Transformer question....

[Rickysa]

We've been having some electrical issues of late and it turns out our transformer is sick. Our electrician suggested just punting it and going straight to the breaker box.

Good or bad idea?

250# we could get rid of and probably $500 to fix it, to be honest, I'm not even sure what it's doing on the boat??

 

[rwetherington]

bad idea to do away with transformer. Hatteras uses the transformer to isolate the netural and ground so that your bonding system is at zero protential. if you do away with transformer you will more than likely start having bonding issues with your boat and maybe power issues also.

 

[Rickysa]

Great info...I'm just down the creek from you and would like to give you a call today.

Rick

 

[jim rosenthal]

Rick, look at Charles Marine. What you may be able to find is a lighter weigh iso transformer- the newer ones may weigh less, although they are always heavy. They are also expensive. Make sure you are sitting down when you read the price list. I agree with Roger than if the electrical system is set up for an isolation transformer, you ought to keep one in the circuits.

 

[TopHattandTails]

A thought..l if your replacing and do any sort of traveling, think about an Iso-boost transformer. That auto boosts to 240volt when you run into 208vac or long docks. Put them I my ride this winter and love em.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

A thought..l if your replacing and do any sort of traveling, think about an Iso-boost transformer. That auto boosts to 240volt when you run into 208vac or long docks. Put them I my ride this winter and love em.

Brian,
What did you do with the old transformers?

 

[Rickysa]

Thanks again for the feedback...

Got a chance to speak with the electrician and it turns out we have burned up two battery chargers in the last two years...we were getting good power going into the iso-transformer, but weak power coming out...

He recommended just going with a galvanic isolator, but after reading up a bit (and the recommendations here) we are putting in a new Charles Marine.

 

[fissioneng]

Have you read this article?

http://qualitymarineservices.net/Tr... vs. Isolation, Exchange Article, 10-2006.pdf

 

[Boatsb]

Thanks again for the feedback...

Got a chance to speak with the electrician and it turns out we have burned up two battery chargers in the last two years...we were getting good power going into the iso-transformer, but weak power coming out...

He recommended just going with a galvanic isolator, but after reading up a bit (and the recommendations here) we are putting in a new Charles Marine.

I just installed an isoboost 50 for a customer a few months ago. You will need some real cable strain relief and heavy duty termination.

 

[TopHattandTails]

Brian,
What did you do with the old transformers?

Kept the iso formers in and hooked up an auto boost down stream. Charles swapped out the logic board on the new units so that it would boost 15% at trip in/out at 210 / 242 volts, so I maintain 240vac all the time. The off the shelf logic board boosts 13%, but only at 207.9 volts... It's getting a little tight in the genny room with those boosters (12"x12"x12").

 

[gbharrington]

Have you read this article?

http://qualitymarineservices.net/Tr... vs. Isolation, Exchange Article, 10-2006.pdf

Thanks for this link! A real education!

 

[Rickysa]

gb, agreed!

That article didn't pop up on my initial search...good stuff