(2) There must be 12V power to the generator to start the generator
(3) The generator must be running producing electricity

If the green light is on but showing reverse polarity when shore power is plugged in I would test the shore power pedestal and the proceed to check the wiring in the boat.

A VOA meter would be a good tool to use when troubleshooting an electrical problem.

One of you mentioned the wiring attached to the power panel rotary switch. I took a look yesterday and it looks like there are wires attached to the Inverter section of the rotary switch.

There will be wires from the rotary switch to the panel installed.The wires are installed by Blue Sea the manufacture of the panel. The wires that you would be looking for are the wires from the rotary switch to the inverter. If there are no wires there probably is no inverter.

It sounds like you may have a few simple things going on. Simple things that involve electricity can be dangerous things. I would advise having a ABYC certified electrician get involved.

I didn't have a short enough screwdriver to get access to them, but they are my main suspect for the generator problem.

It may be a good thing that you didn't!

 

[bawerner]

I could not open your photo's but I'm assuming this is your panel
gallery2.php?g2_itemId=47224
(this photo shows the panel and the rotary switches on inverter)

In order to get 120V from inverter green lights on you must have the following:
(1) an inverter
(2) the inverter battery switch must be on ( Inverter is powered from house battery bank but requires a separate battery switch as per installation instructions along with a fuse.)
(3) The inverter power switch most be turned on

To have power from the generator showing 120V and green lights on you must have:
(1) A generator
(2) There must be 12V power to the generator to start the generator
(3) The generator must be running producing electricity

If the green light is on but showing reverse polarity when shore power is plugged in I would test the shore power pedestal and the proceed to check the wiring in the boat.

A VOA meter would be a good tool to use when troubleshooting an electrical problem.

One of you mentioned the wiring attached to the power panel rotary switch. I took a look yesterday and it looks like there are wires attached to the Inverter section of the rotary switch.

There will be wires from the rotary switch to the panel installed.The wires are installed by Blue Sea the manufacture of the panel. The wires that you would be looking for are the wires from the rotary switch to the inverter. If there are no wires there probably is no inverter.

It sounds like you may have a few simple things going on. Simple things that involve electricity can be dangerous things. I would advise having a ABYC certified electrician get involved.

I didn't have a short enough screwdriver to get access to them, but they are my main suspect for the generator problem.

It may be a good thing that you didn't!

I understand the basics of generators and inverters, I was just shocked to discover I probably don't have an inverter, I would have sworn I've always had a green light when I put it on inverter.
I've been using a decent multiimeter for testing.
I just took the front panel off the generator and found the fuses. The 30 amp was blown. When I tried to replace it, that one blew too, even though everything was turned off. Now, it's time for an electrician.