Blinking LO AC on Airconditioner

B

Bugsy24

Active Member
Jun 25, 2010
2,171
Freehold, New Jersey
Boat Info
2008 310 Sundancer
Engines
T-350 Mag,Br3's W/Axius
Once again I'm having issues with the Boats Dometic 12000 BTU AC Unit, it was running fine and then shut down with a LO AC Error Code. Last year I had the same issue and replaced the Water Pump and then she was fine. Adjusted the Programing to a lower threshold in Program 8 for the AC, cleaned the Filter and Strainer Basket. Any help would be appreciated!!
 
Any chance a piece of debris is caught in the thru hull itself restricting the intake? A couple years back someone at my dock got an ice bag sucked in to one of his engine thru hulls and caused all kinds of problems.
 
Jas, when she runs the flow is perfect no restrictions as far as I can see it just stops and the Error Code comes on and you have to reset it. I'm going back down tomorrow and start up the Gene and than turn on the AC Unit. I'm thinking there's a problem with the tower, the meter on the AC Panel was showing just 100 volts. I'll be clear headed tomorrow morning and keep the Troubleshooting Simple, I'll meter everything from the tower back to the AC Condenser !!
 
Boats,
Several of my dock mates are having the same problem and it has been diagnosed as low voltage at the dock. jCPL was supposed to be here yesterday but never showed up.
 
Thanks Frank, I'm thinking the Same thing! If the AC works fine on the Gene then I'll have the answer!
 
You might want check your manual for your AC control system. My system had a low voltage shutdown feature to protect the compressor. I believe it tripped if I had 100 volts for 5 minutes. (Sold my boat so do not have the manual.) After it tripped on my home pier, the utility company came out and replaced the regulator and transformer feeding my portion of the grid. I consider my self lucky as my home AC did not warn or trip. I could have burned out my compressors on AC, refrig & freezer. Apparently, our neighbors also had low voltage; but, did not know it.
 
I had that same issue last year. It turned out the pigtail power cord was defective. I guess it developed a short over the years. I only figured it out when power on the boat was off when I arrived.

On the water with genie running it was fine.

Mark


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Ran the Gene and had a solid 120 volts, swapped out power cords and towers with dock mate and had the same thing just barely 100 volts on the panel when the Compressor kicked in. Saw some corrosion on the Shore Power Outlet so swapped that out ... and still the Same. Must be a bad Wire from the Shore Power to the Panel, will do some Checking when the Temperature goes down a little!!
 
Bugsy...check the power on the dock too. That could be the issue as well.

Mark


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Mark we're going to call the Marina on Tuesday and ask them to call JCPL and have them check it out thanks. I took my Cable that was reading 100 volts to my dock mates boat and it was reading 120 so I've got some resistance somewhere that's dropping the Voltage.
 
Are your slips metered separately? The utility will only pull your meter and check the voltage there. Most likely it's OK since your dock mate has 120V at their slip and your whole marina is most likely off the same utility transformer. I would say you have a loose or corroded connection at the receptacle on the pedestal.

If electric is included in your slip and your marina is centrally metered then the utility will only check voltage there at the meter. If it is centrally metered then it's up to the marina to troubleshoot and fix.

If you have a voltmeter you can check the voltage at other pedestals and see if it's 120. Good Luck!!
 
Tom, each slip at our side of the Marina has Individual Meters.. 2 slips to a Tower each with it's own Meter! Those Towers took a Bath during Sandy but all the Meters not the Towers were replaced.
 
Well just don't want you to be frustrated if you call JCP&L. If there is 120 at the line side of the meter they are finished. I would think since they pulled the meters when they set them again they would have done voltage checks and if the bases were under water they would have to have been inspected by an electrical inspector before the ultility set the meter. I would bet your issue is in the pedestal at you slip on your side not your neighbors.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
 
Tom I hear you!! I'm not an Engineer but there's 120 volts at the Pedestal and what type of Voltage drop is acceptable under a Load?? I'm thinking 20 VAC is Not!
 
Are you at MM did they rewire after sandy most just turned them back on and say they look good no load test. Ask marina what service was done to EL main panal.
 
Vandal I winter at MM but am at Green Cove during the season. I'm not sure but I'm going to call the GCM Manager on Tuesday!!
 
3% voltage drop is the maximum allowable by the national electrical code.
 
All they did was turn back on power did nothing else i hear a lot of slip there have same problems they did not get any permits.
 
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