Boats and the need for residual current devices (RCD's)

[juggernaut]

Fella's - this is my concern - that I'm going to have more RCD's than I can poke a stick at - and I hope it isn't going to cause any problems - as everything is working fine at the moment. Surely the shore power GPO RCD is going to protect any hardwired equipment. And on top of that all my power outlets are already individually protected.

Sea Ray have probably made more boats over the years than just about anyone else and I haven't heard about any safety concerns with their electrical setups. Still, if the law requires that I must have more RCD's then I guess I have too.

Trevs,

The shore power and generator feed the AC panel independently via switches and yes there is a lockout on the panel to prevent the shore power and generator feeding into the AC panel simultaneously. So I guess there are really two independent sources of AC power to the main board.

[ranmar850]

you will have no worries with an rcd working on a genset as long as the star point of the gen is to earth ......(ie) mem link

That's MEN link,and yes that is correct. Which is why you can't just plug an RCD portable board into an inverter generator , and expect protection,but that's another story.

also stoves and similar heating elements are notorious for not being RCD friendly.

Also correct, sheathed heating elements are notoriously leaky, and may give you problems with RCDs

I wish I could access that Australian standard, I could give you a firm ruling.

[barney1979]

The only answer to you question is to read AS 3004.2. That is the electrical Australian standard for recreational boats and it covers where rcds are required.
Unfortunately I don't have a copy, but the sparky carrying out the work should, So if it was me I'd ask him.


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[trevs1979]

Fella's - this is my concern - that I'm going to have more RCD's than I can poke a stick at - and I hope it isn't going to cause any problems - as everything is working fine at the moment. Surely the shore power GPO RCD is going to protect any hardwired equipment. And on top of that all my power outlets are already individually protected
you are not going to have any safety issues buy installing more rcd units only potential hassles and thats only if you have earth leakage on the stove,hot-water and air-con as many people have already said heating elements can and do on occasion have low earth resistance which can cause rcd units to trip .

in most cases this is due to lack of use as moisture is absorbed into the heating element without an rcd this is removed once the element is heated again and no ones even realizes

and your correct the shore power you connect too should have an rcd

one benfit of having multi rcd units is they can and do fail more so if never tested (ie tripped monthly ) if anything ask your electrician to test your rcd units with an rcd tester on both wave forms and provide the test trip times he should have a test unit with him if not ask if he can borrow one off somebody who does

Sea Ray have probably made more boats over the years than just about anyone else and I haven't heard about any safety concerns with their electrical setups.
i agree in part with this ive seen multi million dollar ships with major defects repeated over and over again

Trevs,

The shore power and generator feed the AC panel independently via switches and yes there is a lockout on the panel to prevent the shore power and generator feeding into the AC panel simultaneously. So I guess there are really two independent sources of AC power to the main board.

sounds correct in config although they are both feeding onto a common swbd hence the lockout to stop two feeds being on at once as i stated earlier if it was me i would leave as is and install one 100ma rcd to cover the stove,hot water ,and air con after reading an earlier post of yours you say you are hard wiring your tv and microwave remember now each time it fails you need an electrician to rewire it instead of just buying another and plugin it in yourself