Ten Deadly Conditions

These deadly electrical problems can affect even luxury boats like this one.

Article provided courtesy Blue Sea Systems, Last updated: 4/13/2021

Editor's note: This article describes ten conditions that, when present in your boat’s
electrical system, can cause serious problems. Portions of this article originally appeared
in Blue Sea Systems' September and October 2019 newsletters. The information this
article contains remains relevant today.

1. Incorrectly Sized Wire

There are several problems that occur when sizing wire for a boat’s electrical system
using the ABYC 105°C tables:

 Using wire with less than 105°C insulation.

 Bundling wires together or burying them in thermal insulation.

However, usually wire size isn't a problem because:

 Most DC large loads are short term.

 Most DC wire is chosen for voltage drop and is therefore larger than the
minimum recommendations from the ABYC tables.
 Wire is sold with different insulation temperature ratings. The highest rating in
general use for shore side wiring is rated for 90°C and there are numerous
common wire materials rated at 75°C, 80°C and 90°C. The ABYC 105°C table
should only be used with wire that is rated at 105°C.
 Heat is produced in wire by resistance to current flow. Wire temperature is a
function of the heat produced by the losses in the wire and how effective the
installation is at removing that heat. This heat escapes into the air or into heat
 sinks such as busbars made of solid copper. Efforts to neatly dress wire by tying it
together or concealing them between hull and liner actually make the situation
worse. The better job we do of providing physical protection for wire with
conduits and installing between hull and liner, the harder it is for the heat to get
out. The efforts to make neater installations can result in a potential hazard if the
wire size is not increased to compensate.

The greatest concern here is with AC circuits that feed receptacles that can be easily
overloaded.

Even when using 105°C rated wire at its maximum current rating, the wire may be too
hot to touch without burning yourself. At these high temperatures, corrosion at
terminals will be accelerated and the system may have shortened life.

2. Running Fuses Continuously at Full Ratings

When matching circuit protection to the wire it protects, two facts contribute to the
complexity of this task:

 The amperage at which fuses actually blow, and circuit breakers actually trip, is
considerably higher than their nominal ratings, the rating usually marked on the
unit.
 Wire and circuit protection devices heat up dramatically when they carry 100
percent of their rated value for several minutes or more.

Heat from high current can melt wire insulation and fuse blocks.

SEA, Maxi, ATO and AGC fuses, and most circuit breakers, blow or trip at about 130
percent of their rating. ANL fuses blow from 140 percent to as high as 266 percent of
their rating. When fuses carry 100 percent of their rated current value, they generate
excessive heat. When wires carry 100 percent of their rated current value, they also
generate excessive heat. In combination, the heat produced by fuses and wires carrying
high current can melt wire insulation and fuse blocks.

This heat generation may become critical when loads run for a considerable time. Large
diameter wires take a long time to heat up, so short-term operations like bow thrusters,
windlasses, and macerator pumps seldom run long enough for this kind of heating to
occur. For example, a 2/0 wire may take 25 minutes to approach its maximum
temperature. In contrast, small diameter wires reach near peak temperature in less than
ten minutes.

For loads and appliances that run continuously for 10 to 30 minutes, choose circuit
protection and wire so that current does not exceed 80 percent of their rating. For more
information in this topic, refer to Blue Sea Systems’ Technical Brief: Choosing Circuit
Protection.

This boat nearly burned because a corroded shore power connection overheated
(BoatUS Seaworthy photo).

3. Not Using the Shore Power Cord Locking Ring

The shore power cord locking ring maintains a solid connection between the power
cord plug and hull receptacle. When this connection isn’t secure, motion can cause the
plug to wiggle back and forth in the receptacle, compromise the electrical connection,
and result in dangerous heating.

Shore power connectors can have both electrical and mechanical stresses applied. The
locking ring keeps the plug from backing out and fixes the two elements together so
that the connection is not moved by normal motions. The constant working of the
connection between shore power cord plug and receptacle with the boat's motion can
loosen the connection, increase corrosion and weaken spring contact tension.

The shore power cable and connection is the most easily overloaded point of wiring on
the boat because it feeds all of the AC system including receptacle circuits. Every new
appliance brought onboard can add a new load, and devices like electric grills, hair
driers, air conditioners and space heaters are designed to use about 12 Amps each. It is
easy to turn on more than the rated capacity of your system, and the circuit breaker
system will not trip until your overload is at about 130 percent or more. In this
condition, a weak connection between plug and receptacle can become a fire source.

4. No “Green Wire” or Poor-quality Connection Between

DC Negative and AC Safety Ground
Without a good connection between DC negative and AC safety ground, stray AC
current may enter the DC ground system. When this happens, AC current may enter the
water around a boat and injure or kill swimmers near the boat. The green wire is the
safety ground wire that connects the DC negative ground block to the AC safety ground
bus. The purpose of this wire is to provide a lowest-resistance path to ground for any
stray AC current that finds its way onto the DC ground system. There have been cases of
AC current entering the water around a boat through the engine shaft and killing
swimmers near the boat. For more on how to prevent this, see our West Advisor
on ELCI/GFCI Electrical Shock Protection.

Lack of a good connection between DC negative and AC safety ground may put AC
current in the water around your boat.

There is a downside to this green wire connection. This safety ground can also provide a
path for galvanic current if the boat is not adequately protected with galvanic isolators.
However, most marine industry organizations and professionals now consider it
standard practice to install this wire. Safety requires providing the grounding wire, either
directly or through a galvanic isolator, or using a properly installed marine isolation
transformer. Some people have left off the ground wire in a mistaken notion that they
are providing galvanic protection, but forget that they are compromising safety for
those on the boat, on the dock, and in the water. Electrically induced drowning is now
recognized as a previously undocumented cause of death. The Coast Guard is funding a
study to isolate and investigate this hazard.

The green wire can be tested and indicate continuity but be unable to safely carry
enough current to trip a circuit breaker during a fault. There are ways to check the
quality of the connection.

An Ohmmeter test may show very little resistance in a green wire installation, yet the
wire may be incapable of carrying 30 amperes or the higher currents needed to trip a
circuit breaker during a fault. The minimum resistance reading of an Ohmmeter will not
necessarily indicate if a connection is compromised, such as a connection making to
only a single strand of wire. There are specialized ground resistance testers that apply
significant current, but they are uncommon. Careful visual inspection of the grounding
connections helps, but even a careful surveyor may have a hard time finding all
connections and tracing the wiring path.

One way to test the green wire connection quality is to connect a spotlight or other
heavy 12V load, positive to the boat’s battery, and the negative to the safety ground pin
of the shore cord. In a properly wired boat, the safety ground pin should return to the
battery negative after first connecting at the AC panel. If the light burns bright and
steady, there probably is a good grounding system. This is a good check to perform if a
boat has an unknown maintenance history, has been rewired, or is being repaired after
damage.

5. Using Ordinary Plug-in AC Receptacle Testers to Check

Ground Integrity
Ordinary plug-in AC receptacle testers are so sensitive that they will indicate a good
ground even if the only connection is through a prop shaft or thru-hull fitting to water.
A better way to test for ground integrity is to connect the shore cord to the boat and
bring the shore plug back to a position near the electrical panel. With all on-board AC
sources turned off, use an Ohmmeter to check that the ground prong is solidly
connected to the boat’s safety ground system. Check to the “U” ground at each
receptacle by dragging around the shore cord end and meter to test at each receptacle.
6. Using Non-ignition Protected Devices in Explosive Areas
or Making Areas Explosive with Dinghy Fuel and Propane
Bottles
It is dangerous to store dinghy fuel or portable propane bottles on board boats that are
not designed for ignition protection. This includes diesel propulsion fuel or gasoline-
fueled systems for externally mounted outboard motors. Bringing alternative fuels on
board, even in small quantities, can lead to explosive situations.

A half gallon of gasoline carried on board to fuel the dinghy motor turns a diesel boat
into a gasoline boat. The starter, alternator, switches, and circuit breakers have all been
selected according to the rules for a diesel engine system. Dinghy fuel, if carried on
board, should be stored in lockers that vent overboard just like propane lockers.
Gasoline vapors are heavier than air and will pour down the companionway or from
internally vented lockers right into the bilge and engine spaces.

GFCI receptacles have contacts to open when a fault is detected and as of this writing
there are no such devices with ignition protection, and it may not be possible to do so.
Any receptacle in a gasoline engine room is suspect because plugging in or unplugging
an appliance can generate sparks. The use of portable power tools in such spaces is also
very dangerous because of brush arcing in the universal motors.

These are the ABYC 11.5.1.3 guidelines for ignition protection:

 11.5.1.3.1. Potential electrical sources of ignition located in spaces containing

gasoline powered machinery, or gasoline fuel tank(s), or joint fitting(s), or other
connection(s) between components of a gasoline system, shall be ignition
protected.
 11.5.1.3.2. If LPG or CNG is provided on the boat, all electrical potential sources of
ignition located in compartments containing LPG/CNG appliances, cylinders,
 fittings, valves or regulators shall be ignition protected. An exception is made for
open compartments and accommodation spaces if everything is installed
according to ABYC- A-1, ABYC A-33 and ABYC A-3 for gas systems and
appliances.

7. Hot/Neutral Reversal on AC Connectors at the Dock or

Onboard
If a shore cord is incorrectly wired so that the hot and neutral wires are reversed, there is
inadequate AC circuit protection. Your boat should have a two pole main breaker if
wired for 120V. It should also have a reverse polarity indicator or warning device.

Hot and neutral wires are reversed.

The power companies have developed a standard for 120 volt single-phase power
distribution in which one of the two conductors is designated the “hot” wire (the black
wire in North America) and the other, by default, the neutral (the white wire). However,
neither power conductor in an AC system is permanently at either a positive or a
negative potential. Their respective potentials alternate between zero, the maximum
positive, zero, and the maximum negative potential. This is what makes it AC.

If a shore cord is incorrectly wired so that the hot and neutral wires are reversed, the
“new” hot line now has no overcurrent protection because the branch circuit wiring is
only protected by a 30 or 50-ampere main circuit breaker. Worse, turning off the branch
circuit breaker leaves the circuit hot. The circuit breaker does turn the load on and off,
so all seems normal.

This leads to several possible hazards:

 The branch circuit wires are only protected by the larger main circuit breaker in
the event of a failure of the white wire to ground.
 Anyone working on the wiring and turning off the branch circuit breaker will still
be in contact with a live wire if the main breaker isn’t off. This can be a serious
shock hazard.
  The outer shell of conventional screw in light bulbs is intended to be the neutral
conductor with a voltage near ground. Any broken bulb is dangerous to remove
when energized, and reverse polarity makes it worse.
 Boats not wired to present-day ABYC standards may have only a single pole main
breaker and no reverse polarity lights to indicate a reverse polarity fault. This can
occur in internal wiring or more probably in marina wiring that is not performed
correctly. Private docks, and some commercial docks, may not always be wired by
skilled electricians and properly inspected.

Your boat should have a two pole main breaker if wired for 120V. It should also have a
reverse polarity indicator or warning device. A three pole breaker is appropriate for the
main breaker in a 120/240V system, because neutral faults can also exist in these
systems, with either an open neutral or reverse polarity generating hazards or damage
to equipment.

8. Undersized or Absent Inverter and Charger DC

Grounding
Inverters and battery chargers are bridges between a boat's AC and DC power systems.
The high voltage of the AC system presents a shock hazard and can be lethal if it exists
on an ungrounded case. The DC system is not normally a shock hazard but can provide
a lot of current, and so is potentially a source of fire. A suitable ground must be installed
between the AC and DC system.

Inverters and changers are provided with grounding connections on both the AC side
and DC side. This grounding can prevent shocks from AC, and fire hazard from DC.
Frequently only the AC grounding connection is made. A fault in the DC side of the
system could provide enough current to overheat the AC grounding conductor without
blowing the large DC fuse. Therefore, a high amperage capacity DC grounding path
back to the DC system is required.

There is no mention of adequate measures to wire inverters and chargers in ABYC E-11
where most guidelines for electrical systems are found, so knowledge of proper
installation is readily overlooked. This information is actually contained in ABYC A-25 for
inverters, and A-24 for chargers.

Because this hazard has only recently been recognized, the installation instructions for
older generation inverters typically do not include this precaution, but most newly
designed units do. You may buy a new inverter from off the dealer shelf today and not
get the proper information because the instructions may have been written a few years
ago. For example, the instructions for a newly introduced inverter recommend a 2/0
cable for a 3 KVA inverter, but the instructions from the same manufacturer on their
older models give no recommendation at all.

Follow these general guidelines for wiring inverters and chargers:

 The ground wire to the DC grounding system should not be smaller than one size
below the wire size required for the DC current carrying conductors.
 The DC overcurrent protection device should not be sized at more than 150
percent of the capacity of the grounding conductor.

9. Missing or Faulty GFCI

According to ABYC 11.15.3.5, when an AC receptacle is installed in a head, galley,

machinery space, or on a weather deck, it shall be protected by a Type A (nominal 5
milliamperes) Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI). (There is a little natural imbalance
from the tiny radiation from an AC system, so the limit at 5mA is set below a safe
threshold for humans; if it were zero it would be tripping unnecessarily.) GFCI devices
compare the current flowing in the hot (black) wire and the neutral (white) wire. If all of
the current going out does not come back on the paired conductor, it is going
somewhere not intended, and that might be through a person! In this condition, the
GFCI will trip.

The ABYC Standards call for GFCIs to protect receptacles and therefore the appliances
that are plugged into the receptacle. However, the Standards do not require GFCIs for
permanently-wired appliances such as hot water heaters, space heaters, battery chargers
and air conditioners. These devices are assumed to be protected by a solid safety
ground connection to the case. However, it is good practice to also protect these
devices with GFCIs. It is possible to use the output of one GFCI receptacle to feed other
receptacles and permanently wired devices. By doing so, you can choose to provide
more protection than the minimum in the ABYC Standard thereby protecting these
downstream receptacles and devices.

GFCIs should be tested frequently, especially in areas subject to lightning or if there has
been any electrical malfunction onboard. Because of the corrosive atmosphere of the
marine environment, these devices may have a shorter life span on a boat than they
have ashore.

10. Operating Power Tools in Potentially Explosive

Atmospheres

Be careful when using a wet-dry vacuum or other power tools in areas where fuel or
other explosive vapors are present.

Portable power tools operated by batteries or by AC have brush-type universal or DC

motors. The spinning commutator generates sparks and the space is usually well
ventilated and even has a fan forcing outside air through the space. Electric drills,
routers and saws are bad. Shop vacuums are worse. They are designed to collect air and
dirt through the hose and bring it inside. The air passes through a filter and then some
of it through the motor. More than one explosion has taken place when a wet/dry
vacuum was used to vacuum up a fuel spill in the bilge. A shop vacuum is a wonderful
way to pick up water spills, but it also excellent at mixing and igniting explosive gas.
Nobody thinks about getting killed by a vacuum cleaner but it can take out the
operator, the boat and possibly the neighbors!
Summary
Avoiding these deadly conditions will make your boating experience far more safe and
pleasurable. Take time to check your boat’s electrical system and look for these
conditions. Contact your local ABYC electrician.