I have posted on here in the past about some electrical issues I have had with my boat. <BR> <BR><a href="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/575681.html?1210274426" target="_blank">http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/575681.html?1210274426</a> <BR> <BR>I have it narrowed down to the main breaker popping sometimes when I have to many things going and cruising around at high RPM's. I.E. perko charging both batteries, stereo going strong (1000watt rms system) and crusin across the lake at around 30mph. The breaker will pop and I will have to sit there for about 15 minutes while it cools down so I can reset it. Happened a couple of times this weekend. Problem immediately went away though when I isolated the stereo battery and no longer charged it. <BR> <BR>My main question is though should I do <BR> <BR>a. Upgrade the charging wire from the alt. to the breaker, breaker to battery <BR> <BR>b. Just run a charging cable directly to the battery. <BR> <BR>I realize I am an amateur when it comes to electrical stuff but feel I can get a handle on this with a little guidance. Thanks guys

Here is what I am having. Same issue. Does anybody have an updated link for grants info. The link inside the thread seems to be dead. <BR> <BR><a href="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/198384.html" target="_blank">http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/198384.html</a>

Just wanted to bump this to see if I could get some advice on upgrading the charging wire.

The breaker is doing what it's supposed to do, trip when too much current is passing through it. The size of the charge wire is irrelevant to your problem. <BR> <BR>Sounds odd to me that there is a breaker in line on the alt charge wire. The alt typically feeds to the starter lug (which is connected directly to the battery) or to the battery or to the "C" post on the Perko. What rating is the breaker and what is the output of the alt? <BR> <BR>Sounds like you have loads, i.e. added accessories like stereo, that are pulling through the breaker, which it was never intended to handle.

put the stereo stuff off the main line and onto the battery by itself.

All the stereo stuff is wired directly to the second battery. Yeah the charge wire goes through the breaker then to the starter. THe alt has been upgraded so the breaker is probably not significant any longer. However looking at the charging wire right before it connects to the breaker make me feel a little uneasy. It looks like the coating has thought about melting. So I was thinking even if I upgraded the breaker it would put me in an unsafe spot with inadequate charging wire. The only time I have the problem with the breaker blowing is when I have the perko set to all and the stereo going strong. If I just have the perko set to 1, charging the starting battery and isolating the stereo battery; no problem.

Okay, let me see if I have this correct: <BR> <BR>The alternator current passes through the circuit breaker to get to the battery. <BR> <BR>The stereo is wired directly to the battery, so you have a load that can draw 100 amps directly off the battery. <BR> <BR>You upgraded the alternator so it will put out more amps than the original configuration. <BR> <BR>This upgraded number of amps will flow from the alternator, through the circuit breaker (which I am assuming is the original) to recharge the battery and supply the 100 amps to the stereo system. <BR> <BR>And you are wondering why the circuit breaker is popping? <BR> <BR>How many amps is the circuit breaker rated for? <BR>How many amps is the alternator rated for? <BR> <BR>What you don't want to do is increase the rating of the circuit breaker unless you re-wire the entire boat's electrical system. The primary purpose of the breaker is to protect the wiring from the engine to the fuse box that is probably located up under your steering console. <BR> <BR>I would be tempted to wire the alternator directly to the battery. An alternative would be to wire it to the battery through its own circuit breaker that was sized appropriately for the alternator output. Use a wire size that is appropriate for the alternator output. If your alternator is rated for 100 amps, you should use at least a size 6 AWG wire. <BR> <BR>Rod