Power plugs in master cabin only wont work

[nmcafee]

All of the sudden, the power plugs (110V) won't work in the master cabin. Everything else seems good, but just the plugs in the master cabin. I have 110V coming into the GFI, but nothing passing through the output of the GFI. Ran down to ACE hardware and bought a new GFI, have a green light on it but no power to those plugs, or any others.

My guess is that there is some type of short somewhere in the circuitry of the master cabin, but not quite sure hot to troubleshoot and locate.

Any ideas?

 

[MadHatter53]

Pull each outlet past the gfi and check for voltage. Rarely do outlets short out but…..

Not sure why you have a gfi in there anyway.

 

[nmcafee]

The GFI is in the master bathroom. I am only getting 101.3 volts to the outlet on shore power. I am getting 110 on my generator, but that didnt solve the problem. I have an electrician coming out tomorrow to check it out. Have exhausted my knowledge level of troubleshooting.

 

[bigbill]

have you checked all of the breakers?

 

[MadHatter53]

If you have 110 on one side and less on the other after you swapped with a new gfi go to the next outlet and check voltage there it should be low disconnect feed side from outlet and recheck if it good the problem is downstream. You could have a bad outlet or wiring causing the problem.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

The GFI is in the master bathroom. I am only getting 101.3 volts to the outlet on shore power. I am getting 110 on my generator, but that didnt solve the problem. I have an electrician coming out tomorrow to check it out. Have exhausted my knowledge level of troubleshooting.

You can probably just remove the GFI and use a regular outlet. You're panel probably has GFI breakers as that is what was used from at least 1978 through 1985(not sure about 1990, look at your breaker panel). The outlets are probably not original. Most likely some surveyor will little knowledge of Hatteras told someone they had to add them not realizing they were already protected by the GFI breaker. I've seen this happen before and had to educate the surveyor.

 

[nmcafee]

A $600 electrician trip solved the problem. The original GFI failed because of old shore power lines. My replacement GFI was wired incorrectly. I was so worried about doing things right that I copied the old wire placement instead of thinking and testing.

Another $600 moron tax on myself, as well as new shore power cables on my short list to purchase.

At least I have power in my master cabin now.

 

[Pascal]

I don’t see how aging shore power cables can cause a GFI to malfunction….

 

[rwaldrop13]

I don’t see how aging shore power cables can cause a GFI to malfunction….

Voltage drops, surges when under load anywhere in the boat... PO of our boat had a home-made shore power cord made from welding cable, with a "Smart" plug on the boat end, and a conventional plug on the pedestal end. When we arrived in Ft Myers, first marina we were in had faulty pedestal and fried that plug. Shore tie cables can wear out, as I can attest.

 

[Pascal]

Voltage drop will cause many issues but very unlikely to damage a GFI in a head with minimal load.

I agree, most owners don’t pay attention to their shore power cables including those that stupidly disconnect them under load…. Welding cable? Gee.

 

[rwaldrop13]

Voltage drop will cause many issues but very unlikely to damage a GFI in a head with minimal load.

I agree, most owners don’t pay attention to their shore power cables including those that stupidly disconnect them under load…. Welding cable? Gee.

Voltage drops can cause some weird effects. While in the CG I saw some examples of that first-hand, including finding out electricians at shipyard "added" a 440V AC line bypassing 4 labeled breakers. When it comes to electricity, nothing really surprises me anymore.

They didn't move the boat often or at all. On the bright side, I gave our marina harbormaster the cable after the dust settled. He was extremely grateful.