Should the battery charger automatically turn on when plugged into shore power?

[Buzzie8]

I have a 2003 Sundancer 300. I plugged it into shore power and thought the battery charger would automatically turn on. The small LED's on top are not turning on. Is there a switch in the electrical panel that needs turned on? Possibly the AC converter switch? The boat is still dry docked and one weird thing I noticed was that when I turn the AC converter on it trips the GFI outlet it is plugged into. Any help greatly appreciated.

 

[Creekwood]

The AC converter switch is for the charger/converter. Are you confusing AC Converter with air conditioning when you say the GFI outlet? But nether the AC Converter or the air conditioning should be "plugged" into a GFI outlet?

 

[SmilingMonkey]

I'm guessing he means the plug that the shore power cable is plugged into on land.

If that's the case, it sounds like there's a short somewhere. I would start by trying a different shore power cord. If that doesn't work, you're going to have to trace the wiring through the whole circuit and see if there's a short. I would start at the charger and work towards the panel.

 

[Fred]

Try plugging into a different shore outlet to see if you get the same result before you go nuts checking for something wrong on the boat.

 

[Molson]

Is it plugged into a 15A circuit with an adapter? What else is switched on? Fridge etc? Could be a weak GFCI, could be too much for the 15a circuit too.

 

[Buzzie8]

The shore power is plugged into a GFI receptacle on land. The AC converter I mention is not related to the air conditioning. It is an AC to DC converter. So it sounds as though the AC converter does turn the charger on and/or they are one in the same. I will see if I can put a few hundred feet of extension cords together and use a different outlet in the boat yard. Thanks for your help!

 

[Buzzie8]

Problem solved. I took a few extensions cords and plugged it into a non GFI receptacle. LED's lit right up. Should've tried this before posting!

 

[Westie]

Problem solved. I took a few extensions cords and plugged it into a non GFI receptacle. LED's lit right up. Should've tried this before posting!

That doesn't necessarily solve your problem it could just be masking it. You may still have a condition that trips any GFI outlet. If that is the case better to get it figured out and fixed before it leads to a bigger problem, like someone getting killed.