reverse polarity problem

[Jim Callard]

Help! I have a reverse polarity problem. I have a Ranger tug 29 Newport model, electrical appliances and generator.

Woke up on the hook in Sucia Islands in San Juan Islands. Turned generator on. Then turned electric stove on to heat coffee, turned heat pump on in main cabin for heat, and hot water on to get hot water. After coffee heated, turned stove off. So had charger, hot water heater and heat pump heater in main salon on as well as refrigerator, but refrigerator on DC power.

Then my heater shut off. I looked at the AC panel and noticed that my reverse polarity light came on! Shut everything down, started engine and cruised back to Anacortes. Got to the slip, shut engine down, and prepared to hook up AC power to the dock. After connecting and turning on the power at the dock switch, had a green light showing I had AC power. But when I turned the rheostat to AC power once again got the reverse polarity light. Disconnected AC power from shore and turned everything off. Naturally it is Saturday.

Any vectors must appreciated

 

[Levitation]

Accepting the risk that I am committing a foo paw: the 25's have a covered switch to reverse the AC polarity... Did yours get flipped?

 

[Jim Callard]

No it is not a switch issue, but thanks. Have a guy coming tomorrow and will post what I find out. Jim

 

[Jim Callard]

Took the Blue Sea AC/DC distribution panel off and looked at the wiring for the 3 way AC rheostat switch. There was a burnt/melted negative white wire attached to the switch. The connection at the switch did not use a connector. It was twisted on. Will replace switch and rewire IAW with ABYC standards. Not sure this was a reverse polarity issue. Heat pump system was smart enough to shut down and got the reverse polarity light because load was going to neutral line?

Still wondering what the generator will run at the same time. trial and error I guess....

 

[Jim Callard]

The rest of the story....Probably did not have a real reverse polarity issue, but when AC system was loaded up, current went to weakest point. That point was the AC neutral line on the Blue Sea Systems AC Rotary Switch. Replaced the switch and in stead of twisting on the connection, used a captive spade terminal IAW ABYC standards. System checked out and works fine.

 

[captd]

Lucky Fin has had that problem a couple times....Andrew happened to be there. He just unpluged shore power and pushed it back in good and tight. Presto it was fine. A little corrosion makes for poor contacts causing current to go down the wrong wire..........or something like that. :?
captd