Generator suprises

So I had the boat laid up for a couple months with a fuel tank replacement. Got her running and lit up my little 4kw genset and had no power coming to the panel. Polarity red light lit. There was a DC breaker activated. I reset it. No change. I did the old up and down on the AC breaker, no change. So I shut it down and started my 16kw 240v genset. Line 2 was fine, line 1 not energized. Checked the hz meter. line 1 nothing, line 2 60hz. Back to the dock, on shore power, no problems. Line 1 and 2 no problem. Turned the inverter on and off with no result from 120 line 1. I have a feeling the my Gen 1 to Gen 2 to shore power switch may be the problem. Any advice from the experienced??

I would certainly be suspicious of any switches in the system. I would shut off all power to the boat and set up switches as if powering on a generator and then break out the old VOM to begin end-to-end continuity testing. Leave off testing while powered until after the safest method has been tried. Do not do it alone.

rgano said:

I would certainly be suspicious of any switches in the system. I would shut off all power to the boat and set up switches as if powering on a generator and then break out the old VOM to begine end-to-end continuity testing.

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+1

Can you check power to the back of the switches with a voltmeter?

Seems like you are on the right track. I have not seen a Californian with two generators so are assuming you have an additional set of switches or barrel type switch that manages that power source. Seems one of the two hot legs has come undone between the generators transfer switch and original panel generator breaker.

bglad said:

Seems like you are on the right track. I have not seen a Californian with two generators so are assuming you have an additional set of switches or barrel type switch that manages that power source. Seems one of the two hot legs has come undone between the generators transfer switch and original panel generator breaker.

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You are exactly right. I had my electrician aboard. He checked generator output which was good from both. Then he checked the selector switch for choosing the generator sources or shore power and there was a loose wire. The connections were a bare ended wire that a screw would clamp into place. The screws had vibrated loose and one had lost connection. A quicker fix than I feared. I also had a problem with the port engine not starting which I had isolated to what I assumed was a bad off switch in the nearly inaccessible reaches of the down helm electrical rats nest. We were able to get the switch out but it tested good. I had already removed and tested the one in the fly bridge and it was good. It turned out that when installed the fly bridge switch contacts contacted. Ok that's done. I have a boat now instead of just a bedroom.