Electrical problems making me crazy

[Maynard Rupp]

For the entire trip from Detroit to Miami and at last weekend's Elliot Key event, We have had two completly different electrical problems.
Our AC and ships power shoreline plugs have those *^%$(* barrell fuses. Most of our failures have been one or the other fuse on the AC connector. I have removed, inspected, and cleaned all the connections on the back side as well as polished the actual fuse holders. As this boat has always been in fresh water, they looked like new. I also switched to slow blow fuses which seems to help. Sometimes the fuses come out smokin' hot also. Surely part of the problem is the nearly 30 amp draw of the AC units wth their water pump. Our '86 36C has an isolation transformer on the ships power circuit only. This problem has shown up at many marinas along the way.

The other problem involves popping of either of our GFCI breakered outlets. We have two flourescent lights on one side and one in the head. About half the time someone turns one of these flourescent lights off, the associated GFCI pops. It happens on both sides and only when one of the associated lights is turned off.

 

[captddis]

The fuses suck. You can never pull a full load with them. They get hot and fail . I have converted many to breakers with a silicone boot over them. The problem disappears. And no extra fuses needed. The only pain is getting a new SS plate made for the breakers.

 

[TedZ]

What a drag. If everything is getting hot it is likely you have a 30 amp fuse in a holder not designed or at least not now capable of a 30 amp load. Duh, i know. You need a new holder and a new fuse, slow blow is fine, and see what happens.

The light problem is easier. When you turn the light off you are collapsing the ballast field just like you do in an ignition coil to generate the spark at a spark plug. At the higher voltage something is arching to ground or to neutral. Turn it off with the wiring exposed and listen for a snap or watch for a spark. I'm almost certain that is what it is.

This is from a forum with someone who had the same problem. It is a little technical but you get the picture.

"3 points come to mind in this scenario:

1: Higher Cap. Coupled leakage from each Ballast (Electronic Ballast will normally have an output Frequency between 20 kHz and 40 kHz) - this would leak to Grounded Equipment, such as the EGC, and if no EGC is used, something close enough to complete the circuit back to the source,

2: Higher level of Capacitive "Firing" concentration per each Lamp using Hi Hz Ballastry (the field created around the Lamp during initiation draining to the EGC),

3: AC Line Filering &/or TVSS @ Line Input of Hi Hz Ballast - seen a few commonly used Ballasts which have center tapping points of the Capacitors array (on line side of Inductor) driven to the Ballast's case to dump interference to "ground" (typical PI Filters).
Also seen the "Other End" of MOVs bonded to the Ballast's case (this would be the TVSS section)."

This is basically what i am suggesting, especially scenerio 2:

Good luck.

Ted

 

[garyd]

Get rid of the barrel fuses. I got rid of mine with no problems. If you read this forum they cause more problems than they solve.

Have fun boating garyd