Westerbeke genny; Sea Ray Breaker issue

[mrl38]

We have a 460 DA Sundancer with a Westerbeke generator.

We started with low power out of the generator and when we switched from shore to generator, the "Engine Unswitched" breaker would trip in our main companionway breaker panel.

We changed the voltage regulator and are now getting full power out of the generator and can run all ACs with no issue. However, the "Engine Unswitched" breaker keeps tripping and our Oil Pressure gauge is spiking all over the place (maybe just bad gauge).

We can't trace the engine unswitched wiring to where it goes as it goes behind the salon door and disappears. I've tried to find wiring diagrams for this boat and also does not appear on any of the diagrams I have found.

Anyone have any suggestions as to where to check and why this engine unswitched breaker could be tripping? Bad ground somewhere?

 

[dtfeld]

What year is your boat? Engines? Genny make model?

I have not looked at the schematic but typically there are some things like stereo memory and bilge pumps that are direct to the battery such that they always operate regardless of the battery switch/solenoids on/off status.

Doubt its a bad ground. More likely something is tripping it due to pulling excessive amps there is a short or the breaker is wearing out and needs replacement.

 

[mrl38]

Its a 2001 Sea Ray with 10BTDA westerbeke.

We swapped the wiring to another breaker and it did the same thing unfortunately so not the breaker.

 

[ttmott]

When you say "unswitched" you are talking about 12 volt battery power right?
The generator's 12 volt DC circuits are all from the generator's main DC power and that should be provided from a specific Generator battery switch or solenoid.
So, I don't think the tripping of the circuit breaker has much to do with the generator.

Your DC power system for the boat is divided into four primary circuits - Port Switched, Port Unswitched, Starboard Switched, and Starboard Unswitched. The Port switched generically provides power to the Port Engine for starting and running and the House loads. The Port unswitched is typically for the port engine ECM, Bilge pumps, blower, and other circuits that you don't normally want to remove power from. The Starboard switched provides power to the starboard engine and it's operations, helm, navigation, exterior lighting, etc. The Starboard unswitched provides power to other bilge pumps, starboard ECM, blower, and other things that power needs to remain.

The only thing I can think of is one of the battery solenoids which all of them are operated from unswitched battery power has a short. But with that said usually the battery switching solenoids have their own fuses and those small amperage fuses should have blown rather than the large circuit breaker.

Every circuit down line from that main that is tripping have circuit breakers also so there is something pretty major going on.

 

[mrl38]

That's helpful. I think you are right, that we have two separate problems here.

Still unsure about what to check / test with the engine unswitched breaker that is on that panel. When it trips, should we manually check all systems to see what else is tripping? We have two others that are tripped, systems monitor and cabin stereo memory. Start with those?