Why is the neutral not used on the 240 volt side of the shore power? Mine are cut. Where am I getting my neutral when connected to shore power? I know the 220/240 volt items don't need a neutral like AC units, water heater etc. The ground wire is connected to the shore power plug body but this not connected to the neutral. I know on some older homes they have the ground and neutral tie together in the panel but on a boat I would think this would be a big NO NO. Has anyone else run into this? This is on the starboard side. I have not taken the port side apart yet. Rebuilding one side at a time so we have power in the boat during the retrofit. Sorry about pic's but you get the idea
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Thread: Neutral wire not being used
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12-14-2016 11:51 PM #1
Neutral wire not being used
If it ain't broke don't break it by fixing it!
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Re: Neutral wire not being used
Your isolation transformer provides the neutral onboard.
BTW all homes are supposed to have the neutral and ground bonded at the panel. Not just the old ones.--- The poster formerly known as Scrod ---
I want to live in Theory, everything works there.
1970 36C375
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12-15-2016 08:30 AM #3Senior Member
- Join Date
- Jan 2011
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- 205
Re: Neutral wire not being used
That's the way it was for homes for the last 100 years but about 4 or 5 years ago code in fl started separating the neutral and ground now you install a ground bar and two ground rods a min of 8' apart all ground wires go to ground bar and neutral to neutral bar and in theory the neutral goes all the way back to power plant.
Bob
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12-15-2016 08:33 AM #4
Re: Neutral wire not being used
Scott
41C117 "Hattatude"
Port Canaveral Florida.
Marine Electronics and Electrical Products Distributor.
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Re: Neutral wire not being used
We just had a 200A service put in at my house. New and inspected install all the way to the transformer. In the panel, neutral has it's own bus that's connected to the utility and safety ground has it's own bus connected to a ground rod and the plumbing ground. They're still connected by a bonding strap. Granted, this is NY, but our code still calls for bonding at the power source.
I can't imagine why you wouldn't do it that way, but bonding does seem to confuse electricians into thinking that the ground and neutral are the same. Maybe that's the issue.--- The poster formerly known as Scrod ---
I want to live in Theory, everything works there.
1970 36C375
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Re: Neutral wire not being used
This is correct. Your isolation transformers only need the two hot leads. That ground then only goes to the case of the transformer.
This is how the isolation transformer isolates your boat from stray shore current. Don't change any of it as you replace/upgrade plugs etc.Sky Cheney
1985 53EDMY, Hull #CN759, "Rebecca"
ELYC on White Lake--Montague, MI
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12-15-2016 10:34 PM #7
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12-16-2016 12:35 PM #8Registered Member
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- Oct 2016
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Re: Neutral wire not being used
You might also want to consider doing some labelling here, just in case someone other than yourself works on your boats electrical system and or shore power cords.
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Re: Neutral wire not being used
Last wall oven I put in....had 4 wires, 2 hot, neutral and ground.. We had to update the circuit at that time...about 15 years ago. Just put a new wall oven in before Thanksgiving, the ground and neutral came bonded together, and I had to separate them! Make up your mind! My shore power cords are all 3 wire, so the bonding or disconnected ground or neutral must happen past the shore power input. Your pictures must be how it works on my boat as well.
Last edited by dottieshusband; 12-16-2016 at 03:38 PM.
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Re: Neutral wire not being used
Think it's a good idea to always wire the shore cords correctly with all 4 wires in case they get borrowed etc.
CRICKET
1966 HAT50C101
Purchased 1985 12v71Ns
Repowered 1989 with 8v92TI
Repowered 2001 with 3406E