Description

Zinc Savers / Galvanic Isolators

THE PROBLEM:

There has been recent interest in damage done to boats due to the 230V shore mains. This has highlighted the need to fit a galvanic isolator to your boat.
In order for modern boat builders to comply with modern CE standards such as EN ISO 13297 they must fit the shore earth wire to your boats bonding system. This is also connected to the hull / anodes / fuel tanks / engine blocks / shafts / propellers / stern tubes / rudders / rudder glands / water intakes / etc. This ensures that any 230V mains faults will operate the R.C.D on the boat in order to save your life.
The down side of these standards is that electrically speaking your boat is now connected to the rest of the boats in the marina. Additionally to any other metal structures in the area. Electrically speaking they become one and the same. If you follow the earth line you can see everything bonded to the earth. This includes your boat, the one next to you, metal work etc.

This results in two main problems.

1) Any earth problem on any boat or shore earth will increase the voltage in the common earth cable and dissolve. This adversely affects your boat by dissolving your anodes at an alarming rate. (This could result in the total loss of all the metal on the boat below the waterline).

2) All the boats are now one. If you have a zinc anode on your boat, but the boat beside you does not or even worse, the marina has not put anodes on its structures (metal pontoons etc) then your boat’s zinc, (or aluminium / magnesium) will protect all the structures and boats around you. This results in dramatic zinc loss and expensive lift-outs to replace the zinc. For boats on inland waterways, if you have a magnesium anode and everyone else has zinc or no anodes at all, your magnesium anode will protect all.

THE SOLUTION:

The trick is to maintain the continuity with the earth. This ensures the safety of your life but removes the continuity with the shore power for the safety of your boat. The solution is very simple. By installing a Galvanic Isolator / Zinc Saver we maintain a good earth link with the shore,. We also prevent any stray currents coming up the earth line and damaging the boat. The isolator is in theory a simple device but it has to be built to a stringent specification. It also has to be tested by an independent test house to ensure they comply with the relevant standards. This could be the less stringent CE standard or the more stringent American Boating and Yachting Council standard. This means in a major fault condition it can carry its rated current for 24 hours without exceeding 90 deg C on the heat sink.
The Galvanic Isolator has the following extra features:

By far the most common used device in Europe, complies with all the requirements. It is also low cost and very effective.

Pro Save A (16-30-50A European)

Galvanic Isolators / Zinc Savers Standard Euro Version

Amps	Size L x W x D mm	Weight Kg	Part Number
16	120 x 100 x 90	1.0	ZS16A
30	220 x 120 x 100	1.5	ZS30A
50	200 x 265 x 100	1.8	ZS50A

 

Pro Save C 30-50A European)

Looks the same as the Pro Save A Except. It has an internal 25,000 uF 2.5V capacitor to raise the performance of the unit in extreme AC leakage conditions.

Galvanic Isolators / Zinc savers standard euro version with cap.

Amps	Size L x W x D mm	Weight Kg	Part Number
30	220 x 120 x 100	1.5	ZS30C
50	220 x 165 x 100	1.8	ZS50C

 

TOTAL PROTECTION:

Recent upgrades in the new A.B.Y.C. have removed the need for a monitoring system on the zinc saver. This is as long as, if the unit was to fail (which in the excess of 500,000 of the older version sold with 0% failure rate), the internal devices must fail in such a way as to continue to ensure the safe connection of the earth circuit. We Have spent a lot of money on a new mono silicon block to ensure the unit will perform as per the new specification. We have also spent many hours testing by UL laboratories, the new Pro Save FS (see next page) is now fully certified as a fail safe device. It no longer needs any monitoring system. This ensures a simpler and lower installation cost for this new product.

SUITABLE FOR USE IN EUROPE AND THE REST OF THE WORLD EXCEPT USA IF ABYC COMPLIANCE IS REQUIRED.

Pro safe FS 30 & 60A Fail Safe to the latest ABYC specification tested by UL.  Suitable for use for boats being exported or used in the USA.

UL Certified
205007
ProSafe FS installs easily. It does not require a dedicated monitor to verify the operational status of the galvanic isolator. Which is required by non Fail Safe Certified galvanic isolators.

ProSafe FS 30 & 60 are built on robust FlatPack semiconductor platforms. This ensures that in the event of a failure, the failure is safe by not compromising the ground continuity on-board when connected to AC shore power.
ABYC A-28 July ’08 Compliant and Fail Safe Certified.
Certified by Underwriters Laboratories (UL). Insures shore power safety ground wire is maintained through the isolator.

Flat Pack High Power Semiconductors
Robust high power diodes allow the FS Series to meet the new Fail Safe criteria for conducting inrush currents of 5,000 amps for the required duration period.

Innovative Design
The FS 60 will cool itself in the event it must conduct current insuring cooler operation in this mode.

Ignition Protected
Meets ISO 8846 and can be mounted within an engine compartment
Gold Plated Terminations

For 30A Shore Cord Applications

Shore cord inlet compatibility – Single 15, 16, 20 or 30	Size L x W x D mm – 175 x 185 x 65
Ratings VAC / MAX AMPS / Hz – 120/240 VAC/41A 50 or 60Hz	Weight Kg – 1.5 kg
Max Unit Temp – 50 Deg C

 

For (1) 50A or (2) 30A Shore Cord Applications

Shore Cord inlet compatability – Single 50 or dual 15, 16, 20 or 30	Ratings VAC / Max Amps / Hz – 120/240 VAC/41A 50 or 60Hz
Max Unit Temp – 50 Deg C	Size L x W x D mm – 190 x 165 x 95
Weight Kg – 1.8

 

Galvanic Isolators / Zinc Savers Fail Safe New ABYC

Amps	Size L x W x D mm	Weight Kg	Part Number
30	175 x 185 x 65	1.5	ZSFS30 sold out
60	190 x 165 x 95	1.8	ZSFS60 sold out