2 lights come on galvanic isolator

[bigcol]

woke up this morning, to 2 red lights on my galvanic isolator status monitor.

Will did out paperwork to see what this means.

But had this fitted since early 2012, and first time this has had any of the 2 LEDs, let alone both together.

Oh well I imagine this is going to cost me one way or another.

 

Happy days

 

Col

[by'eck]

This indicates an AC leakage above normal, assuming its working properly. Check out any new electrical devices you have added or any you haven't used previously.

[Flyboy]

You could try disconnecting one by one everything you have in the boat on the AC circuit. Something may have had a breakdown to earth.

[bigcol]

Thankyou for the replies.

 

I've checked the shore lead plug and socket, I've also used another shore power lead same thing, both LEDs still lit.

I am now going to carry out your suggestions, and disconnect all appliances and see what happens

 

Ta

 

Col

[bigcol]

Tried the above, the 2 Leds flicking alternately, then both on for 15 seconds then back to flicking,or both off.

 

Rang up Vic at Safeshore Marine Galvanic isolators and been advised that the above will possibly new boat, or someone's plugged in,or welding, new on the yard.

Give it a few days, or have a word with neighbours.Excellent service and advice from Safeshore marine,

 

If problem persists to get in contact and he will advise further,but what ever has changed outside, may sort it self out.

And yes we do have welding being carried out, but his bigger than me.

 

It's one of those types of equipment if you don't see it doing nothing, it's working!!

Now it's flashing it proves somethings wrong,it works, See Pyscloud, David, kris

 

Col

Edited October 15, 2015 by bigcol

[bizzard]

The electric Eels are hungry Col.

[ditchcrawler]

Tried the above, the 2 Leds flicking alternately, then both on for 15 seconds then back to flicking,or both off.

 

Rang up Vic at Safeshore Marine Galvanic isolators and been advised that the above will possibly new boat, or someone's plugged in,or welding, new on the yard.

Give it a few days, or have a word with neighbours.Excellent service and advice from Safeshore marine,

 

If problem persists to get in contact and he will advise further,but what ever has changed outside, may sort it self out.

And yes we do have welding being carried out, but his bigger than me.

 

It's one of those types of equipment if you don't see it doing nothing, it's working!!

Now it's flashing it proves somethings wrong,it works, See Pyscloud, David, kris

 

Col

but is it protecting your boat or letting the volts flow through your hull?

[bigcol]

That's a good question? your right!, if the LEDs are lit, then this means that the boat isn't being protected now??

Sometimes there off, sometimes flickering between the two.

 

So as per your post,the unit showing me there's a exterior fault, but am I still protected,?

 

 

Col

 

Ps Blizzard, yep Now sitting here, while slowly the boat is disintegrating, by the eels, lol

Edited October 15, 2015 by bigcol

[Flyboy]

That's a good question? your right!, if the LEDs are lit, then this means that the boat isn't being protected now??

Sometimes there off, sometimes flickering between the two.

 

So as per your post,the unit showing me there's a exterior fault, but am I still protected,?

 

 

Col

 

Ps Blizzard, yep Now sitting here, while slowly the boat is disintegrating, by the eels, lol

Possibly not, there must be some current flow to light the led's. The source of the earth leakage needs to be found. Could it be possible for any water to have got into your AC system on your boat?

[Phil Ambrose]

One LED lit indicates a problem with AC, if the second is lit means a problem with DC, both LEDs on is definitely a "oh tilt" moment.

Hope you soon sort it out.

Phil

Edited October 15, 2015 by Phil Ambrose

[blackrose]

Did Vic take you though the procedure to test your GI? You can do it with a new 9v battery or with a multimeter (shore power disconnected). If both leds are lit the diodes are in conduction, but don't panic, it just means that you effectively have no GI. Your boat's not going to corrode away in a few days.

Edited October 15, 2015 by blackrose

[bigcol]

 

hi flyboy

 

Yes we did check plugs sockets, took apart, tried different landline leads,

etc everything seems Good on the boat.

 

I don't know when land line disconnected, but just put genny on, no LEDs

But don't know if it works that way(different circuit)

 

The AC system is dry,

Still thinking

But lights are now staying off, longer than staying on.

Welding and grinding is happening in the yard, so time will tell.

 

Thanks

 

Col

[by'eck]

One LED lit indicates a problem with AC, if the second is lot means a problem with DC, both LEDs on is definitely a "oh tilt" moment.

Hope you soon sort it out.

Phil

 

Normally the two LED's are used to indicate each of the back to back pairs of diodes that form the main part of the isolator are conducting and not blocking. Either one on indicates a DC current flow in one of each direction. Both on continuously indicates a significant AC leakage and that the GI might as well not be there.

 

It doesn't mean that its not working as intended though, just that external currents are forcing it into conduction.

 

Schematic of typical GI to better explain above.

 

Each diode forward biased requires 0.6 volt to conduct, so having two in series puts a 1.2 volt block on stray currents in each direction. The capacitor is a safety feature to allow conduction of AC in fault situation, obligatory for ABYC compliance.

Edited October 15, 2015 by by'eck

[bigcol]

Did Vic take you though the procedure to test your GI? You can do it with a new 9v battery or with a multimeter (shore power disconnected). If both leds are lit the diodes are in conduction, but don't panic, it just means that you effectively have no GI. Your boat's not going to corrode away in a few days.

Hi Blackrose.

yes done the batt test, it seems as VIC said that someone in the yard has a problem.

He said the LEDs are hyper sensitive, so the flashing and coming on, is down to someone else's earth problem.

 

Have to say, Vic Safesure. Was excellent spending time going through test and problem with me.

 

Col

[blackrose]

Several years ago I discovered that the leds of my safeshore status monitor were lit and the diodes had probably been conducting for quite a long time (hence no protection)，because I hadn't realised the status monitor leads had become disconnected.

 

An electrician friend of mine reckoned that the house (on an island on the Thames) where I was taking my shore power from, wasn't properly earthed and was using my boat as its earth path!

 

I was alarmed by this and I only got the boat out of the water last summer, but there was no pitting or corrosion.

 

Have to say, Vic Safesure. Was excellent spending time going through test and problem with me.

 

Yes, I've spoken to him several times and he is good. He always has time to go through everything and is never in a rush.

Edited October 15, 2015 by blackrose

[bigcol]

Just to confirm as previous post

 

(LEDs haven't come on for the last hour or so.)

And have remained off as of now.

So all back to right!

 

someone visiting yard with dodgy tool, or dodgy appliance on their boat

Thankyou all. For your advice, all sorted

 

 

 

Col

Edited October 16, 2015 by bigcol

[mark99]

It's a work generation scheme.

 

Welding creates corrosion, which needs welding and grinding. Virtuous Circle.

[AndrewIC]

Welding and grinding is happening in the yard,

Do they stop at night? Do the LEDs still flicker at night?

[Psycloud]

Colin, in the electric box by the gate is my lead which is plugged in to the single meter at the end of the fence by my garden. Plug your lead into mine and see if you still get the same problem from my meter.

[bigcol]

Just to confirm all sorted

[blackrose]

Good to hear

[GUMPY]

Just to confirm all sorted

So what was causing the problem?

[ditchcrawler]

So what was causing the problem?

Its OK now the lights have gone out.

[Keeping Up]

Maybe it's like at my mooring (about a mile away) where the shared earth return is quite high impedance. We found that 1 of the 4 boats had some equipment that was leaky but not quite by enough to trip the rcd. This leakage current preferred to go back to the substation via the other boats' earth connections instead of via the designated supply cable.

[Orca]

Ive just tested my Safeshore GI with 2 different digital multimeters and it's continually reading 1 (as per Diode Test function on meter) with shoreline disconnected. Damn things shot I suspect, but is a good 8 years old, so probably time for a new one.