On Fri, Mar 04, 2011 at 10:08:45AM -0600, [email protected] wrote:
>
>
> Vern,
>
> No, that's not it.
>
> The boat end of the shore power cable has ring terminals crimped and
> soldered on. These terminals are bolted to matching terminals (on the
> cable that goes to the distribution breaker panel) in a protected and dry
> place well inside the boat. The shore power cord, about 50 feet of
> three-conductor #6 SO cord, then exits the boat via a 2" deck plate on the
> side of the cabin.
>
> The shore end of my shore power cable has a range type male plug on it.
I think that this is the best, most reliable approach to bringing shore
power aboard (not that I think about it all that much - I'm more or less
allergic to marinas. They cause heavy bleeding from the wallet.)
However, having done something similar with the cabling to my generator
system, I've noticed an issue with it, one worth being aware of: I don't
have an isolation transformer, and when I'm tied into generator or shore
power, I use the incoming AC to run my charger, etc., as well as
powering my AC system directly. This, however, means that the male plug
that goes to shore is _live_ when my AC system is being driven by the
on-board inverter.
Now, yes, I *should* be aware enough to cut off the inverter before
hooking into external power or even handling the plug (which is normally
kept in a recessed tube designed for the purpose) - and I usually am
- but for things like this, I strongly prefer some kind of an automatic
system that prevents getting shocked (or frying the inverter.)
Unfortunately, I haven't come up with one - other than making the shore
plug a female one and using a double-ended male pigtail (which has its
own dangers - but they are a) obvious and b) you're only handling it
once per connection, and that for only a few seconds.)
Norm, what do you do normally do about this? Or do you just have an
isolation transformer?
Ben
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