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  1. #1

    120v GFCI Breaker conversion to regular curcuit breaker?

    OK guys, Sam's advises me there is not a replacement circuit breaker available to replace the GFCI breaker for one of my bathroom circuits. I must install a regular CB and then install a GFCI receptacle 'in the first outlet down the line from the CB'. OK, I understand the concept, here are my questions:

    1. What do I do with the extra wires from the GFCi CB when I replace it with a non-GFCI CB at the electrical panel?

    2. How do I determine the 'first outlet down the line' from the panel?

    I'm reasonable handy with electrical things - for routine issues, I am not an electrician. I would gladly call a professional, BUT not certain a marine electrician is in my area (Nortern MI). Would a regular electrician be appropriate for this job? Also glad to accept recommendations for the 'right professional' to do this job in my area??
    Bear'
    1984 61' MY Strategic Plan

  2. #2

    Re: 120v GFCI Breaker conversion to regular curcuit breaker?

    if you will call me I will walk you through how to do it. will take about 10 minutes on phone if that long. Then if you want to write a thread on how to do it be my guess.
    Roger Wetherington
    252-670-4819 rwetheringt@centurylink.net
    Sam's Marine
    www.samsmarine.com

  3. #3

    Re: 120v GFCI Breaker conversion to regular curcuit breaker?

    My 1965 built Hatteras had three prong plug recepticles, but had no green grounding wires at all, leaving the grounds useless. The first thing I did to fix this was to install GFIs in the heads and galley. Their electronics monitor the current between the hot and neutral wires, turned out no ground was necessary, at least for this. Since a lot of my circuits are daisy chained together one GFI can protect several outlets. In this example circuit: Panel==plugA===B===(GFI)===C===D, A and B, being before the GFI, are not protected, but C and D are because the GFI is checking for equal current flowing through each leg. If there is a current leak anywhere part of the flow is diverted to ground, unbalancing the circuit and tripping the Interrupter.

    Your wiring diagram will show the beginning of the circuits. Put the GFI in as a replacement for the first in line original plug. Since your boat was designed for in-panel GFIs, I would want to be assured that there is a ground wire to each plug. I would also purchase a three prong plug neon circuit tester to verify each plug from time to time. I did find one original plug with reverse polarity on my boat.

    I later rewired my boat to add green ground wires to all plugs. I think I will have another look at my GFIs to be sure all likely circuits are covered. One GFI has gone bad on me so I carry a couple spares.
    Last edited by Fanfare; 07-30-2012 at 11:59 AM.
    Jim Grove, Fanfare 1966 50MY Hull #22 (Delivered Jan. 7, 1966)

    "LIFE IS JUST ONE DAMNED THING AFTER ANOTHER." Frank Ward O'Malley, Journalist, Playwright 1875-1932

  4. #4

    Re: 120v GFCI Breaker conversion to regular curcuit breaker?

    Roger walked me through it over the phone when he was still at Hatteras, it was easy though I don't remember the details. I mounted the new "master" GFI right at the panel so now it is one of the first things checked like any other breaker, and there was no question it was "first in line". Proved to come in handy as an outlet too.
    George
    Former Owner: "Incentive" 1981 56MY
    2007-2014

  5. #5

    Re: 120v GFCI Breaker conversion to regular curcuit breaker?

    OK, I've shut off the power to the boat, removed the old double-GFCI circuit breaker and installed two new 15amp CBs (one will a dummy to fill the vacant space). There was a white wire on both sides of the old 'test' push button side of the old CB and a black wire on each side of the old CB 'switch' portion of the old GFCI CB.

    OK, I'm stuck at this point? I can reattach the two black wires to the new CB to provide power to the circuit (it's getter hot in here with the power turned off), but where do I connect the two white wires ( I'm guessing these are neutral wires?)

    Any thoughts guys? I know at some point Ican install a new GFCI outlet on the side of the AC panel to protect this bathroom circuit, but right now I've got to get this panel buttoned up and the power back on. It's 90 and it's too darn hot without power.

    Any help appreciated!
    Bear'
    1984 61' MY Strategic Plan

  6. #6

    Re: 120v GFCI Breaker conversion to regular curcuit breaker?

    My boat has only one color of wires--red. 12v, 110v, 220v--all red. Even the grounds are red. So I have had to do all sorts of things to figure out how things are set up. You probably have an isolation transformer too, I don't. So your grounds are probably different. But for a 110v circuit you only need two wires, one hot, one neutral which ties in to ground at the transformer. A third non-current-carrying green wire is nice, but not necessary for a short term fix. All you need today is to get electricity to flow from one wire to the other without causing a fire or electrocuting someone. A voltmeter will show which two wires carry 110v. Test, connect each wire to the circuit. If you do it wrong there should be two breakers between you and the land. One is the boat's master breaker, next is the dock outlet breaker. If these don't blow you are good to go. Wrong, you will get a really neat giant spark as these breakers do their jobs. Then plug a 110v lamp in to the circuit, should light its lamp and be OK. If you get the hot and neutral reversed your boat's reverse polarity alarm should sound. Reverse the two wires. GFIs are an important safety advance, but we went 100 years without them and most survived. Just remember you don't have one in the head so don't stand in water, don't plug things in while holding the water faucet, it's probably grounded and the result will be bad.

    I'm no electrician, but I had this problem years ago. The local yard electrician was too busy to come help me, but explained it to me in this way. It worked. It's not perfect, but with two redundant breakers and a reverse polarity alarm it seemed reasonable. However, if you have an isolation transformer you may not have the reverse polarity alarm buzzer as I do. You should still be able to use a voltmeter to test for current to a known ground. At this point I would call for a marine electrician to be sure.
    Jim Grove, Fanfare 1966 50MY Hull #22 (Delivered Jan. 7, 1966)

    "LIFE IS JUST ONE DAMNED THING AFTER ANOTHER." Frank Ward O'Malley, Journalist, Playwright 1875-1932

  7. #7

    Re: 120v GFCI Breaker conversion to regular curcuit breaker?

    Thanks for the input. I have temporarily connected it without the GFCI protection. I'll install a GFCI outlet on the panel in the next week or so. I appreciate the help!
    Bear'
    1984 61' MY Strategic Plan

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