Equipment Leakage Circuit Interrupters - are they standard equipment?

[Loneranger]

The recent electric shock drownings nearby on Cherokee lake has had me reading a bit on the subject.

One item I came across is an equipment leakage circuit interrupter. My wiring diagrams for my boat are not available right now. I do not think this is a device installed on my boat. Is this installed on new model boats as code? If I do not have one, has anyone retrofitted one in place of the existing or in addition to the main shore power circuit breaker?

http://bluesea.com/viewresource/1381

John

 

[Loneranger]

I have located the wiring diagram for my boat and it looks like the circuit breaker for the shore power inlet is a standard 30 amp double pole breaker and not a residual current circuit breaker. I wonder when the regs changed. I think in 2009 the boats all had ELCI at the shore power inlet.

I wonder how tough this will be to retrofit.

 

[Henry Boyd]

I'm not an electrical guy, but I think the Galvanic Isolator does the same thing

 

[Westie]

I'm not an electrical guy, but I think the Galvanic Isolator does the same thing

Nope not at all the same.
A ELCI functions in exactly the same way as a GFCI in that it measures the difference in current in the line and neutral wires.

 

[Loneranger]

I'm not an electrical guy, but I think the Galvanic Isolator does the same thing

http://www.yandina.com/galvanicIsolator.htm

Above is a quickly found explaination of the galvanic isolator. I know it is there to prevent corossion.
I agree it does not perform the function of an ELCI/GFCI.

The difference between the ELCI and GFCI seems to be the amount of stray amperage that is acceptable. A GFCI trips with 5 milliamps of leakage and the ELCI trips with 30 milliamps of leakage.

 

[Henry Boyd]

Right, the Galvanic Isolator creates an open circuit until its triggered and then closes it, GFCI and ELCI do the opposite.

Like I said its elec-trickery.

 

[Loneranger]

I took apart the panel this past weekend that houses the shore power inlet and circuit breaker. This panel also holds the water inlet for shore water and an outlet for freshwater wash down. The two areas are separated by a piece of starboard. It will not be as tough as I thought to retrofit a ELCI. This may become my next project on the boat.

I will probably use this product from blue sea systems:

http://bluesea.com/products/8100

This will replace the standard 30 amp toggle circuit breaker currently installed. I have found it for about $170 so far.

Has anyone else retrofitted an ELCI?

John

 

[travis340]

Keep in mind that GFCI breakers (5 ma current leakage trip) is designed for people protection. 30 ma current leakage trip is designed for equipment protection. Don't be lulled into a false sense of security in thinking that people are protected by 30 ma trip.

 

[DWABoat]

Lone Ranger,
Old thread. Need to wake it up.
I just got a 2001 model. I am studying the ELCI issue.

Unless it has been retrofitted, I am assuming my boat does not have an ELCI.

Did you ever install this item?

Also, if you are someone else knows, considering this leakage issue, is it safe for people to swim next to an anchored boat with a generator running?

 

[hughespat57]

The danger of electric shock drowning is due to the fact that when on Shore Power your boat is linked to the facility grounding and the grounding of every other boat nearby also on shore power. The water becomes part of the ground system.
ABYC electrical rules call for a single point connection between the neutral wire and ground only "at the source".
When on shore power that is back at the facility main panels. During any fault power may pass thru the water.

When on generator that is the source and your wiring should be such that the connection is at the generator.
Since the power never "leaves" your vessel it is nearly impossible for electric shock drowning to occur when on generator.

But when on generator be aware of CO Carbon Monoxide poisoning. Which is very possible depending on wind direction, speed and vessel design. Check your CO detector regularly.