"Capt. JG" wrote in message
easolutions...
I've recently had an interesting, perplexing, and disturbing situation
come up. I connect my boat in the usual way to the dock box supplied A/C.
It can easily sit for a week (without me visiting) or more during the
colder months here, especially during the holiday season between late
November and early January.

I believe it's a 20 am circuit. In any case, I have very modest A/C
requirements when I'm not on the boat, namely, maintaing the two bilge
pumps and keeping the two batteries (starting and house) topped up. I have
a newish 30 amp rated cord, and the charger is very new, as well as the
batteries. Haven't had any problems aboard, as far as circuit tripping or
even a fuse popping. I tested both bilge pumps, and they work fine,
dumping the small amount of water without a problem.

In the last month, I've arrived at the dock to find that the dock box
switch in the off position three times. The first time I chalked it up to
me forgetting to switch it on when I arrived back at the slip. The second
time to my neighbor perhaps switching it off by mistake. However, the
third time I did some checking. My neighbor didn't do it (hasn't been to
his boat in over a month), the marina hasn't been working on the docks
(check with the maintenance guy), and I haven't been there to forget
(unless I forgot going, which is unlikely LOL).

When I spoke with the maintenance guy on the phone, he went down to take a
look, then tried to claim that it was an old cord (it's less than two
years old, shows practically no weather wear, and the terminals look
fine - no charring/pitting - on either end). The boat connection is secure
with a ring lock, so none of that flies. I'm fairly certain that no one
else who has a boat has even been around this last month, except for
possibly the rich guy on the end tie who rarely leaves the dock.

So, I'm left with a couple of possibilities... either someone has been
deliberately turning off the A/C (not necessarily maliciously) or
something in the box is tripping the switch. Am I missing something? Could
it be something else?

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com




I would suspect a bad circuit breaker at the dock.