Jump to content

Plug in Galvanic Isolator.. which one


Sofia

Featured Posts

1 hour ago, LadyG said:

 In the real world, is this one OK?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Galvanic-Isolator-Boat-1000-Amp-One-Thousand-Amp-Plug-In-Easy-Fit-/292895917010?hash=item4431f503d2

it looks to have little or no heat sink 

 

See post #3

Quote

The fault capacity of the galvanic isolator depends on the maximum prospective fault current of the electrical supply.

 

For a domestic single phase 230 volt supply this is a theoretical maximum of 4.6kA (4600 amps) but in practice usually lower.

 

So if you are often connected to a mains landline, then go for a larger capacity one.

 

Personally I would go for the largest rating you can, because circumstances can and do change.

 

My galvanic isolator (Victron) is rated at 1600 amps, but I believe they do even greater capacity ones than that.

I recently went for this one, looked like an ok price,If you are lucky on an ebay discount day, you can get 10% off (I did)

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Victron-Energy-Galvanic-Isolator-VDI-32-GDI000032000/283292648684?epid=1885671809&hash=item41f58ec4ec:g:hRIAAOSw7QBckkL8

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

See post #3

I recently went for this one, looked like an ok price,If you are lucky on an ebay discount day, you can get 10% off (I did)

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Victron-Energy-Galvanic-Isolator-VDI-32-GDI000032000/283292648684?epid=1885671809&hash=item41f58ec4ec:g:hRIAAOSw7QBckkL8

I have no electrician at the moment, and the current wiring is base over apex, so I need a plug and play gadget twxt shore and boat electrics. Needs to be weather resistant.

PS its started raining again ?

Edited by LadyG
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, LadyG said:

I have no electrician at the moment, and the current wiring is base over apex, so I need a plug and play gadget twxt shore and boat electrics. Needs to be weather resistant.

Fair enough, though they really aren't difficult to install DIY.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 16/01/2019 at 14:34, Sofia said:

have seen some from 500amp or 1000amp etc.  an example https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/291931699806?chn=ps

I have that exact one, been using it for a year, with no problems at all.  Of course it’s one of those pieces of kit that you neve quit know if it’s doing the job it’s employed for, we at least not until the boat is next out of the water!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

32 minutes ago, The Dreamer said:

I have that exact one, been using it for a year, with no problems at all.  Of course it’s one of those pieces of kit that you neve quit know if it’s doing the job it’s employed for, we at least not until the boat is next out of the water!

That is why you should test it regularly and immediately after a fault has occurred.

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, LadyG said:

Still needs to be outside, as the internal electrics are not to Code / convention.

I'm not sure it matters whether the GI is on the inside or outside? But on the subject of AC boat electrics that don't conform to basic safety, I've met a couple of boat owners who've fitted GIs, but when I've asked whether their boats are hull-earth bonded they don't know or think that the boat probably is but don't know where the earth stud is located. I really don't understand why that check isn't part of the BSS?

 

It has to be said, before fitting a GI the first thing to do is check your AC hull-earth bond, because if it isn't bonded there's no point fitting a GI as your hull is already effectively (but unsafely) isolated from shore earth.

 

It's only when the AC earth is connected to the hull in order to ensure that should the hull become live it's at the same potential as earth, that the issues of accelerated galvanic corrosion arise and isolation is required. It's basic stuff but lots of boat owners don't seem to understand.

Edited by blackrose
Link to comment
Share on other sites

35 minutes ago, blackrose said:

I'm not sure it matters whether the GI is on the inside or outside? But on the subject of AC boat electrics that don't conform to basic safety, I've met a couple of boat owners who've fitted GIs, but when I've asked whether their boats are hull-earth bonded they don't know or think that the boat probably is but don't know where the earth stud is located. I really don't understand why that check isn't part of the BSS?

 

It has to be said, before fitting a GI the first thing to do is check your AC hull-earth bond, because if it isn't bonded there's no point fitting a GI as your hull is already effectively (but unsafely) isolated from shore earth.

 

It's only when the AC earth is connected to the hull in order to ensure that should the hull become live it's at the same potential as earth, that the issues of accelerated galvanic corrosion arise and isolation is required. It's basic stuff but lots of boat owners don't seem to understand.

And how would I know? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, LadyG said:

Still needs to be outside, as the internal electrics are not to Code / convention.

I assume it is best installed as near to shore mains as practical, before it meets complexity.

There is a socket on the outside of the boat. I do not know what happens after that.

Edited by LadyG
Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, LadyG said:

I really don't understand why that check isn't part of the BSS?

Because the BSS is to protect 3rd parties, NOT the boat occupants.

Hence things like Ventilation are only advisory - you can suffocate yourself.

The justification for the introduction of the mandatory installations of Co alarms was that the Co could drift into another boat and kill the occupants.

 

 

The Boat Safety Scheme, or BSS, is a public safety initiative owned by the Canal & River Trust and the Environment Agency. Its purpose is to help minimise the risk of boat fires, explosions, or pollution harming visitors to the inland waterways, the waterways' workforce and any other users.

Edited by Alan de Enfield
  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Because the BSS is to protect 3rd parties, NOT the boat occupants.

Hence things like Ventilation are only advisory - you can suffocate yourself.

The justification for the introduction of the mandatory installations of Co alarms was that the Co could drift into another boat and kill the occupants.

 

 

The Boat Safety Scheme, or BSS, is a public safety initiative owned by the Canal & River Trust and the Environment Agency. Its purpose is to help minimise the risk of boat fires, explosions, or pollution harming visitors to the inland waterways, the waterways' workforce and any other users.

It would potentially protect 3rd parties from electrocution though no? Particularly the ducks that swim around the boat. I got so fed up of frying fish around our hull, I connected the earth bond, fixed the problem and installed a GI (I couldn't afford an isolation transformer).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

Look for it, or measure it.

 

 

There are wires all over the place, where do I start?

Logic determined the GI should be fitted be4 the incoming electrons meet the boat electrical system.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, LadyG said:

There are wires all over the place, where do I start?

Logic determined the GI should be fitted be4 the incoming electrons meet the boat electrical system.

Did you not have this boat surveyed, you seem to be doing a lot of work to it?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, LadyG said:

There are wires all over the place, where do I start?

Logic determined the GI should be fitted be4 the incoming electrons meet the boat electrical system.

If you can visually trace your dc -ve bond to the hull, your ac may be bonded adjacent to it. Failing that, get hold of a multimeter, and on the resistance setting measure it from the earthing point, maybe (though no guarantees) in the consumer unit or behind the shoreline socket, to the hull.

 

On second thoughts next time you have an electrician aboard, get them to check for it, and install a decent GI or IT at the same time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

If you can visually trace your dc -ve bond to the hull, your ac may be bonded adjacent to it. Failing that, get hold of a multimeter, and on the resistance setting measure it from the earthing point, maybe (though no guarantees) in the consumer unit or behind the shoreline socket, to the hull.

 

On second thoughts next time you have an electrician aboard, get them to check for it, and install a decent GI or IT at the same time.

Or, dangle one probe in the water and one onto the incoming shoreline socket.

  • Horror 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Or, dangle one probe in the water and one onto the incoming shoreline socket.

Not sure that is a helpful statement, even in jest. Which cable in the socket? All it will show is the difference in potential between that particular volume of water and whatever cable as been connected to.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, rusty69 said:

If you can visually trace your dc -ve bond to the hull, your ac may be bonded adjacent to it. Failing that, get hold of a multimeter, and on the resistance setting measure it from the earthing point, maybe (though no guarantees) in the consumer unit or behind the shoreline socket, to the hull.

 

On second thoughts next time you have an electrician aboard, get them to check for it, and install a decent GI or IT at the same time.

ac comes in the front.

MOST dc 12v is at the stern.,

at the stern, there is 230v "charging" NOT any sort of controller!

I have run out of electricians, they just want easy jobs, but seem to prefer not to do anything at all. This is why I just want a plugandplay to fit before the boat wiring.

There really is no possibility I can do anything myself as it is just a mess of bodges from one end to the other.

Edited by LadyG
self
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, LadyG said:

I have run out of electricians, they just want easy jobs, but seem to prefer not to do anything at all. This is why I just want a plugandplay to fit before the boat wiring.

There really is no possibility I can do anything as it is just a mess of bodges from one end to the other.

Fair enough. But as has already been said, unless you know that your hull is earth bonded, it will be pointless.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, rusty69 said:

Fair enough. But as has already been said, unless you know that your hull is earth bonded, it will be pointless.

I dare say, but there is not much else I can, the electrians both spent time looking in the engine hole, I assume they were looking for something. One looked at the oil!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, LadyG said:

I dare say, but there is not much else I can, the electrians both spent time looking in the engine hole, I assume they were looking for something. One looked at the oil!

I doubt it will be in the oil.

 

Perhaps ask a friendly neighbour to have a look.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 17/11/2019 at 18:58, ditchcrawler said:

Did you not have this boat surveyed, you seem to be doing a lot of work to it?

A survey would not have disclosed the problems. I wanted a good boat [Tyler Wilson] . The thing had a BSC because the owner lied in order to get a BS Certificate. 

BUT no surveyor would have found these problems.

I have been around boats for many years.

Got the T shirt, got the pro paperwork.

BUT

I am quite particular when it comes to my safety.

Edited by LadyG
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 17/11/2019 at 18:36, Alan de Enfield said:

Because the BSS is to protect 3rd parties, NOT the boat occupants.

Hence things like Ventilation are only advisory - you can suffocate yourself.

The justification for the introduction of the mandatory installations of Co alarms was that the Co could drift into another boat and kill the occupants.

 

 

The Boat Safety Scheme, or BSS, is a public safety initiative owned by the Canal & River Trust and the Environment Agency. Its purpose is to help minimise the risk of boat fires, explosions, or pollution harming visitors to the inland waterways, the waterways' workforce and any other users.

 

But a live hull IS a risk to third parties!!!

On 17/11/2019 at 18:44, rusty69 said:

It would potentially protect 3rd parties from electrocution though no?

 

Indeed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

47 minutes ago, LadyG said:

A survey would not have disclosed the problems. I wanted a good boat [Tyler Wilson] . The thing had a BSC because the owner lied in order to get a BS Certificate. 

BUT no surveyor would have found these problems.

I have been around boats for many years.

Got the T shirt, got the pro paperwork.

BUT

I am quite particular when it comes to my safety.

 

In that case it should be fairly easy for you to see if your boat is hull-earth bonded and if not to make that bond and at the same time fit a GI. 

 

These are fairly basic things to do for most people who've been around boats for a while. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.