Circuit Breaker Question

[Garyak]

The 100 amp breaker for my Electra-dyne started tripping on my last pull Tuesday evening. I'd reset and let it rest several minutes. After 3 trips, it would not reset and the little reset arm was just dangling and felt like it was detached internally. I removed it and was able to finish the haul with no breaker protection. The breaker was a $10 Ebay deal from a far away land. I've ordered a Blue Sea 7187 to replace it. Questions...do breakers often go bad? Think my $10 breaker was an example of "get what you pay for"? The puller motor was not hot to the touch nor did it emit any of that odd burning electrical stuff smell. Please advise...Thanks!

[Bullelkklr]

Yep. Breakers go bad. You do get what you pay for with things like breakers - most of the time.

[Paul H]

Breakers do go bad, but you might want to check your wiring for corrosion or a loose connection as that would increase the current draw and cause the breaker to trip. Continually resetting a breaker that is doing it's job could result in the breaker over heating.

Blue sea breakers really don't cost that much and are worth the piece of mind.

[Garyak]

Thanks for the replies Bull and Paul. I feel better already about buying Blue Sea although it was at least 4x as much as the original cheapy. Good advice, Paul, I checked all my connections and they are good. Polar Wire made my cables last spring...all of it is weather protected. Breaker is situated under the hatch in font of the cuddy door and has about a 1 ft. run from the battery and about a 2.5 ft. run to the motor. I'm hoping it was just a crummy breaker. As stated before, the motor wasn't hot to touch or smell like fried wire. Here's a pic of the install...I think I'll cut and inspection port in there somewhere although it only takes a couple minutes to check as rigged.

[MRFISH]

You sure did a great job fixing that up, Gary. I noticed you have another one in your yard when I drove by on my way home the other day...getting ready to do it again?

[Garyak]

You sure did a great job fixing that up, Gary. I noticed you have another one in your yard when I drove by on my way home the other day...getting ready to do it again?

Yep...some people never learn. Got the floor and transom in and glassed last week. Feel free to stop sometime if your not in a hurry...I never mind a fresh set of eyes on a project and I may need a shoulder to cry on. If you're a tall guy I could stand on a 5 gallon bucket...ha ha!

[JR2]

I think I said this before but I will say it again, Gary you do nice work. A long time ago I owned a Harvey and I can tell you it did not look like yours on the inside, the floor was rotten and when I drilled holes in the transom to hang my depth finder transducer water came out the holes.... Love it when a guy saves an old cool boat (or two in your case).

[Garyak]

I think I said this before but I will say it again, Gary you do nice work. A long time ago I owned a Harvey and I can tell you it did not look like yours on the inside, the floor was rotten and when I drilled holes in the transom to hang my depth finder transducer water came out the holes.... Love it when a guy saves an old cool boat (or two in your case).

Those kind words are certainly appreciated, JR2. It is mind blowing how water logged those buggers could get. Stinkin' scratchy mess! On the 20' I took almost the full newly manufactured weight of the boat in soggy foam, floor, transom, balsa core, etc. to the dump and still had the hull at home. Being a gimp, it's great to get out when I feel able and nice to have something to plug away at when I don't. Just wish I could get stuff done a little quicker!

[Old John]

Garyak
that is a beautiful looking boat, how about posting a couple pictures of the whole boat..? I've never seen a boat deck that clean, except in a show room...!

[Garyak]

John, I'll take some pictures tomorrow and post. It will never look that clean again! I used a non slip product called Kiwi Grip on the deck and high abrasion areas. I really like the texture and durability of the stuff but it doesn't clean up as well as advertised. I also built a little berth in the cuddy so I can stretch out full length and get some sleep. My lugable loo, ( 5 gallon bucket with a toilet seat) heater, and cook stove nest underneath in a way that they can't shift or tip over. The whole thing is a novelty compared to some of the beautiful craft that many on the forum operate but I feel blessed to have it and its plenty good enough for me. I could never afford to have the work done professionally! Sweat equity pays slow...but it does pay.

[potbuilder]

Gary you do beautiful work, the 2 tone grey looks very nice. Only thing i can critique is about your hauler install, its very nice and well built but if it were mine i would have tilted the hauler towards the rail and you could get rid of 1 roller and a extra 90degree angle to let the hauler work easier. Keep up the great work.

[Garyak]

Garyak
that is a beautiful looking boat, how about posting a couple pictures of the whole boat..? I've never seen a boat deck that clean, except in a show room...!

Here ya go, Old John...Those sterilite "shoe boxes" only cost a buck each and stay put under way and going down the road. I put in lots of storage space compared to how it was initially manufactured. Cube ice chest that fits inside my seat box is handy, too. Enjoy...Gary

[Garyak]

Quote: Only thing i can critique is about your hauler install, its very nice and well built but if it were mine i would have tilted the hauler towards the rail and you could get rid of 1 roller and a extra 90degree angle to let the hauler work easier.

Point well taken, Steve. Do you suppose the dual roller thing caused my breaker tripping problem or to be a serious enough flaw to damage the equipment? On the out board roller, the line travels at over a 90 degree angle from the water to the second roller in a straight up and down pull. The inboard roller to the idler on the puller is always a little less than 90. I like where and how it is situated as I can sit on the hatch in the lowest, safest place on the boat, hand on the switch, pull gear and operate the helm/controls without getting up. My back is shot and sitting in that position is actually the only time I'm pain free while on the boat...just that particular angle, I guess. The roller exercise was to 1. avoid spending a couple hundred bucks or more for a davit and giving up a prime fishing position in the space one would occupy. 2. To keep the hauler weight as low as possible on a narrow beam boat. The biggest annoyance is that the deflector is too close to the deck. I do have to manage the line so it doesn't ball up between the deflector and the sheaves...but only towards the end of a pull. I think I'll go out and stare at it for a couple hours and see if I can implement your idea without having to cut up my wide gunnels too much. I always respect your input!

[Old John]

Here ya go, Old John...Those sterilite "shoe boxes" only cost a buck each and stay put under way and going down the road. I put in lots of storage space compared to how it was initially manufactured. Cube ice chest that fits inside my seat box is handy, too. Enjoy...Gary

A very attractive Boat Gary.. You have everything so well organized. My boat always looks like a disorganized disaster.

[MacGyver]

Not knowing how stable your boat is I was wondering what the possibility of the pot puller pulling your boat over if the anchor got stuck on the bottom?