AC Isolation Transformer:
 

Hi- wondering if you have any tips on figuring out why an isolation transformer on my boat keeps tripping. It has a breaker switch located on the isolation transformer itself, and that keeps tripping while plugged into 50 amp shore power. It is a 50 amp boat. I note that the breaker switch itself seems flimsy when turning it back on. Can breaker switches themselves become weak over time? The boat is about 16 years old...

AC Isolation Transformer:
 

On Tue, 29 Mar 2016 08:11:44 -0700 (PDT),
wrote:

Hi- wondering if you have any tips on figuring out why an isolation transformer on my boat keeps tripping.
It has a breaker switch located on the isolation transformer itself, and that keeps tripping while plugged
into 50 amp shore power. It is a 50 amp boat. I note that the breaker switch itself seems flimsy when
turning it back on. Can breaker switches themselves become weak over time? The boat is about 16
years old...

===

Yes, breakers can become weak as they age but there are other
possibilities. For example a loose connection can generate heat, and
heat can cause a breaker to trip. You may have also developed a
leakage path somewhere. Unless you have the test equipment and
know-how, you should probably hire a marine electrician to take a look
at it. Faulty shore power circuits are a leading cause of boat fires.