Shore Power wiring question
03-25-2010, 05:55 AM
#1
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Shore Power wiring question
http://bluesea.com/files/resources/i...tions/9582.pdfI just finished picking up all the parts to install my shore power and I have a grounding question. The articles I"ve read state that the AC ground (green wire) needs to be tied into the boats grounding system. What is the correct way to do this? I planned on running from the shore power inlet, to the breaker panel, then to all the circuts. Please keep in mind this is a basic system with a battery charger and two outlets. Would anyone have a wiring diagram that I could see that might help me out? I just don't want to take any chances and have someone get hurt. Thanks If it helps, the panel I am using is a blue seas 8058 as shown above.
03-25-2010, 09:46 AM
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Geronimo36
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03-25-2010, 06:59 PM
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Yes, that is the one. Maybe I'mreading this wrong, but it seems to me that if the AC and DC system are hooked together using this wire it would alow stray current if any to discharge into the DC system. Wouldn't that be a little risky? Woudn't it be better to keep the AC system independent from any other system by not installing this wire?
Last edited by neva satisfied; 03-25-2010 at 07:14 PM.
03-26-2010, 01:09 PM
#5
Remember, the black AC wire is not the same as the black DC wire.
edited for your well being
edited for your well being
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Last edited by US1 Fountain; 03-26-2010 at 05:16 PM.
03-26-2010, 02:06 PM
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If you have no battery charger or other device that uses both AC and DC, or if you have no bonding system in your boat, you might be able to keep the 110VAC system separate, but:
From BoatUS:
"Grounding
The green "grounding" wire in AC circuits provides a low resistance path to ground should any of the various metal cases enclosing your AC system become energized. But what if the leak is into the DC wiring, caused, for example, by crossed wires or a short in a battery charger, inverter, or other dual-voltage appliance? AC leaking into the DC system will seek ground, meaning it will automatically travel through the wiring to the ground connection on the engine and down the prop shaft to the water. This is essentially the same as dropping a hot wire into the water. In fresh water, this poses a real risk of electrocution for anyone in the water nearby. Electrocution is less likely in saltwater, but the current field can be enough to paralyze muscles and cause a swimmer to drown.
Connecting the green wire to the ground terminal on the engine offers AC leakage into the DC system a lower-resistance path to ground--through the grounding wire. This eliminates the risk to swimmers as long as the grounding wire connection to ground is sound. However, if corrosion on the ground prong of your dock cord or some other fault breaks the ground connection, all ground-fault current, not just AC to DC leakage, will flow into the water. It is essential to test the ground connection at the dock and to maintain cords and plugs in good condition.
In your breaker box at home the neutral wires and grounding wires all connect to the same terminal strip (or bus bar), but on a boat the AC grounding wire is connected to the DC ground. Also connecting the neutral wire to it makes underwater hardware a current-carrying path to ground, potentially lethal for anyone in the water nearby. On a boat the neutral (white) conductor and the grounding (green) conductor MUST NEVER BE DIRECTLY CONNECTED."
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Last edited by C_Spray; 03-26-2010 at 02:40 PM.
03-26-2010, 02:39 PM
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Has anyone seen a clean looking connector for the side of the boat? Maybe similar to a billet fuel fill? Im moving my fuel fill forward a foot rather than routing the fuel fill tube thru the rear bulkhead and figured I could fill the old hole with a shore power connection. Anyone seen such a thing?
03-26-2010, 02:56 PM
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Hubbell makes a polished (and pricy) stainless steel cover. Marinco make a fairly stylish plastic one with a brushed stainless accent. You could paint the plastic part to match or compliment your boat.
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03-26-2010, 03:34 PM
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Thanks for bringing this up because i am about to put in my new panels. Originally the boat only had ac (one recept) when on shore. I added a Xantrex charger/inverter. My shore power now runs to the Xantrex. Then from there it will run to my Blue Sea 1214. So according to the Blue Sea doc, i think this is how it should be wired. What confuses me is how the neutral & grounds from the loads are to be connected.
