Shore Power / Generator Sequence

[Photolomy]

Just checking to see if I have the shore power / generator sequence correct...

1. Turn off generator circuit breaker (should already be off)
2. Start generator, let idle and stabilize (steps 2 through 4 are enough time)
3. Turn off A/C at wall controls, also, anything else big (not refrigerator)
4. Turn off breaker at pedestal (on dock)
5. Turn selector to generator
6. Turn on generator circuit breaker
7. Retrieve shore power cord (disconnect from pedestal first).

Reverse

1. Turn off A/C at wall controls, also anything else big (not refrigerator).
2. Turn off breaker at pedestal (on dock)
3. Connect shore power cord (connect to boat first)
4. Turn off generator circuit breaker
5. Shut down generator
6. Turn selector to shore power (port or stbd depending on dock)
7. Turn on breaker at pedastal

 

[madhatter1]

When switching either way I turn off AC units first and then turn off breaker. If was on gen okay to just turn off. Wait at least a minute in case fridge was running to turn other main on and power up boat. At around 3 minute mark turn AC units on one at a time.

 

[Pascal]

It depends on your set up, for instance I don’t have a breaker for the generator at the panel

I ve never turned off the ACs in each room at the wall control... you can turn off the breakers on the panel instead. Breakers are designed to be disconnected under load

No need to turn off shore power pedestal breaker before transferring, just flip it off when you disconnect cable

My sequence is

Gen on
Air con breaker off
Ship service breaker off
Switch rotary
Breakers back on
Pedestal breaker off
Disconnect cable.

 

[Boatsb]

Turn off breaker on pedestal.

Go on with life.

The rest gets set up automatically on the new systems.

I don't need to touch a breaker, transfer switch or even fire up the generator on some systems. They all get done for me.

 

[Photolomy]

Ok, I had always told everyone to turn the AC off first at the wall. But it doesn't hurt to turn them off at the breakers? That is the only thing we really turned off. We generally don't start a load of dishes or laundry right before we depart.

 

[Pascal]

No issues turning off ACs at the breakers.

 

[kelpy]

Leave the generator running when switching from ships power to shore power. Let it run for five - 10 minutes with no load to cool the armature and field coils.

 

[Photolomy]

Rodger that.

 

[Fanfare]

My 1966 50MY was originally equipped with three separate 110v, 30 amp electrical lines. Many years ago I had Fanfare rewired to a single 50 amp 220v. shoreline, adding a forth AC compressor and an entirely new electrical panel in the port engine room. Starting all four ACs at once would trip the main breaker from the surge load so I started turning off each individual breaker on the panel before changing the master rotary switches from generator to shore. Because the engine room was hot (really HOT) I often did not wait long enough for the compressor pressures to equalize before restarting each by turning its breaker back on. This would cause one or two compressors to stall and trip their breakers. I would have to wait and try again. After years of this I found my breakers tripping more frequently, apparently becoming weaker and requiring replacement. This was a major pain as about half the panel had to come apart for this. So I quit using the breakers as switches and now shut each unit off in each cabin. It has been a couple years since I changed methods and I have not had this problem since. Best of all, it has reduced my wait time in the hot engine room after a long day.