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GREY LADY OPERATING MANUAL
NW Explorations
The AC Electrical System
Just as with the DC electrical system, the AC electrical system is
controlled at AC circuit breaker panel.
AC Panel
AC Panel is exclusively dedicated to AC circuit breakers and
switches. When external AC power is present,
NOTE: THE INVERTER/ IS THE
BOAT’S PRIMARY BATTERY
CHARGER!
AC Panel
BREAKER
USE
BREAKER
USE
Air Conditioning
pump
B
To A/C unit
Air Conditioner Unit #2
To A/C unit
Air Condi
B
To a/c switch
Battery Charger
B
Power to Battery Charger
Spare
Not used
Inverter
B
Power to Inverter
Water heater
B
Turns on water heater
Microwave
B
Power to Microwave unit
Spare
B
Not used
Outlets
B
Power to AC outlets
Cooktop
B
To power cooktop
Outlets
Power to AC outlets
Refrigerator
B
Power to refrigerator
Galley outlets
B
Power to Galley outlets
Hidden storage
outlet
B
To under helm outlet
Freezer
B
Power to freezer unit
It is important to note that if the Reverse Polarity Light lights when shore power is connected, It is located near the
rotary switch on the left side of the panel. It indicates that the shore power supply is miss-wired, a very dangerous (but
fortunately, rare) condition that could lead to an electrical shock, which could damage the boat’s underwater equipment
through electrolysis.
Remove the shore power cable immediately if this occurs and advise the marina’s officials at once!
Connecting/Disconnecting Shore Power
The large AC shore power selector switch on the AC circuit breaker panel is used to determine the source of AC power for
the boat.
This switch should be left “OFF” whenever you are connecting or disconnecting the boat to shore
. This is true so
that you do not draw an arc from the plug due to the load of the boat on the connector’s pins: such an arc will burn the
contacts and eventually cause them to overheat when in use, creating a fire hazard.
The boat has 30-amp service connections. Although this large connector is available at newer marinas, it is not found at
many older or smaller marinas.
The Y-adapter” allows you to connect the
two
30-amp receptacles aboard the boat to a single 30 amp shore power cord.
Note that once the batteries are charged from the generator, as little as a fifteen-amp circuit will keep the ship’s batteries
up even as you use DC systems!
Monitoring AC Power Consumption
Once connected to shore power, monitor the AC voltmeter and ammeter to be sure you have not overloaded the circuit.
Important Note: If the inverter (house) batteries are low when you first hook up to shore power, and the inverter is turned
on (as it should be), the inverter will begin charging its batteries at a very high charging rate, drawing a lot of shore
power current. Until this demand reduces (see “The Inverter System” below), you should turn “OFF” other high-current AC
appliances such as the water heater.
You can then turn on AC appliances as needed. Watch the ammeter to be sure you don’t exceed the dock’s available
