Boat can't charge up from Dock Power

[Ongjer]

Hey everyone. Hope everybody is enjoying this Saturday.


I just got a 38' Sunseeker and the dock power yellow cord is connected to the back plugs (red light of wire is on). But my batteries can't seem to charge and I can't turn on anything from using the AC (dock power).

Anyone possibly know why and what I can look for?

This is my first boat.

Thanks so much

 

[Outsider]

Has it ever done those things? Does your boat have a battery charger, and inverter? Might be unnecessary questions, but you haven't indicated either. Just that you have AC power available ...

 

[Ongjer]

Thanks Outsider

I just got the boat 2 days ago and still exploring the equipment.

I just checked it some more. Seems like the AC shore power only turns on the: outlets, microwave, cooking stuff, tv, DVD, A/C, etc.

But the DC power turns on the galley lights. Is that normal that my lights are all on DC powered? So does this mean I can only use the lights with my batteries and then it charges whenever I turn on the engines? I just hope I don't use the batteries up on lights.

I guess I can plug in a light to use shore power.

I also have a Kohler 800 something that Looks like a generator

 

[boatman37]

my cabin lights are all 12V in my '86 Sea Ray 250 Sundancer. the only 110V light i have is a light right above my cabin steps. if you are plugged in to shore power and using your 12V lights the charger should keep the batteries charged (i have an isolator). if you are anchored in the water then obviously you will be running off the batteries, or it sounds like you do have a generator. i am not familiar with how that works, only adding what i have found with mine as i just went through this a month ago when i bought mine

 

[Grub54891]

Check the main electric panel, is there a battery charger breaker? Or possibly a inverter switch? If so,turn them on,if not,just plug in the shore power, and get in the engine room and look for a charger,some are just stuffed down in there with no control/switch.

 

[Outsider]

OK, good enough. Because I don't know how your system is actuall wired, my suggestion would be to hire a marine mechanic to examine and explain each component to you. When it comes to electrons and boobs (not you) around water, there will be problems sooner or later. The boobs you'll probably never figure out, but the electrics can be if you understand how they're put together ...

 

[Ongjer]

Thanks so much guys! Seems that I can get shore power for all the AC breakers and all those functions work. But the main problem now is that I can't turn on the generator. Once I unplug the shore power, all the AC stuff stops working. Since the generator doesn't turn on, I can't use any of those things when it's unplugged.


Anybody know a good way to start up the generator? When I turn the switches to "generator" and press the start button, nothing happens at all, no sounds, no turning over. What may be the problem?

 

[Grub54891]

Normally,the genny has it's own battery. Take a look in that area,it could be dead or just unhooked. Sometimes when hooking up battery's a wire will get missed,pretty easy to do considering the tight area's they are in. Look for stray wires too.