Main 40 amp circuit breaker

[Tmarshall]

New used Grady White owner (2001 Seafarer 226). I was just going over the boat getting to know it and found everything except the main 40 amp circuit breaker. I noticed that there are breakers for each switch in the panel, does that mean there is no main breaker?

 

[seasick]

There should be a breaker pretty close to the battery and battery switch. Here is the ABYC rule although it is a bit confusing;
11.10.1.1.1. OVERCURRENT PROTECTION DEVICE LOCATION: Undergrounded conductors shall be provided with overcurrent protection within a distance of seven inches (175 mm) of the point at which the conductor is connected to the source of power measured along the conductor. 11.6.1.2.1. A battery switch shall be installed in the positive conductor(s) from each battery or battery bank with a CCA rating greater than 800 Ampere

I have no idea what an 'Undergrounded conductor' is though

if the battery and or battery switch is very close to the main breaker or distribution panel, the breaker could be on the main breaker/distribution panel and not a separate device

 

[Tmarshall]

Thanks. Not sure exactly what that means, but I only have 600 CCA

 

[seasick]

Thanks. Not sure exactly what that means, but I only have 600 CCA

Two different things. The CCA is cold cranking amps or basically the amount of current your battery can supply. The spec of 800 Amperes is the current that the battery switch can handle and of course that should be higher than the CCA in theory.

Neither of those two topics address the need for over current protection for accessories. The accessories are fed from the battery switch or switches (unlike the aft bilge pump which is wired directly to the battery but has an inline fuse). The accessory feed is distributed to various places like the breaker panel. There is a breaker somewhere that protects that distribution panel. If the batteries are aft, the breaker should be aft near the batteries or the battery switch. If the battery is at the helm and so is the battery switch, the breaker is near the helm or part of the breaker panel. The theory is that in the event of a short, something close to the power source will blow as opposed to having a longish length of wire overheat and cause a fire.

If you look at your battery switch (or switches)you will see fat cables and not so fat cables. One of those not so fat cables is the accessory feed and it should connect to a breaker somewhere nearby.

 

[SkunkBoat]

If its still original, its a red button surrounded by white plastic near the battery switch. As said above, look for the 10 gauge red wire on the battery or the battery switch and follow it.
It should be near the battery because its sole purpose is to prevent the feed wire to the panel from burning/melting.

 

[Tmarshall]

Thanks!! I will be taking her out tomorrow and will look again using your suggestion.

 

[Fishtales]

Follow the main wire from the battery forward. You should hit the big in-line fuse. It isn't resettable as I recall. so if it were to go, it would be a replacement.

 

[glacierbaze]

Mine is a circuit breaker, not a fuse. If you have two batteries and one battery switch, the breaker will be off the switch.