Power Outlet Sizzle - Help Please

[Maine Sail]

[guitarguy56]

Originally Posted by Maine Sail

Thanks for the photo... that's the correct way to wire it up!

now I split my 30 amp coming in to 2-20 amp supplies lines... one goes to a heavy duty surge protector with trip for my heater... it's dedicated to that only... when warm weather comes around the heater will be put away and the surge protector will be put for another use... the other 20 amp line is for general use like the battery charger, lights, etc... this too is on a 20 amp surge protector w/trip... all wired separately from battery power... the 2000 watt inverter for the induction oven is wired to the house battery but can unplug to to use shore power from the 20 amp protector or directly from the Honda genny w/the inverter... it all works and I've felt around for hot spots on the wires... nothing to report to date!

[eherlihy]

Regarding the size of a GFCI;

GFCI outlets are made to be daisy chained with non-GFCI outlets. When this is done the GFCI will protect all of the outlets that are further down the chain.

Applying this to the OP situation; if there are multiple outlets on the 15A breaker on the electrical panel (there is a breaker - yes?) you could install a GFCI at the first outlet, and all of the downstream outlets would be GFCI protected.

[eherlihy]

I just have to add that you dodged a bullet here. The pictures in the OP scare me

Also, a GFCI outlet WILL NOT PROTECT YOU from an over current situation. The circuit breaker, and not the GFCI, protects the circuit.

[BubbleheadMd]

eherliy is correct. A lot of folks think "GFCI" means protection from any kind of fault, and that isn't true. It protects from ground faults, like when you splash water on the outlet, shorting from ground to one of the other prongs.

When I wired my boat, I just didn't want to have to mentally calculate if I was drawing too much current on a string of outlets. I wanted the full 15 amp capability (Ok, 80% of that) on each outlet, so I installed a single outlet on each 15 amp breaker. Each outlet is GFCI, because it's all alone on it's own breaker.

I used Blue Sea Systems 8027 panel, which is "mains" plus 6 branch circuits.

I'm running 3 outlets, and an onboard battery charger, so I still have two empty slots available for expansion later.

Of course, I still need to mentally calculate my loads when I'm at the dock. Since I only have 30 amp service, if I'm running a heater, I need to think about what I'm running before I fire off the microwave oven or the battery charger, or using a laptop.

[pdqaltair]

Originally Posted by BubbleheadMd

eherliy is correct. A lot of folks think "GFCI" means protection from any kind of fault, and that isn't true. It protects from ground faults, like when you splash water on the outlet, shorting from ground to one of the other prongs.

I wondered when someone would point that out. This was not a GFI failure. Not sayin' GFI isn't smart on a boat.

The scary part of this is that the OP didn't know the cause at a glance; plugging far too much load into one plug, the excuse being that it was most convenient. Fire marshals and vendors have been diligently and repeatedly informing homeowners about overloading plugs and incorrect use of extension cords since before I was born--and that is a long time--and many people still believe they can go through life without learning how things work, without consequence. Electricians and codes labor to make equipment idiot proof, but that is difficult. The breaker could have fused closed--it happens. Scary.

[mad_machine]

also.. just because a cord is warm to the touch does not mean you are overloading it. It is just the nature of the power flowing through it

[Wandersome]

Ok and keep cords away from birds.... They (the birds) will eat the currents.... Warm is subjective. Do not coil a cord with power flowing. A coil and a wire can make a transformer. Coiled extension cords if they cross, can cause an over heating due to magnetic flux. Usually not a problem but when near loaded, it can cause a melt down. Earlier someone said something about PVC cover on conductor.... Low melting point. Stay away from PVC. A conductor can pass more current than its rated for but it heats due to resistance in the conductor. Overheating can melt the insulation. Just a few notes.... But really.... It's the birds you have to watch out for.... They love currents.... They are always up on the power lines..... Why? For the currents....

[Boasun]

Had electrical problems... Ended up having to replace both of my shore power cables...The old ones were about 30 years old... Had replaced the plug on one of them but still had problems...
The good news: The new shore power cables worked like a charm and my power bill drop dramically.


Minor detail: Have you priced the cost of new cables? The power bill was over a hundred per month but this last billing was only $40.

[Wandersome]

Yep, I'm actually dealing with that here. Ok not connectors on a boat, but power line. A poor connector consumes power. An undersized conductor also consumes power. Both, create heat. If you replaced the cord, take a good look at the female connector on your boat as well. Corrosion and oxidization are resistive. A resistor is the best/perfect consumer of electricity. Good luck. .... Ok another post towards getting new permissions like pm'ing...