Engine Room Blower Breaker Tripping

[Avenger]

For what we're talking about here a HF is accurate enough. It's not electronics, you don't need true RMS, it's DC.

If the blower draws less than 10A put a meter across it and see what it's actually drawing instead of speculating..

 

[oscarvan]

Doesn't anybody on this forum own a multi-meter? Harbor Freight used to give them away.

Strewn around with the tape measures, utility knives and 10mm sockets. Occasionally I can find one.

 

[Avenger]

Strewn around with the tape measures, utility knives and 10mm sockets. Occasionally I can find one.

Yeah, but do you know how to use it? Seems to be a big shortage of that around here.

I probably shouldn't be such a cynic. But so many electrical questions asked and it seems like nobody ever thinks to pick up a meter.

 

[oscarvan]

Yeah, but do you know how to use it? Seems to be a big shortage of that around here.

I probably shouldn't be such a cynic. But so many electrical questions asked and it seems like nobody ever thinks to pick up a meter.

Yes I do, and you're right. Run into the same problem helping people with RV electrical issues. (Co-run a FB page with 375 members for just one brand and am one of the de facto tech gurus)

Checking for continuity, voltages and resistance is basic. Electrical is pure physics and trouble shooting is a process of elimination. (Except for Lucas.... that's witch craft)

 

[Sadey]

OK this is where it gets weird. I took the new blower (starboard) that was tripping the breaker and put it in the port engine room. I clipped the wires on the port blower that was not tripping any breakers. Wired up the new starboard blower in the port engine room and it blew the breaker. Confirmation that the new blower is bad right? So I called Chapman supply who supplied the new blower and told them the blower was bad They said no problem will order you a new one. Got the new one installed it in the starboard engine room. All should be good right? Not so fast. It blew the breaker as well. So at this point it must be the wiring. No problem, shoot but no problem. So I have to go back to the port engine room to connect that blower back to the power supply. Done. Now that one has been functioning without any issues since the first time we ran the boat but now it too is tripping the breaker. Damn it! Sorry if that’s not allowed but WTheck is going on!? So it must be the wiring or the breakers. Looking at the literature for the blower it requires a 7.5amp breaker but Hatteras installed 5ampers . Now the blowers have worked just fine until this last trip when the starboard started to trip the breaker. Now they both are. So I guess it’s to Sams or any where others have sourced these breakers. I know the answer but I’ll ask, I have 3 unused 10 amp breakers in my panel should I?

Just to verify for everyone, this is a MY with a 24volt system and the blower is a Jabsco model number 35400-0010

 

[Sadey]

Here are the HRO pics.

 

[Avenger]

(Except for Lucas.... that's witch craft)

The reason the English drink warm beer. Lucas refrigerators.

 

[Briankinley2004]

Here are the HRO pics.

that one is quite a bit different than my HRO. I was hoping it was a close model for parts at the least. Thanks for taking the pics though.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

You can use the 10 amp breakers in your panel, but first check the wire size. Since it's a Hatteras, the wire size is probably fine, but you don't want to run those on less than 14 gauge.

 

[Sadey]

Dang Sky thought for sure you or Robert would get on me for even thinking about using a higher breaker then required. Well the 10amp breakers worked. looks like Hat used the same gauge wire for everything up to 20 amps so I'm good. Strange that the working blower after a simple snip and reconnect decided to act up but I'm sure glad it did. Saved me a pita rewire project.
Thank you all for the help.

 

[brian4190]

Interested in looking to see if the water maker could work in my boat I will pm you