Battery Charger Circuit Breaker

[Harrysea]

The battery charger circuit breaker on the AC side of the switch panel in my 2006 Marlin breaks immediately when activated. It happens both with shore power or generator provided AC current. All other AC applications (air conditioner, water heater, etc…) still function normally. I never had a problem running my ProTournament charger until yesterday. Do I need to pull the panel and replace the breaker for the battery charger switch? Any suggestions are welcome.

 

[seasick]

Maybe it is the breaker but it also could be a bad charger or a short in the wiring. Swapping out for a new breaker will help diagnose. but check the wiring for a pinch, chaffing etc first.

 

[SkunkBoat]

I would suspect the charger but swapping the wires to a different breaker on the panel is a quick check.

I would disconnect the charge leads from batteries one at a time and see if one stops it from popping.

Does it trip with no batteries connected?

Is the charger hard-wired or does it have an AC plug?
If so, plug it in separately from the boat AC using an extension chord.

 

[Harrysea]

I would suspect the charger but swapping the wires to a different breaker on the panel is a quick check.

I would disconnect the charge leads from batteries one at a time and see if one stops it from popping.

Does it trip with no batteries connected?

Is the charger hard-wired or does it have an AC plug?
If so, plug it in separately from the boat AC using an extension chord.

If I’m reading the electrical schematics in the manual correctly, the breaker for the battery charger is a 30 amp breaker. The other breakers are 15 amp or less. I’m not an electrician, but don’t I need to test with a known good 30 amp breaker?

 

[SkunkBoat]

If I’m reading the electrical schematics in the manual correctly, the breaker for the battery charger is a 30 amp breaker. The other breakers are 15 amp or less. I’m not an electrician, but don’t I need to test with a known good 30 amp breaker?

YES.

But I doubt the probelm is the breaker anyways.

I would try disconnecting the charger..from the AC...from batteries... figure out what changes things...

 

[Harrysea]

YES.

But I doubt the probelm is the breaker anyways.

I would try disconnecting the charger..from the AC...from batteries... figure out what changes things...

For what it’s worth, with AC power disconnected, the charger can still check the batteries and register their condition. After returning to the dock, all four batteries show fully charged according to the charger’s self-test when disconnected from AC power and with motors off.

But I’m going to do as suggested and just start making small changes to see what makes a difference. Sometimes it just takes a little time and perseverance.

 

[SkunkBoat]

hmm..
OK
disconnect AC power from the boat.(so you don't get electrocuted)

find the connection of the charger AC cord to the AC power.

Disconnect it (it might be a plug, it might be butt connectors, it might be half-assed wire nutted)

Make sure the Black (HOT) White (Neutral) are taped off so they can't touch anything or each other

Apply AC shore power and see if the breaker still trips

 

[Harrysea]

hmm..
OK
disconnect AC power from the boat.(so you don't get electrocuted)

find the connection of the charger AC cord to the AC power.

Disconnect it (it might be a plug, it might be butt connectors, it might be half-assed wire nutted)

Make sure the Black (HOT) White (Neutral) are taped off so they can't touch anything or each other

Apply AC shore power and see if the breaker still trips

Thanks for your patience with me. If the breaker still trips with no power connected to the charger, what might that indicate?

 

[SkunkBoat]

A short circuit of the AC cable between the breaker and the connection to the charger.
More than likely though, a problem would have been at the connection.

I am assuming that the breaker that is tripping is labelled "Charger" and that is the only place it goes.
If there are other things on the breaker (like Outlets) then the problem could be at any one of them.

Also, I didn't ask before but has anything been added to your boat since the last time the breaker did not trip?

 

[SkunkBoat]

Looping back around to the beginning...

You say "based on your reading of the manual" its a 30 amp breaker on the AC panel.

I am surprised a charger would need any more than a 15 amp breaker on the AC panel.
My 265 has a 10 amp breaker for the charger.

The entire panel is probably a 30 amp service...maybe 50 amp.
You might be looking at the diagram wrong. The 30 Amp might be the MAIN breaker.
But I don't have the diagram of your boat.

 

[freddy063]

First with no power connected to the boat , check the power cables to the power panel, make sure the white and black wire are not loose. Then check wires on the charger breaker for, loose, wicked, or corroded. If that's all good. Next narrow it down find where the ac power connects to the charger. I most likely is connected direct to it. Disconnect the cables from the charger, and cover them with electric tape. Note how they are connected. Then turn the shore power back on and retry the charger breaker, if it doesn't trip the cable to the charged our good, the charger is bad, if the breaker trips wires to the charger are bad.

 

[Fishtales]

I'd do some troubleshooting before you start replacing things. Take the charger out of the equation output side first (one bank at a time) and look at any led indicators on the unit itself if it stays up then the input side. If it follows one of the output banks, swap them bank to bank to see if it follows the charger output or something downstream. I'd swap a breaker of same size if you have one before replacing one and see if the fault follows the breaker.

 

[Harrysea]

I will look this weekend, but does anyone know how the charger is connected to AC power? Does the power cord connect through a three prong GFCI outlet in the transom area, or is it hard wired some other way?

 

[Gulffisher]

I can't say how your particular boat might be configured. My 2005 330 (and I think it shares battery wiring diagram with your boat) had a Guest two bank charger for the four batteries. AC power was directly connected to the charger using ring and screw terminals behind a covered terminal box on the charger. I can't imagine a 2006 300 being too much different.

But I think I read above you have a ProTournament charger. Is your charger original or an aftermarket replacement? The ProTournament charger MOST LIKELY was supplied with a molded-in AC power cable and plug. A female plug is likely needed somewhere within reach of the ProTournament power cord for the cord to plug into. An alternative connection, likely much more robust and requiring no real maintenance but may void charger warranty, would be to have cut the plug off the charger cord and butt-connect the leads with shrinkwrap or inside a junction box.

Did you disconnect charger leads (you should be able to simply remove fuses) from the batteries so the charger can "reset?" With charger leads disconnected (or fuses removed) and protected from shorting together, does the breaker still trip?

If there is a plug, I would start my inspection there. If there is a junction box, I would open that and start there. If the leads are butt connected and shrink wrapped, I would start there but after I confirm breaker isn't bad. AC POWER OFF naturally... Assuming switch panel is easy to get to and access the back like my 330, I would certainly consider replacing the breaker (or at least swapping leads to another existing breaker) for the remote chance the breaker is bad. My Guest charger is two bank 15 amp each and it draws 6.3 amp max 120V. My new four bank 15 amp charger is still under 10 amps 120V max. So you should be OK using a 10 amp breaker for testing.

 

[Fishtales]

Likely hardwired but on a terminal block or direct to battery. You should be able to disconnect.

 

[Gulffisher]

This is how the 2006 330's Guest battery charger AC power was connected.

Sorry, 2005

 

[SkunkBoat]

I don't think a ProMariner was original but I could be wrong.
They come in the box with a plug but that doesn't mean it wasn't cut off and spliced.

Nobody can tell you. Your going to have to look at it.
Looking at it will probably be an ah ha moment.

Also, are you SURE that nothing has been done on the boat since that last time it worked.
Is it possible that someone connected a black DC negative to the Black HOTwire on the AC cable?
That would pop a breaker immediately.

Is it possible someone put a screw thru the cable?

 

[Harrysea]

Thanks for everyone‘s help. Looks like I need to replace the charger, so now I have a new question. my current charger is a 36 amp unit. My principal use is just for battery maintenance at the dock. Is a 20 amp charger a better option?

 

[glacierbaze]

How many batteries?

 

[Harrysea]

How many batteries?

I currently have 4 batteries on a ProMarine 36 amp, 4 bank charger. ProMarine also sells a 20 amp, 4 bank charger.