Dual 30 amp shore power

[carl]

Upgrading my shore power to dual 30 amp service. I was experiencing nuisance trips on my 120V breaker panel. After a close inspection of my panel, breakers and wiring I realized I could do much better. The AC Main Line AUX switch location in the original configuration was blanked off with plugs and I originally only had one 30 amp main breaker feeding all seven circuits in the boat. I added one more 30amp main breaker and one more 15amp circuit and split the two mains with four circuits each being careful to balance out the amp draw. This was an expensive upgrade but worth it. I purchased all new drop-in replacement circuit breakers (10 in all), two new 30amp exterior plugs, a second 25' 30amp cord, a Y-splitter cord 50amp to dual 30amp, new boat cable (stranded of course), a new 60amp galvanic isolator and I had the new panel in the picture fabricated in a local sign shop. Thought I would share it with you.

[tundrarules]

Great job! Good to know a sign shop can duplicate the old style panel. Thanks very much for sharing.

[honestcharlie56]

I know in Houston a company called fast signs could do this.

[Wilfred]

Beautiful work

[carl]

Completed the installation of my dual 30 AMP shore power service. Attached two pictures of the new AC panel front and back. All new breakers with 8-32 screw terminals. I fabricated two copper buss bars feeding the "Load" side of the two separate 30 AMP halves feeding four branch circuits each, this cleaned up all of the jumper wires between the individual circuit breakers. All new terminals with shrink tubing. I also installed a white LED light in place of the incandescent bulbs to backlight the panel. No more nuisance trips aboard this Marinette. Next on my schedule is the DC Accessory Panel at the main helm in the salon. I have all of the original circuit breakers available for sale, clean and still in working order, I'll post a picture of them in the next few days.

[Fastjeff]

Definitely a good idea. Hard to believe that boats like ours can actually 'survive' while running on what, in essence, is a 120 volt extension cord!

Jeff

[shade2u2]

Carl - really nice work.
In the Marinette that I am buying, the amp meter is not connected to anything. What should it be connected to in order to measure the amps?
Is there a shunt involved?
I assume that one side goes to the power and the other to the load? Is that correct?
Non-electrical here...

[carl]

My 120 Volt amp meter is wired to a coil behind my breaker panel with two wires, I'm not sure what to call this coil, it could be a shunt but again I am not sure. The two black wires coming into the boat from shore are wrapped around this coil and then on to the two main 30 amp breakers on my AC panel while the two white wires go to neutral and the two green wires go to ground. The coil picks up how many amps are flowing through my two black wires and reads out on the gauge. My gauge is not hot wired to anything. Be careful and have a electrician look at it for you.

[carl]

Today I fabricated my dual 30 Amp shore power panel. I used 1/2" thick white Starboard material, routed the edges and countersunk the holes for a finished look.

[carl]

Port side panel installed today. This dual 30 amp shore power panel can be removed with eight screws to gain access to the port side fuel fill and hose.