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03-10-2022, 09:41 AM
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#1
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Guru
City: st pete
Vessel Model: 430 Mainship
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 3,502
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Identify the amperage of a breaker
Is there a way to identify the amperage of a circuit breaker using a meter or something?
I've got an AIRPAX with no part number and no lable for amp rating. Came off the flybridge of my Mainship 430.
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Seevee
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03-10-2022, 10:00 AM
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#2
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Guru
City: Winthrop
Vessel Model: Pacific Trawler 40
Join Date: Mar 2020
Posts: 878
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It looks more like a toggle switch than a breaker. If you know what it's powering, I would take that and add 20% or what they would suggest.
If its off your flybridge, I would look all the wiring over. This year I need to go though the wiring on mine. You can see its aging looking at the switches and connectors.
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Iggy
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03-10-2022, 10:24 AM
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#3
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Valued Technical Contributor
City: Litchfield, Ct
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 6,786
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Look at the wiring. If it the same gauge in and out, then it almost certainly is a switch which I agree with Iggy, is what it looks like.
David
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03-10-2022, 10:31 AM
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#4
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Guru
City: Cape May, NJ
Vessel Name: Irish Lady
Vessel Model: Monk 36
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 4,966
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No way to tell unless labeled. Google Airpax and you will see images of similar breakers. Is it AC? What is the wire size on the load side?
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Archie
Irish Lady
1984 Monk 36 Hull #46
Currently in Cape May, NJ
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03-10-2022, 06:06 PM
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#5
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Guru
City: Brookline, NH
Vessel Name: Shalloway
Vessel Model: Defever 44, twin Perkins
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 2,260
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According to patent #3251232 (embossed on the side) it is indeed a breaker. It looks like there used to be a label on the side. I don’t know of any way to measure anything on a breaker to determine it’s rating.
Ken
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03-10-2022, 06:17 PM
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#6
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Guru
City: Windmill Harbour, Hilton Head Island, SC
Vessel Name: River Girl
Vessel Model: 2004 DeFever 49 RPH
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 573
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Uh, isn't the breaker size based on the supply wire size? of course, if this is the second breaker in series, it's size might be smaller than the primary breaker and sized to protect the load it switches.
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Jeremy
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03-10-2022, 06:40 PM
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#7
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Valued Technical Contributor
City: Litchfield, Ct
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 6,786
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You often see a switch downstream of a breaker. You rarely if ever see a breaker downstream of another breaker unless it is part of a power distribution panel.
I still think that this is a switch, not a breaker. It doesn't look like a breaker.
David
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03-10-2022, 07:19 PM
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#8
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TF Site Team
City: Seneca Lake NY
Vessel Name: Bacchus
Vessel Model: MS 34 HT Trawler
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 7,828
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I know of no way to determine breaker rating but I will guess it is some sort of switch & breaker. My reasoning us what appears to be a button on the front side. Is it marked " reset" ! It might be a combo with a push button reset?
https://www.amazon.com/Sensata-AIRPA.../dp/B07KWGMZMF
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Don
2008 MS 34 HT Trawler
"Bacchus"
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03-10-2022, 07:23 PM
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#9
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Guru
City: Miami Florida
Vessel Name: Possum
Vessel Model: Ellis 28
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 5,308
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It is what is called a bat handled circuit breaker. I don’t think there is any easy way to test it’s rating. Just buy a new one.
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Parks Masterson
Retired from Hopkins-Carter Marine Supply
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03-10-2022, 07:25 PM
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#10
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Guru
City: Corpus Christi
Vessel Model: Willard Vega Horizon
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 500
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03-10-2022, 10:02 PM
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#11
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Guru
City: Bayview
Vessel Name: Puffin
Vessel Model: Willard Vega 30
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,444
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Breaker testing is done all of the time and requires specialized equipment to do it. Contact a breaker testing company or base the replacement on wire size and connected load. Use a clamp on amp meter to determine the actual load and size accordingly.
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What kind of boat is that?
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03-11-2022, 05:24 AM
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#12
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Guru
City: Vermont
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 10,094
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I too thought it was a switch. Never seen a breaker like this, but there it is.
To test it you would need a power supply with current limiting. Run 10A through it and see if it pops. Then try 15A, 20A, etc. But who has that lying around?
I agree that your best bet is to sort out what you need by other means. First, figure out what wire gauge is on the load side. That will tell you the max rating. Then also look at what it powers to decide if it should be lower than the max.
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MVTanglewood.com
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03-11-2022, 06:14 AM
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#13
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Valued Technical Contributor
City: Litchfield, Ct
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 6,786
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So, we have decided it is a switch, well ok. The simplest way to deal with it and be safe is to check the wire gauge out, assuming it is the same or smaller than the wire gauge in. If otherwise, then I give up
Then replace this "breaker" with one appropriate for the wire size, ie 20A for 12 gauge, 15A for 14 gauge, etc. Make sure the device it powers at the other end doesn't need a smaller breaker to protect the device. That would be unusual.
David
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03-11-2022, 06:43 AM
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#14
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Guru
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 5,037
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I just looked online and Airpax does make circuit breakers that look like that.
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Jay Leonard
Ex boats: 1983 40 Albin trunk cabin, 1978 Mainship 34 Model 1
New Port Richey, Fl
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03-11-2022, 06:53 AM
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#15
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Guru
City: Winthrop
Vessel Model: Pacific Trawler 40
Join Date: Mar 2020
Posts: 878
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jleonard
I just looked online and Airpax does make circuit breakers that look like that.
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I would not think so. But I googled it too, and they do. Strange looking thing...
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Iggy
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03-11-2022, 07:04 AM
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#16
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TF Site Team
City: Seneca Lake NY
Vessel Name: Bacchus
Vessel Model: MS 34 HT Trawler
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 7,828
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Here's a link to the Airpax documentation. It looks like the unusual 3rd screw on the face is associated with their "panel seal" line meant for high moisture locations. That makes sense for a flybridge location. See figure 23 and the associated description.
https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/re...airpax-sensata
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Don
2008 MS 34 HT Trawler
"Bacchus"
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03-11-2022, 07:35 AM
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#17
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Guru
City: Vermont
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 10,094
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DavidM
So, we have decided it is a switch, well ok. The simplest way to deal with it and be safe is to check the wire gauge out, assuming it is the same or smaller than the wire gauge in. If otherwise, then I give up
Then replace this "breaker" with one appropriate for the wire size, ie 20A for 12 gauge, 15A for 14 gauge, etc. Make sure the device it powers at the other end doesn't need a smaller breaker to protect the device. That would be unusual.
David
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No, I think we concluded that it's actually a breaker. Checkout the DigiKey link. I've never seen anything like it before, but there it is.
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MVTanglewood.com
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03-11-2022, 07:47 AM
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#18
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Guru
City: Olympia
Vessel Name: Rendezvous
Vessel Model: Blue water 40
Join Date: Aug 2021
Posts: 1,815
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I just sold a boat that had very similar breakers. Mine had an amp rating stamped into the slightly flattened and of the toggle.
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03-11-2022, 07:59 AM
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#19
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Valued Technical Contributor
City: Litchfield, Ct
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 6,786
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Quote:
Originally Posted by twistedtree
No, I think we concluded that it's actually a breaker. Checkout the DigiKey link. I've never seen anything like it before, but there it is.
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Sorry, I misspoke. I meant breaker not switch. I need to reread my posts more carefully in my dottering years
David
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03-11-2022, 11:05 AM
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#20
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Guru
City: .
Vessel Name: GOTCHA
Vessel Model: Hatteras 58 LRC
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 1,103
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Seevee
Is there a way to identify the amperage of a circuit breaker using a meter or something?
I've got an AIRPAX with no part number and no lable for amp rating. Came off the flybridge of my Mainship 430.
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When looking up the number this is what I found.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/353151207063
https://www.amazon.com/AIRPAX-T11-4-.../dp/B00DKYMRRM
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Captain F. Lee - R.P.E.
USCG 200 GT Master
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