Main Breaker(s) diode?

[tonyiiiafl]

1994 390CPMY. Finally had one of the 30A AC breakers giver up the ghost, wont reset. I found 2 on AMAZON, so all set there. Now the main panel has 2 30A breakers, Shore 1/Shore 2. I also found 2 of those at Great Lakes Skipper (https://www.ebay.com/itm/402992950528) On my breakers are a diode on each main breaker. Does anyone have any reference as to what they are and where to find them? unsure if they are bad, but want to be prepared.

[Viper]

Are you sure it's a diode? Is it also hooked up to an indicator light? Do you have a pic you can post?

[tonyiiiafl]

I will get a photo this afternoon, it jumps from one terminal to the other. The breaker failure was at the shore power inlet. The 30A push button reset would not sty in the closed position. Been weak for a tad, I just wanted to check the panel while I was ordering. Funny thing is I have one cord going into SHORE 1 power plug. IF I shut shore 2 in the panel, shore 1 panel breaker will not stay on. However, if shore main panel breaker is put on, 1 works and powers up all on shore 1. Hmmm..

[tonyiiiafl]

Viper,

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Pictures of the diodes. One on each breaker.

[Viper]

They are diodes. Take the information on them and punch that into an on-line electronics retailer.

They're used that way for a few reasons; current regulating, though I don't think that's the purpose here, EMF management, and to protect against a reversed power source which is likely the case here, it'll trip the breaker. If you suspect a diode, remove it, then power up again and see if the breaker still trips. If it doesn't, your breaker is okay and you may have a bad diode or a revered polarity condition. Curious, do you have reversed polarity indicator lamps?

[tonyiiiafl]

I do have reverse polarity lights. However they don’t really work.

[km1125]

QR_BBPOST They are diodes. Take the information on them and punch that into an on-line electronics retailer.

They're used that way for a few reasons; current regulating, though I don't think that's the purpose here, EMF management, and to protect against a reversed power source which is likely the case here, it'll trip the breaker. If you suspect a diode, remove it, then power up again and see if the breaker still trips. If it doesn't, your breaker is okay and you may have a bad diode or a revered polarity condition. Curious, do you have reversed polarity indicator lamps?

Yea, this is likely the case. That would explain the three-pole breaker. Only two are used for providing power, the third one is forced to trip upon a reverse-polarity condition, which also forces the other two off.

[Viper]

QR_BBPOST I do have reverse polarity lights. However they don’t really work.

You should fix that. You shouldn't rely solely on the diodes. It's likely you have old neon lamps that flicker, dim, and eventually stop working. Change them out with some LED indicators.

[tonyiiiafl]

I agree. They flicker and all. I need to research as to what is in there.

[Viper]

Look for 120V LEDs. Usually a red and a green are used for each shore power line. You'll need to know the diameter of the hole they mount into. I bought enough LEDs to replace all the 12V and 120V lamps in my panel as 3/4 of them don't work. Wanted to do that this summer but never got around to it, enjoyed the boat instead!