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Shore Power Pedestals: Why They Trip, Wiring Diagrams, and Troubleshooting Tips

Written by Olivia Provencher-Hennedy | 9/25/19 6:07 PM

A boat might leave one marina where everything worked fine, but arrive at another marina and trip the breakers. Keep in mind that while tripping a pedestal can be frustrating, marinas that update, expand, or renovate their docks do not have any choice other than to upgrade to the more sensitive pedestals – and, more importantly, the new pedestals will ultimately save lives. 

Even fairly new boats have had wiring deficiencies from the factory, so your best move – rather than berating marina staff, which never works out well – is to be prepared and proactive with our latest boater guide.

Note: In this post we will not be providing guidance as to how to fix an electrical issue. This is a guide to troubleshoot. We highly advise with all things electrical that you hire someone trained and certified.

Special thanks to Robert at Shattemuc Yacht Club and Ryan at Menemsha Harbor for recommending this post topic.