Removing the shore power connector on R25

B

baz

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Fluid Motion Model
C-24 C
Has anyone removed the shore power connector on starboard side of the R-25 ? If so, how easy and was it and was there sufficient backside wire to allow the unit to be pulled out away from the starboard side by say some 12" ? I need to get at the backside wires to aid me installing a Galvanic Isolator. Thanks... 🙂
 
I mounted a galvanic isolator on my R-25 this spring and spliced into the AC ground wire at the main AC breaker. Very easy to get to by removing the four screws that hold the AC breaker panel to the side bulkhead and tilting it out. Remove the main AC breaker green ground wire from the bus, put an extension on it and route it to the isolator. Put an equal length extension on the other end of the isolator and route it back to the bus. I purchased all of the materiels needed at West Marine.

Mounting the galvanic isolator was a bit more challenging since the one I purchased was kind of large and I wanted to secure it to the boat rather than just shoving in in some where and having it flop around. I ended up mounting it under the helm box in the forward berth area. The plywood base of the helm box is around 3/4" thick so you have a good wood thickness for mounting the isolator.
 
You've most likely taken this into consideration but for those yet to install their galvanic isolators my instructions said to make sure there are no other electrical devices connected between the AC inlet and the isolator you are installing, afterwards is fine. The galvanic isolator should' be the first thing current hits when coming into the boat.

Jim
 
trailertrawlerkismet":sihqyq3s said:
You've most likely taken this into consideration but for those yet to install their galvanic isolators my instructions said to make sure there are no other electrical devices connected between the AC inlet and the isolator you are installing, afterwards is fine. The galvanic isolator should' be the first thing current hits when coming into the boat.
Click to expand...

This is not a problem since the main AC breaker is the first place the AC current goes after it enters the boat. You are just at the other end of the wire that comes out of the shore connector. The AC current is then distributed from the breaker pannel to the other AC devices in the boat.

I neglected to answer BAZ's original question though. There is almost no slack in the wire on the back of the AC shore connector. I originally looked at splicing in my galvanic isolator in there but given the lack of slack and very little room to work I decided to go to the other end of the wire and splice in at the breaker pannel. Much easier.
 
Ken Boyd":2061rxqu said:
trailertrawlerkismet":2061rxqu said:
You've most likely taken this into consideration but for those yet to install their galvanic isolators my instructions said to make sure there are no other electrical devices connected between the AC inlet and the isolator you are installing, afterwards is fine. The galvanic isolator should' be the first thing current hits when coming into the boat.
Click to expand...

This is not a problem since the main AC breaker is the first place the AC current goes after it enters the boat. You are just at the other end of the wire that comes out of the shore connector. The AC current is then distributed from the breaker pannel to the other AC devices in the boat.

I neglected to answer BAZ's original question though. There is almost no slack in the wire on the back of the AC shore connector. I originally looked at splicing in my galvanic isolator in there but given the lack of slack and very little room to work I decided to go to the other end of the wire and splice in at the breaker pannel. Much easier.
Click to expand...

I decided to check the 'slack` wire behind the shore power connector. I found there was sufficient slack for me to splice in the wires for the GI. I will mount the GI is a similar location to what you decided on as well.

I also looked at the backside of the 120v distribution panel to understand what you did... but was a little apprehensive about using this method.

Backside of the 120v distribution panel...
b2h2ci


Sufficient slack wire behind the shore power connector...
iek3nu
 
A galvanic Isolator will slow galvanic corrosion, it will not stop it... A GI is a pair of diodes inserted in series in the neutral line causing a 0.7 volt offset on the neutral... Quick, clever, but not sure...

In looking the issue of galvanic isolation over I have come to the conclusion that an isolation transformer in a weather proof box that you set on the dock and plug into the shore power pedestal (short cord), then plug the long boat cord into the output plug of the transformer box is the correct solution... A 30 amp transformer will be in the 60 pound range - not small, not cheap, but 100% sure for both corrosion and shock caused by ground current faults...

Here is a URL...
http://www.wmjmarine.com/93-isog28-a.html

I know that probably no one else on the forum thinks this is the correct solution - but then, probably no one else spent their wasted youth in industrial electronics... :mrgreen:

Disclaimer: I have not installed one yet as up till last winter we were lucky to spend even one night a year on the boat... Given we envision more boating time after harvest this year, it is on my punch list...
 
Denny - That might clean up the shore power. But I do not think it will do much for the dirty power coming from the other boats through the water that eat your zincs. I have been to many marinas and RV campsites that are wired wrong. Add that to the DIYers that wire things wrong and you are setup for a catastrophe. Some combination of the black, white and ground wires get reversed, and then you have dirty power going to the common ground, and then going to the zincs in the water, and going across the water to the zincs in the other boats, etc.

Here is a simple test. Plug a polarity tester into the shore power and see what it says. (A polarity tester costs about $5 at a hardware store) Or, after you connect to shore power, you can take a multimeter set for volts. Put one lead on electrical ground in your boat (or RV) and the other lead in the water (or into the dirt ground at an RV campsite) and see what you get. I like to carry a short adapter cable with me so I can change the wires around to fit the situation. I would not recommend that to someone who is electrically challenged. At a marina, this will check the shore power, but won't help much with the stuff coming through the water - that is what the zincs are for.
 
Denny you're to smart for any of us to make fun of. I had a Charles, similar to the one you've shown, on our last boat and you are correct in that we had normal zinc erosion, it did its job. If you buy one make sure you lock that puppy up when if you leave it on the dock or it may walk away.

Jim
 
[Edit] I added annotation above showing which wire was from the shore power connector. This was an assumption on my part as I could not visibly see the entire length of the white wire going back from the panel to the shore power connector. I guess I could have used my multimeter but didn't have it with me. Maybe Ken Boyd can confirm if my assumption is correct.
 
Yes Jim - 60 pounds of copper windings generates quite an attractive electromagnetic force on some fingers... A length of hardened chain locked around the pedestal tends to slow them down...
 
Levitation":994skbm5 said:
I know that probably no one else on the forum thinks this is the correct solution..........
Click to expand...

No, I agree with you, an isolation transformer on board or on the dock is the best solution, and it has other advantages as well.

However, it has disadvantages too, weight being the main one if you have it on board, and on board is the most useful location as it's always there to protect you.

Cost is the other downside, though considering it has the potential to be life saver as well as a zinc saver, that might not be so much of a problem.
 
baz":22wj2d9l said:
[Edit] I added annotation above showing which wire was from the shore power connector. This was an assumption on my part as I could not visibly see the entire length of the white wire going back from the panel to the shore power connector. I guess I could have used my multimeter but didn't have it with me. Maybe Ken Boyd can confirm if my assumption is correct.
Click to expand...

Yes that is the wire I tapped. The black and white leads from that wire connect to the main "Shore" AC breaker. I disconnected the green lead from that wire where it connects to the bus and removed the end connector. I then spliced on an extension wire (using the same gauge green wire) with a crimp on splice. I ran the extension wire to the galvanic isolator and connected it to one of the isolator's terminals using a crimp on "U" terminal. I then made up a new wire (same gauge and color) with crimp on "U" terminals on both ends. I connected one end to the other terminal on the galvanic isolator and ran it back to the grounding bus connecting the other end it back to the original bus terminal.
 
Ken:

Is the ground green wire gauge size #6 or #8 ? Thanks. 🙂

BTW -- I think I've lucked out as there's sufficient slack wire behind my shore power connector for me to do what I want for installing and connecting to the ProMariner 30amp GI -- so I will not mess with the 120v distribution panel.

Thanks for your feedback on this GI installation process.
 
baz":1yndiyvk said:
Ken:

Is the ground green wire gauge size #6 or #8 ? Thanks. 🙂
Click to expand...

I do not recall. Seems like it was stamped on the cable.
 
Ken Boyd":16zyewle said:
baz":16zyewle said:
Ken:

Is the ground green wire gauge size #6 or #8 ? Thanks. 🙂
Click to expand...

I do not recall. Seems like it was stamped on the cable.
Click to expand...

No matter, I managed... and I finally got around to install my GI today without too much effort. I used 5 feet of green #8 wire, two 1/4" O end connectors for each side of the GI and one butt connector. Cost was $5.00. 🙂 Connectors were carefully shrink wrapped using heat from a cig lighter. The wire to the shore power connector was simply inserted like the original which was a bare wire end clamped in like the other two white/black wires.

The only drilling was to make a hole large enough in base of cubby hole for two 8g wires to pass through and 4 small holes to ease screwing the ProMariner GI to the base of the cubby hole. BTW -- drilling through the monkey fur is a PITA as it attached to the drill bit and swirls around and if care not taken will tear and consume adjacent material with it, making a real mess.

Here's a pic of where I located the GI. Note that the wires are nicely concealed. In this location it's also easily accessed as required for periodic checking.
uauxou


Now to monitor the zinc erosion rates to hopefully see the benefits of all this effort/expense. I will monitor for next year and compare with previous year.
 
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