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Temporary Shore Power Solution

8K views 50 replies 15 participants last post by  eko_eko 
#1 · (Edited)
So I have just acquired a wonderful condition 1979 Catalina 27 and it has almost everything I need but no shore power hookup. So while I am saving up the $1200 or so that I need for a proper install I need a temporary shore power solution to run:
-Small A/C / Amp Draw: 6.2
-Air Purifier / Amp Draw: ~2
-Small Speakers / Amp Draw ~2
-Phone Charger / Amp Draw :~2
-A couple small LED lights / Amp Draw: ~1
-700 Watt Microwave / Amp Draw: ~9

I am potentially willing to ditch the microwave until I have a proper setup but I would like to run the A/C pretty much 24/7. So I'm looking for suggestions about the best setup/adapter I can buy for a reasonable price and tips on how to do this safely. This is one I've come across: MARINCO Dockside 30A to 15A Adapter with Ground Fault Protection | West Marine and it looks pretty decent. And with something like that is there any danger in running an extension cord from one of the 3 outlets on there in order to get an LED light or my phone charger up in my vee berth? Or in using a splitter to get more than just those 3 outlets for some smaller items like the phone charger or LED lights?
 
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#2 ·
I'm certain that our marina would not permit an extension cord be used as a permanent power supply, even if only until you installed a proper outlet. Your load for the AC seems pretty low to me. Even the properly sized extension cord to use intermittently would be a very expensive cord. Not to mention, you would have to snake it inside the boat, creating a possible water trail, when it rains, directly to your electrical device.

Electricity is the number cause of boat fires. Do it right.
 
#3 ·
Use the heaviest gauge extension cord you can find, 10 gauge or better, and disconnect when you are not present or asleep.

With the sort of 24/7 use proposed overheating and resulting fire at the socket or plug is a real possibility. Keep a dry powder fire extinguisher handy and don't run the AC and microwave at the same time.

I have seen row houses powered with extension cords run down back alleys with connections to overhead power using jumper cables and only a few have burnt down.
 
#4 ·
#5 ·
If you want a temporary shore power solution to run all that crap; stay in a motel temporarily.

DO NOT put anything "temporary" in your boat's electrical system - especially in the 120VAC system.
 
#6 ·
If I am reading correctly your list of loads totals up to 22.2 amps. Don't try to run everything at once. If your adapter is rated at 15 amps for the socket, that is your limiting device. Any fusing or circuit protection should be based on 15 amps.
 
#7 · (Edited)
That's the one I've been using for the past 6 months. I run A/C, small hot water heater for coffee and soup, multiple old lights, radio, multiple battery chargers and a guitar amp. Of course....only 1 or 2 at a time as you do only have access to 15amps instead of 30. It does have a very sensitive GFI, which I'm sure is a good thing, but can be a pain when it rains.

~doo

On a side note, goes without saying, but be EXTREMELY careful using power tools with this connection. GFI or not, the "stored" energy in the tool can stop your heart if it shorts.
 
#11 ·
That's the one I've been using for the past 6 months. I run A/C, small hot water heater for coffee and soup, multiple old lights, radio, multiple battery chargers and a guitar amp. Of course....only 1 or 2 at a time as you do only have access to 15amps instead of 30. It does have a very sensitive GFI, which I'm sure is a good thing, but can be a pain when it rains.
Scubadoo do you run anything when you're not on the boat or only when you are there in person to monitor?
 
#8 ·
Just do it right, or don't do it. Here is what I put in:

Defender Paneltronics 6 Position Panel $164
Furrion F30C50-SY Yellow 30A 50FT Marine Grade Boat Cordset Power Cord | Great Lakes Skipper $68
Rinker 2280330 Hubbell HBL303NML Off White Boat 30 Amp 125 Volt Shore Power Inlet | Great Lakes Skipper 42
wire from Genuinedealz at $90 for 100 foot of 12 gauge(12/3 AWG Gauge Marine Wire Tinned Copper Boat Cable Flat 100 ft Genuinedealz.com), and a 10 foot section of 10 gauge to go from outlet to the panel, and assorted connectors for about another $75 plus some surface mount outlet boxes with outlets from Home Depot and GFCI outlets from Lowes I was all in for around $600 or so. I put in a galvanic isolator as well. My boat is 33 foot so it is a bit more wire, you will have plenty left over to sell to someone who needs it, or just get 40 feet.

Otherwise just get a solar panel and controller to charge your batteries and just deal with the heat and enjoy room temperature food!
 
#12 ·
This looks really ideal. Do you use this on your boat? Any idea what tools are needed to install? It says everything is included but I imagine there are some permanent changes needed on the boat correct? It doesn't have much info about installation on the website. Thanks!
 
#16 ·
Clifgray

Yes I installed the EzAcDc unit, with a duplex outlet on the panel, an outlet on the back for my battery charger and one remote outlet and a spare slot to connect another outlet if I need it.

Tools; a hole saw for the cockpit mounted shore power outlet, a jig saw for the panel cut out, and drill, bits and screwdriver for various other items, all wiring connections have quick connect fittings or prewired as a harness.

It took more time figuring out where to put it than the installation.
 
#18 ·
I looked at those, but it is so limiting. I figured for about a hundred dollars more I would have a full system that has 8 outlets thru out the boat. More than I will need, but I won't need to use an extension cord for anything. I have an outlet in the v-birth, one at the shelf above my hanging locker(where I plan on having my charging station for various electronics to keep it out of the way) one in the head in case any guest ever wants to use a hair dryer. Must say the one at the hanging locker would have worked for that as well, but it was only a couple feet of wire and another outlet and works nicely for the dehumidifier. one in the salon for the computer, one at the nav-station, one in the quarter birth where I have the fridge, and went all out with two in the galley. I have a separate port and starboard circuit, and one for the galley another for the battery charger, and have two more available spots for breakers. I plan on putting in a water heater and that will likely be the last circuit for my boat.

It is not really a "simple" system but it is safe for living aboard. If all you want is a hook up for a charger, and an outlet or two looks simple.
 
#17 ·
I put in system pretty cheaply. No where near $1000. If you have a marine consignment place you can get good older equipment at a great price. The problem with a 30-15 amp pigtail is that the breaker on the dock is going to trip at 30 amps. If you have cord rated at 15 amps then the wires will fry before the breaker trips. So you need to put in a 15 amp breaker to protect those loads. If you're going to do that it may be more cost effective to put in a simple AC system.
 
#19 ·
AC & microwave?
Yeah, forget the extension cord and install a proper permanent system ASAP, you are pulling more than casual loads.

What I don't get at all is why you would be using an AC charger on an extension cord for a USB device like your phone. The "right" way to do that is to use a 12-volt car charger, tied into the boat's 12v system. Either put an adapter and socket up forward, or put it aft and charge the phone there. No need to mess around with AC and extension cords for USB devices that will be perfectly happy on a 12v boat.
 
#20 ·
To me it makes sense to have both if you are going to be at the marina a lot. My cordless drill does not have a 12 volt option, but I do have 12 volt chargers set up as well. Also many of the 12 volt chargers don't do very well with tablets and other high demand devices. This is the unit I currently have:

https://www.anker.com/products/A2311011
 
#21 ·
"Also many of the 12 volt chargers don't do very well with tablets and other high demand devices. "
There are a lot of cheap chargers out there and folks do like to buy cheap. After all, a $4.95 charger looks pretty much just like a $24.95 charger, and we both know one of those is overpriced.(G)
Until maybe this past year, simply finding 2A chargers has been damned hard, and no one in the phone business has really bothered saying "Well, if the cord is too thin or long...the charger output won't reach the phone anyhow" or anything useful like that.
Then again, it is only in the last 2? years that any of the gadget makers have been emphasizing fast charging as a feature, of course 'requiring' their special chargers.
What you have appears to be a good one, Anker appears to make some good stuff. Still, by now it is pretty easy to find 2A USB chargers that work off 12 volts. I'd rather run one short USB cord, than an extension cord, a charger wart, and then the same USB cable on top of it.
Not that I'm against extension cords for casual use, but running all the way forward means it has to be a robust cord, and then it is still a tripping hazard (I'll never be mistaken for Fred or Ginger(G) running all the way down the boat.
Now if only someone could get the Qi chargers to work as reliably as electric toothbrushes have for the last 40 years...
 
#23 · (Edited)
"The specs say 10A but a cigarette lighter plug is only good for 6A continuous."
I've seen a number of new cars where the power port (no cig lighter in it) has the socket cover embossed "12 Volt 120Watt" or similar. That a 10A continuous load.
Probably because there are (have been for some time now) so many laptops that draw over 100W even on their DC/DC power adapters.
Yes, the *plug* on my own laptop dc/dc power supplies was built to carry a higher load. Not uncommon, even five years ago.
FWIW.
 
#28 ·
I've started using both ports of this Dual USB 4.8A Car Charger to charge this 20Ah Power Bank.

The power bank charges at 4A over two ports and can simultaneously charge four devices. I charge the bank while the engine is on and then charge devices from the bank as needed. You can even charge the bank and use it to charge other devices at the same time, which can be great for charging a spare phone or tablet while you use another one.
 
#30 ·
Yeah... honestly I am less concerned about the heat for myself and more concerned about my clothes and books with all the humidity. Any better solutions for removing humidity?
 
#33 ·
So I have decided to heed all of your advice and not build a "temporary" shore power solution. So my two options are real shore power or larger battery bank. Currently I'm not all that comfortable building a full on shore power setup myself so I got quoted on one and here is what it included:

An AC panel with a main 30A breaker, 3 15A breakers, and space to mount additional breakers.
30A shore power inlet (Non metallic)
2 GFCI outlets
4 standard outlets
6 outlet boxes
14-3 Triplex marine wire (for outlets)
10-3 Triplex marina wire (from inlet to AC panel)
Misc. connectors, etc.

And all labor, materials, tax and all to install the above is $1,164.33.

Does this look pretty standard?

My other option would be to go full on battery power and install another deep cycle and then just get an inverter to charge my laptop and one or two other things but run everything off the batteries - in this case I would forgo the A/C and microwave. And I would possibly set up a larger solar trickle or just a battery trickle from the shore power outlet.
 
#39 ·
Are there any good cords or products that safely charge the battery from the dock without any sort of onboard shore power system? Then everything just runs off the batteries and an inverter?
 
#36 ·
Actually that looks quite fair if it is installed. Not a hard job if you want to do it yourself though. Just make sure you request that they use all tinned wire(resists corrosion better but not required by ABYC), and use heat shrink sealed ring terminals on all connections. Forked connectors can come loose and the heat shrink keeps out moisture. If you do it yourself you will need ring terminals with number 10 holes for the breaker panel and I think it was number 6 or 8 on the outlets. Genuine deals with the free shipping got to me within 2 days to New York so even if you have to order more hardware it won't delay you too long and they are less than half what West Marine charges.

Two possible upgrades would be to use a smart plug connector on the shore power and you might consider 12 gauge cable to the outlets instead of the 14. I did not go smart plug as it pushed me just over the budget.

Blue Sea and Paneltronics both make good panels. I have Paneltronics but have seen Blue Sea, either are excellent quality with tinned connectors and come pre-wired.
 
#38 · (Edited)
Two possible upgrades would be to use a smart plug connector on the shore power and you might consider 12 gauge cable to the outlets instead of the 14. I did not go smart plug as it pushed me just over the budget.
Thanks for the advice! I've just asked about whether or not it is tinned wire, still waiting on the response. What part would the smart plug replace? Just the boat power inlet and the cord to the power hookup on the dock?
 
#37 ·
I understand you are needing something now while you save up to do it right.

My reply covers both scenarios.... Following the strategy of doing it once, and doing it right, don't hesitate to go with a 30amp Smart Plug. [I say 30 amp because that is what you need based upon your list- and that is what most US marinas supply on the low end...]

While it seems like a Smart Plug costs a bit more than the 1930s model twist lock plugs we use now, it is actually cheaper the first time you have to replace that old plug because it shorted out... or the first time the Smart Plug keeps your boat from catching on fire...[Here is our story...]

You don't have to buy their shore power cord if you find a tinned, weather proof 10 gauge [minimum] cord for less- just install their plug on the boat end. [That is what we did with our existing Marinco cords...]

If you start with that set-up and wire it to a temporary 4 [20A] outlet box with a circuit breaker inside the boat, you have your temporary set-up that the marina will accept, and your boating neighbors won't be pervious about...

Build your built-in AC wiring and panel [minimum: 30amp main; 2- 15 or 20a breakers each to a GFCI outlet] as you have time and can afford, and hook it up when ready.

No matter what you do, be sure to connect the Green ground wire from shore power to your DC ground.

I hope this helps get you started on the right foot... Temporary usually costs more than doing it right once all is said and done...

Best wishes with your project.

Cheers!

Bill
 
#41 · (Edited)
Assuming the quote you got was from a qualified marine electrician, I'd say it was a very good price. Sounds like a few hundred dollars for parts and one to one-and-a-half day's labor on the boat. Really good deal.

Only upgrades I'd suggest are:

(1) go with a s/s shore inlet rather than the plastic one; and
(2) as suggested above, AWG12 in lieu of AWG14 tinned marine triplex wire for the outlets would be great.

The extra cost of these upgrades would be minimal.

Re: the 30A Smart Plug option, I'm only luke warm on these. I agree that the common 30A 120VDC plug is a terrible design and won't handle 30A continuous. However, if you are prudent and keep continuous loads well below 25A and keep the contacts clean and the screws tight, these will give you many years of continuous service without problems.
T
The Smart Plug has much to recommend it, but it's not a 100% solution because it's only at one end -- the boat end -- of the shorepower cord. At the dock end of that cord is likely to be the regular old 30A plug going into either a splitter or to a 30A receptacle on the dock, just as it's been for decades. Marinas, even new ones, are very slow to adopt the new "better" SmartPlug technology on their docks. Until they do, I'd say the SmartPlug is an expensive 50% solution to what is an avoidable problem, provided the user is reasonably prudent.

Good luck.

Bill
 
#43 ·
Re: the 30A Smart Plug option, I'm only luke warm on these.
I agree. One of my projects this summer is to lop off the boat side connector completely and fit ring terminals. I'm fortunate to have a convenient locker to store the attached cable.

dave
 
#42 ·
All the wire in the boat should be tinned. I have actually not seen boat cable that wasn't tinned in recent years.

As far as shore power cables every Marinco or Hubbell I have cut into for end replacement is not tinned.

The twist lock Marinco inlet and cord end are not a problem as Bill says if treated properly. Use dielectric grease on the ends of the shore power cable and do not use 30 amps continually.
 
#45 ·
That looks like a good price for the system described. Don't forget a charger for your 12v system.

Are you sure the system isn't serious overkill?

This is a 27ft boat, not a 1000sqft apartment. Do you really need 6 outlets? Are you going to plug a dozen AC devices in at once?

It seems to me that a focus on DC, which you can use away from the dock, would serve you better.

You know your own needs best, but I'd be surprised if three outlets wasn't sufficient.

Power your LEDs, phones, and other DC loads with direct DC power and you'll be set. You'll also generate less heat from AC/DC conversion.
 
#46 · (Edited)
I may have actually misunderstood, I only need 6 plugs, not 6 outlets, thanks for catching that, I'll correct the folks doing the work. I probably could do with even less but I'll be living aboard full time and would like the convenience of having a plug or two in the vee berth as well as a couple near the galley.

Good idea to run things like the lights and phones off the battery. I'll aim to do that. With this sort of setup would you run some sort of smart trickle onto the battery 24/7 from the AC setup?
 
#47 · (Edited)
Hi Clif,

This is a follow-up to my earlier post.

I had mentioned going to Smart Plugs after having my 50 amp interface short out [in my absence of course...] with less than 18 amp constant current... [I always lube and screw everything tightly together... Murphy... see my blog post for more details and links to other resources...]

I know a Smart Plug is only on the boat side, but that is the only side I care about and can control...

Another option I considered was to hard wire the dock cord to the boat; eliminating the Smart Plug. [or any plug...] You can only do this if the AC panel is set up to lock out the dock feed whenever an internal AC source is chosen. [e.g., generator or inverter] Otherwise you risk an internal AC source charging the male prongs on the plug... This is how it is done on many RVs as well. My logic was since I have to stow the dock cord anyway, why not stow it in the lazarette where the AC power in-feed is...? [e.g., put a small deck plate in the side of the lazarette to feed the cord through when in use...]

Why didn't I do this? My boat has two 50A inlets on opposite sides of the boat to keep the cord out of the way of the cockpit depending upon the situation. [i.e., use one side or the other, and only one side is hot at a time because of lock-outs on the AC control panel...] Therefore it made more sense to keep two [Smart Plug] inlets and one of each cord set. [30A and 50A]

My point is you can save some $ by direct connecting the dock cord and eliminating the power inlet. However, if you do this, the AC control panel needs to unequivocally prevent any internal AC sources [current or future...] from back-feeding to the dock cord.

For added safety [and to protect the male end of the shore power cord when not in use] you could plug it into the female fitting [with no wires showing- like a safety cap...] you removed from the other end of the cord to hard wire it to the boat...

In case this is helpful.

Cheers!

Bill
 
#49 ·
Another option I considered was to hard wire the dock cord to the boat; eliminating the Smart Plug. [or any plug...] You can only do this if the AC panel is set up to lock out the dock feed whenever an internal AC source is chosen. [e.g., generator or inverter] Otherwise you risk an internal AC source charging the male prongs on the plug...
In a properly wired boat with a double pole main breaker and proper generator or inverter wiring this cannot happen.
 
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