Electrical Anomaly on 360DA

markrsimon said:

The picture of your electrical panel, there is a note next to AC Converter that says always turn on. The fridge 110v switch has a note to always leave on.

If you are not leaving the AC Converter (battery charger) on while you are away from the boat - that is an issue. If you have a newer model battery charger, you should generally leave it on when ever you have shore power.

There is also a sticker next to the refrigerator 12v DC breaker, and that breaker is on.

Thinking you may have lost dock power, the fridge switches over to 12v and killed a battery bank. When power came back, the battery charger might have went south or snapped the fuse.

I keep my 12vdc fridge switch off, unless I know I need it. I would rather have a fridge mess to clean up, then worry about a dead battery bank.

..all this given I’m reading your pics properly..

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Yes, you're reading my pics correctly. I put those stickers on after we had our seatrial and the surveyor went over all of that with us. There was SO much information. This is our first boat, we were (are) completely green. Heck, I didn't even know the difference between AC and DC before stumbling upon this problem and reading things on the internet. I've learned so much throughout this process. I guess I just learned something else.

So, if I would NOT have had that bottom 12vdc switch on, the galley fridges would continue to run off of shore power? I should only turn that on if disconnecting from shore power, like if we went out for a ride and I wanted them to run off of the batteries to stay cold? Am I understanding correctly?

We have had some power outages at the marina lately. So the scenario that you describe is quite possible. It was too much for my original 2002 charger to handle.

the fridge, provided it's working normally, will prefer 110vac (shore power) over the 12vdc batteries. If both power sources are available it will use only the shore power. so if you have shore power hooked up, and the fridge 110vac breaker is on - then you do not need the fridge 12vdc breaker. One breaker or the other typically.

and yes, you only need to turn on the fridge 12vdc switch when you disconnect from shore power (out for a ride, at anchor, etc).

when your running the generator, then that's like having shore power while out on the water - and you would keep the 110vac breaker on while running the generator (provided you switched the main panel breakers over to generator). The advantage of the generator is that it should run all your fridges and the Air Conditioner while out on the water.

..and there is nothing wrong with adding notes next to switches, valves, etc. here is a pic of my panel. Red - don't touch, Green turn on/off when there/away, Yellow - think first.

markrsimon said:

the fridge, provided it's working normally, will prefer 110vac (shore power) over the 12vdc batteries. If both power sources are available it will use only the shore power. so if you have shore power hooked up, and the fridge 110vac breaker is on - then you do not need the fridge 12vdc breaker. One breaker or the other typically.

and yes, you only need to turn on the fridge 12vdc switch when you disconnect from shore power (out for a ride, at anchor, etc).

when your running the generator, then that's like having shore power while out on the water - and you would keep the 110vac breaker on while running the generator (provided you switched the main panel breakers over to generator). The advantage of the generator is that it should run all your fridges and the Air Conditioner while out on the water.

..and there is nothing wrong with adding notes next to switches, valves, etc. here is a pic of my panel. Red - don't touch, Green turn on/off when there/away, Yellow - think first.

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Thank you so much! That explanation makes total sense.

maegan said:

Thank you so much! That explanation makes total sense.

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Sounds like you are on the right track.

I wanted to add, I will many times leave my 12V breaker "on" for my galley fridge. The big problem is IF the fridge drains the batteries when the shore power is off and IF you then need to have the bilge pumps run, they might not. I haven't yet sused out which bank provides power to the bilge pumps. (We have several on our 360s). Got a bit of a blow headed our way, my fridge is not set to 110V only right now.

Figuring out which pump goes to what bank sounds like a good mini afternoon project.

P.S. It looks like this might be a micro afternoon project, looking at your breaker panel pic:

Just circling back to close this out. My marina installed a Pronautic 1230p, and all seems fine now. I didn't have to replace my current batteries although I was worried that I may have to. They seem to be holding appropriate charge. All is good, and we've stayed on and been out on the boat a few times since the fix. Many thanks to all who contributed.

Marina cost to fix was $970. The charger itself was 499.99 plus 4 hours labor, sales tax and shop supplies.

As for the other lesson (that I thought I had learned) regarding the 12v fridge toggle. I'm still stumped on this one. My galley fridges do not seem to be wired like everyone else's. With both the 110 switch on and the 12v on both fridges work like normal. If I turn 12v to the off position, the lights go out. Does it take time for them to switch over to 110 or should it be immediate? Alternatively, If I have the 110 off and turn on just the 12v, again, no lights. Should I be concerned? Possibly wiring was changed when the PO had the marina switch out the freezer for an additional fridge? Or is there a reset button somewhere?

Seems strange. Switchover should be immediately - at least for the lighting. The compressor might have a slight restart delay. Do all 3 of the fridges operate that way? Whats the model number of one of the fridges?

markrsimon said:

Seems strange. Switchover should be immediately - at least for the lighting. The compressor might have a slight restart delay. Do all 3 of the fridges operate that way? Whats the model number of one of the fridges?

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Just the two fridges in the galley. The cockpit fridge runs off of 110 all the time it seems. Although come to think of it, I didn't check to see what happens to it with only the 12v switch on? I was primarily concerned with the two in the galley.

As for the model numbers, I'll have to consult my suitcase of manuals which is at home and I'm at work now. Sorry.

It does sound like the P.O. Rewired things unconventionally when the freezer was replaced with a refrigerator. For what it is worth, on my 330, the cabin fridge is a 110/12v. It works with either power feed. Both lighting and compressor work when it is on power (either power source). if shorepower and 110v is connected and the 110v fridge power switch breaker is on, it defaults to 110v operation, regardless of whether the 12v power is on or not.

My cockpit appliance is a Uline Icemaker. It is 110v only. It is wired to the same 110v breaker/switch as the cabin fridge. when that breaker/switch is on, both the fridge and icemaker operate normally and on 110v.

In my case, I leave both the 110v and the 12v fridge breakers on when I am not on the boat. I guess in theory if the shore power died AND i developed a large leak that resulted in the bilge pumps killing my dual batteries I would have a problem. Its a tiny minuscule risk I am willing to take since I maintain my boat very well and have a dry bilge.

Sorry for the delay, my "suitcase" had manuals for multiple fridges, so I had to consult the placards at the boat.

The 2002 original galley fridge is a Waeco Coolmatic RSD-115 which states nominal voltage: DC12/24V.

The newer (replacing the galley freezer) fridge is a Norcold NR751BB which says Power Source: AC120/240V 60/50Hz DC12V/24V.

So, am I reading that correctly? The original is DC only, no 110AC. Possibly the newer fridge (even though it has the capabilities of both) is wired to the old freezer receptacle which may have been DC only as well? Just a thought?

Either way, I confirmed again. The only way that I have lights is if both 110AC and 12v switches are both on. If either is off, they are dark. I guess I'll just have to monitor my battery life closely if I want my galley fridges to be cold.