vspivey

I just set up my boat with lights that are 120v, and I was wondering if anyone has an opinion on wheater or not to put a GFCI in line at the Gennie, or if the circuit breakers built into the outlet are enough?? If so, which type?

FlounderAssassin

Im not 100% sure about this so hopefully someone with more knowledge will chime in but i want to say i remember reading somewhere that a GFCI wont work on the boat. i run 4 halogens and a 2000w gen on my boat and have never had a problem. have been caught in the rain and be sprayed pretty good with salt water when it was rough. as long as you use good quality connectors and heat shrink everything you should be good to go.

vspivey

Thank you for the reply

Gnwdad

Everythingh that I have read or been told says No. I have had my light completly under water on several trips (not on purpose) without any issues.

Five Prongs Of Fury

How in the hell did this happen? Bolt/bracket break or something?

mekell

I wasn't sure that the GFI would work and I hear from some that it won't. All I can tell you is I installed one between my generator and my lights, and I got on a stump one night and busted a light and it tripped. I will leave the advice to the experts.

Gnwdad

The night that it got so bad from Hurricane Ike was the last time and my other boat would get swamped if 2 were on the front floundering and a larger boat came by. With two men on the front of it the outboard would be in the air.

X-Shark

Gnwdad Have you talked to your EE buddy at work about the GFI and our setup's?

Gnwdad

X-shark no, but I will in just a minute.

Gnwdad

I just talked to him and he said that a GFCI is a must and he would not dare to go without one.

But,it will not work unless the generator becomes grounded.Through the boat is not a true ground so it will not work the same, but if the generator was to become grounded and you did not have the GFCI it would be bad.He said that a GFCI measures the voltage on the neutral and compares it to the voltage measured on the hot leg and, it has to be within 5 mv or it will trip the GFCI. With the generatornot grounded it should not trip the GFCI.

If there was a exposed wire on one of the lights and you touched it the GFCI would not trip unless you or something conductive was also touching the generator. In an aluminum boat the generator would be grounded to the boat if the rubber feet were removed from the generator (DO NOT REMOVE THEM) andyou would be shocked if you did not have the GFCI and there was a short in the wiring. On a wet fiberglass boat you could have a short and not know it until you touched the generator or if there was enoughwater touching the generator to make a conductive path.