generator adapter

[gsyversen]

Hey all, I just got a portale camping generator to keep on the boat to charge battery and so on but I need a adapter from the standard 110 outlet on the charger to the 30A shorepower cord. I googled it and was terrified with the proces for just a foot long adapter but found this one:

http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|328|49758|299260|319692&id=140049

is this the right one ? I want to make sure it will fit... anyone with ideas on how to make one and have specific production information please share

thanks!
Gaute

[capttb]

Yeah, that's about it Gaute, you could probably make one up but with the cost of the waterproof parts & risk it might not save much.

[SVDistantStar]

I made one from an old shorepower cord that i found in the dumpster and a plg to fit the socket on my Onan. The whole thing is wrapped in about 10 layers of eletrical tape. Been working fine for the last 2 years now.

[Vasco]

I use a short extension cord and a 30/15 amp cheater.

[gsyversen]

Great, for some reason I saved the old powercord which had a split in it and used the end.... I'm taking it up with electrical tape next time I'm at anchor and nothing else to do, many thanks !

[Hartley18]

May I suggest using something a bit more robust (and watertight) than electrical tape - even lots of it??

Heatshrink tubing would be best - but at least use "Rubbaweld" as a minimum..

[sailingdog]

I would second Hartley's eminently sensible suggestion, since the output of the generator may not be GFCI protected....and water and electricity, especially salt water, is a BAD COMBINATION that can kill you. In fact, I'd upgrade his idea and say you should be using adhesive-lined heat-shrink tubing for any connections of this kind.

[SEMIJim]

While heat-shrink or self-vulcanizing rubber tape overlaid with vinyl electrical tape is best, a splice properly taped with good vinyl electrical tape (3M) can be surprisingly water-tight for a surprisingly long time.

I've had outside electrical cords that I had chained together, having taped the connections, that had been used intermittently for years, sometimes sitting out for days on end in the snow or rain, that I subsequently took apart that looked like the day they came from the store. I've had roof-top antennas that had been up there for years, exposed to all manner of weather conditions, where the connectors were found to be in like-new condition upon inspection. When I say "like new," I mean not a spot of oxidation. Oh, and those antenna connectors were usually silver plated .

What vinyl electrical tape is not suitable for is when the repaired area is likely to be flexed or exposed to other mechanical stress. I wouldn't trust it under water, either.

Jim

[gc1111]

My father was a lineman for the power company. For any joint that was exposed to the weather, he taped it with Rubbaweld (sp?) , then covered that with friction tape. If done professionally (i.e. carefully) these last a long, long time in any weather conditions.

Vinyl tape is really an electronics tape, the adhesive deteriorates rapidly in almost any adverse conditions. It only has two advantages, it is stretchy and forms tightly around whatever is being taped, and one layer is good for 600 volts.

[gsyversen]

found a good article on rubbaweld... its almost as expensive as a new one but I want to try it out this weekend and there are none locally. I like the heat shrinking and I might do both and see how that works... I wonder, either way, if the 15 amp side will be prone to leaks but then again so would everything on the outlet on the generator. thanks all !