Need Help to Identify Electrical Component

[CGHOST4]

Can someone help me identify what this is and what it does. It is located in the Port Engine Room on the forward bulkhead.

 

[madhatter1]

Start capacitors. Wired to AC units? Helps to know what boat.

 

[KPTIM]

It is a custom power factor correction capacitor bank.

Doesn't really help for starting the motors but is to help keep the phase angle of the current wave form in line with the voltage wave form in a power system with highly inductive loads.
If the power factor gets to out of skew the compressor motor(s) will run hotter then desired.

The box was originally designed for Hatteras in conjunction with Cruisair.
The current Cruisair folks claim no knowledge of it.
Years ago I found an old timer engineer that worked at Marine Development Corp in Richmond, Virginia during the early days before they were acquired by Cruisair. He enlightened me in a lot of things about marine AC and refrigeration systems that made MDC and Cruisair good systems.

On the older bigger boats with 3, 4 and 5 compressors is was needed to offset the large inductive loads that the compressor motors added to the ships electrical load.
This also help in being able to keep the size of the isolation transformers (when fitted on the boats) smaller.

 

[CGHOST4]

Thanks Tim, That helps a lot, BTW 1980 58YF hull# 472

 

[MadHatter53]

Thanks Tim, That helps a lot, BTW 1980 58YF hull# 472

put your info in your signature.

 

[oscarvan]

It is a custom power factor correction capacitor bank.

Doesn't really help for starting the motors but is to help keep the phase angle of the current wave form in line with the voltage wave form in a power system with highly inductive loads.
If the power factor gets to out of skew the compressor motor(s) will run hotter then desired.

The box was originally designed for Hatteras in conjunction with Cruisair.
The current Cruisair folks claim no knowledge of it.
Years ago I found an old timer engineer that worked at Marine Development Corp in Richmond, Virginia during the early days before they were acquired by Cruisair. He enlightened me in a lot of things about marine AC and refrigeration systems that made MDC and Cruisair good systems.

On the older bigger boats with 3, 4 and 5 compressors is was needed to offset the large inductive loads that the compressor motors added to the ships electrical load.
This also help in being able to keep the size of the isolation transformers (when fitted on the boats) smaller.

I have four on my 53.... Didn't notice this bank of capacitors yet. But there is a box on the rack I haven't been in yet.

 

[zigzag930]

Is that the older version of a Fluxgate Capacitor? Time to check the Delorean.

It is a custom power factor correction capacitor bank.

Doesn't really help for starting the motors but is to help keep the phase angle of the current wave form in line with the voltage wave form in a power system with highly inductive loads.
If the power factor gets to out of skew the compressor motor(s) will run hotter then desired.

The box was originally designed for Hatteras in conjunction with Cruisair.
The current Cruisair folks claim no knowledge of it.
Years ago I found an old timer engineer that worked at Marine Development Corp in Richmond, Virginia during the early days before they were acquired by Cruisair. He enlightened me in a lot of things about marine AC and refrigeration systems that made MDC and Cruisair good systems.

On the older bigger boats with 3, 4 and 5 compressors is was needed to offset the large inductive loads that the compressor motors added to the ships electrical load.
This also help in being able to keep the size of the isolation transformers (when fitted on the boats) smaller.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

I have heard people say that it really does nothing and to just remove it. I disagree. It was there for a reason and it was well explained previously. I find it impressive that Hatteras added this. I've only ever seen one of these capacitor boxes and that was on a 1978 60C.