AC Breaker on 1988 Pearson 31-2

chinagirlsailing · #1 (**permalink**) 08-02-2011

This is my first post on this site and I'm fairly new to owning my own sailboat. I've got a 1988 Pearson 31-2. It's been a very nice first boat and I'm enjoying sailing her as well as living on her at the moment.

But I do have question regarding an AC breaker. I can't seem to find it and I've been searching all the manuals I have and on-line resources but cannot come to any conclusion that there in fact is an AC breaker on board. I did read that some older boats didn't have one designed in them being that the AC circuit is plugged in to the dock when in use which has it's own breaker.

I've got three AC outlets on board and in this hot weather have been running the little window unit air conditioner that came with the boat. I've had no problems. However, last night I plugged in a small mini fridge to the same outlet. I left for some dinner and came back and no AC power. I figured I tripped the circuit breaker and spent about half an hour sweating like crazy trying to find it. I never did. I did find the main breaker located in the batter compartment under the starboard quarter berth.

Anyway, it turns out that the shore power cable had worked itself loose at the dock. So, lesson learned. Check to see if the power is plugged in before anything else.

But this experience has put me on a quest to understand if there is in fact an AC circuit breaker on this model Pearson. If not, should I have one installed?

Any advice is appreciated.
Thanks
Terry

Stu Jackson · #2 (**permalink**) 08-02-2011

Unless there's another Pearson owner reading this, the only way you can know what you have on your boat is to trace wiring and find out what you do have. Find the outlet closest to your shorepower inlet and trace it back. Follow the wires from the shorepower inlet and find out where they go.

The West Marine online Advisors have good electrical information, and one has a list of good electrical books to get you started: The West Advisor: Recommended Books on Marine Electrical Systems

Wander around the Advisors. Buy a book, or Google your fingers raw.

mitiempo · #3 (**permalink**) 08-03-2011

Terry

You posted that you do have a main breaker in the battery compartment under the quarter berth. On many older boats, such as the early Catalina 30's, there was only a main double pole main breaker which powered a few AC outlets. It is possible that is all you have. If the outlets are not the GCFI type at the very least find out which one is first in line after the main breaker and install one.

Yes, the dock has it's own breaker. That will prevent the marina wiring from catching fire if there is a short but it will not protect your boat.

arf145 · #4 (**permalink**) 08-03-2011

I just looked at a picture of the 31-2 panel on Yachtworld, and it looks just like the panel on my 28-2. Isn't that the 120 v section on the left side? The top breaker switch on that side should be for 120 service on the boat.

hellosailor · #5 (**permalink**) 08-04-2011

Terry, I'm familiar with the P32 and on that Pearson used modular breakers from Bass, who are still in business and still sell matching parts.

If you've got the same thing, a PO could have easily removed the AC breaker (a double breaker) and replaced it with two more DC breakers. Basically they are all mix-n-match and you can build up the panel any way you want, and still have it looking "original" when you are done. There SHOULD be an AC breaker on that panel or someplace in plain sight, as a safety measure.

Modern practice calls for installing a GFI as close to the shore power connection as possible, and it is also possible that a PO installed one of these "boxes" someplace within a few feet of the shore power socket, buried under the cockpit/coamings. You might want to go crawling with a flashlight and mirror and trace out the AC wiring to make sure, and if there isn't a GFI, add one!

mitiempo · #6 (**permalink**) 08-04-2011

The GFI should be on the first outlet in line after the main double pole breaker. GFI outlets are 15 amp and shorepower is typically 30 amp. GFIs trip at 5 mA. If you are going to install a whole boat GFI it is called a ELCI and is rated for 30 amps. They are designed to trip at 30 mA. They do not fit in a conventional panel but will fit Blue Seas 360 panel system as shown below. They include reverse polarity indication and replace the double pole main breaker.