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Sea Wolf
Joined: 01 Nov 2003
Posts: 8650
City/Region: Redding
State or Province: CA
C-Dory Year: 1987
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Sea Wolf
Photos: Sea Wolf
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 Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2014 12:09 pm Post subject: |
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| olsurfdog wrote: | | Why are we discussing electrical safety/probs In a thread titled "Shelves/Drawers advice"??? Shore plugs safety is important subject but deserves its own thread. I'm as guilty as anyone high jacking ( I doing that here!) and have been rebuffed (rightly) for doing so! In fact I'm going to pursue this in a new thread right now! |
IMHO, someone with the time (not me right now) should pull this electrical plug discussion information out of this thread
and combine it with the others that have discussed the same issue, blending them into one unified discussion
that can be continued and subsequently referenced, without starting a new thread over and over, which is so often done!
(Return to Square One, Do Not Pass Go, Do Not Collect $200, etc.)
Hidden down in this Shelves/Drawers thread, these great posts will be lost forever to future C-Brat researchers.
Joe.  
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Sea Wolf, C-Brat #31
Lake Shasta, California
  
"Most of my money I spent on boats and women. The rest I squandered'. " -Annonymous |
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olsurfdog
Joined: 13 Nov 2009
Posts: 179
City/Region: Carmel Valley
State or Province: CA
C-Dory Year: 1989
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Summer
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| Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2014 12:52 pm Post subject: |
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Thank you, Joe!
I like when someone much more eriodite than me can properly and politely get my point out! Well said.
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Michael
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rogerbum
Joined: 21 Nov 2004
Posts: 5922
City/Region: Kenmore
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 2008
C-Dory Model: 255 Tomcat
Vessel Name: Meant to be
Photos: SeaDNA
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| Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2014 1:14 pm Post subject: |
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| colbysmith wrote: | | Help me out here. I looked at the link to the smart plug, and it simply looks like a standard plug, but with all 3 prongs, flat blades. Seems to me that if one uses the old marine system properly, that is plugged in, twisted and then the locking ring tightened, it is a very good and secure system. And with larger blades, more metal contact. ??? Colby |
Yes more metal contact, a more robust connector AND a thermal overload protector for when (not if) the connector goes bad after multiple years of use. Given the fact that I pulled a burned Marinco connector out of the Tomcat, I feel a lot better about the more sturdy Smartplug. Now I suppose if I had replaced the Marinco every few years on a service schedule, I would not have had a problem but I'm willing to bet that the Smartplug will last longer. In fact I did bet on that by dumping extra money into it (relative to the Marinco).
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Will-C
Joined: 21 Aug 2007
Posts: 2476
City/Region: Temple
State or Province: PA
C-Dory Year: 2008
C-Dory Model: 23 Venture
Vessel Name: Will-C
Photos: Will-C
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| Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2014 8:27 pm Post subject: Shelves/Drawers advice |
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The Smart plug system has a thermal overload so if something gets hot the circuit opens preventing a possible fire. Shore power female receptacles on boats are one of the largest causes of fires. Loose wires, excessive arcing from making connects while under power is said to be part of the problem. General unattended corrosion does not help. I guess the more contact area and a little better weather sealing is also a benefit. We use our shore power a lot as our boat is in the drive way with a heater plugged into an outlet and the battery charger stays on all winter or when ever we are not on the water. If we are anchored out and using our generator we have that connected to the shore power via a marine rated power cord. If something like a Smart plug system might prevent an electrical fire I'll be all over that like white on rice. 
D.D.
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Chevrolet The Heart Beat Of America |
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colbysmith
Joined: 02 Oct 2011
Posts: 4551
City/Region: Madison
State or Province: WI
C-Dory Year: 2009
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: C-Traveler
Photos: C-Traveler and Midnight-Flyer
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| Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2014 11:56 am Post subject: |
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| Speaking of plugged in all winter.. I've wondered about that. My boat is now under her cover on the side of my house for the winter. (This will be until the lakes ice out around April or so.) As I did last year, I'm leaving the batteries in again. Plan to just plug her in every month to put a charge on the batteries. However I've wondered if the batteries would be hurt to leave the charger plugged in all winter. Colby |
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Captains Cat
Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 7313
City/Region: Cod Creek>Potomac River>Chesapeake Bay
State or Province: VA
C-Dory Year: 2005
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Captain's Choice II
Photos: Captain's Cat
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| Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2014 5:48 pm Post subject: |
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Colby, what kind of batteries and what charger? Lots of variables. How cold does it get and for how long?
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Captain's Choice (1994 CD 22 Cruiser- Sold Jun 2007)
Potomac River/Chesapeake Bay
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gulfcoast john
Joined: 14 Dec 2012
Posts: 989
City/Region: PENSACOLA
State or Province: FL
C-Dory Year: 2010
C-Dory Model: 255 Tomcat
Vessel Name: Cat O' Mine
Photos: CAT O' MINE
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| Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2014 6:39 pm Post subject: smartplug and marinco shorepower |
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Colby,
You should come South for a visit.
Here's Crooked Island, Fl Oct 25 Gulf side, water only 80 degrees but tolerable, air only 80 degrees but tolerable for late Oct.
Here's a side by side of Smartplug and Marinco shorepower connectors. Roger's got all the issues 100% correct. The Marinco is closer in this pic and looks heavier but really the Smartplug is heftier.
this is my first photo posting so I hope it turns out.
Cheers!
John
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2010 Tom Cat 255, Cat O' Mine
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Captains Cat
Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 7313
City/Region: Cod Creek>Potomac River>Chesapeake Bay
State or Province: VA
C-Dory Year: 2005
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Captain's Choice II
Photos: Captain's Cat
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| Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2014 6:42 pm Post subject: |
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Looks good John but you picked the thumbnail for the second one.
Charlie |
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Sea Wolf
Joined: 01 Nov 2003
Posts: 8650
City/Region: Redding
State or Province: CA
C-Dory Year: 1987
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Sea Wolf
Photos: Sea Wolf
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| Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2014 7:02 pm Post subject: |
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| Captains Cat wrote: | Looks good John but you picked the thumbnail for the second one.
Charlie |
OK, how about this?
Or try looking and examining some of these. (Click on images to see the story behind the photo.) |
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colbysmith
Joined: 02 Oct 2011
Posts: 4551
City/Region: Madison
State or Province: WI
C-Dory Year: 2009
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: C-Traveler
Photos: C-Traveler and Midnight-Flyer
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| Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2014 9:07 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the larger photos!  I don't use shore power that often, and do check my connections. But it is always nice to know about newer products or what else is available! I'd love to come down to Florida. But not completely retired and current life obligations keep us here in the Madison Wisconsin area for now. Temps are pretty much below freezing from now until April. Last year was miserable with several months what seemed like sub zero! The charger is the factory installed (I believe) on a CD-22. I'm pretty sure it is the Guest 2621. (Marine charger). Colby P.s. the batteries are standard marine batteries. (lead acid?) |
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thataway
Joined: 02 Nov 2003
Posts: 20813
City/Region: Pensacola
State or Province: FL
C-Dory Year: 2007
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: thataway
Photos: Thataway
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| Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2014 2:39 pm Post subject: |
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The larger area in the smart plug has to do with the female contact, not the male contact, which we see in most photos. I don't have the capapabilty to put photos from where I am currently posting.
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Thataway
Thataway (Ex Seaweed) 2007 25 C Dory May 2018 to Oct. 2021
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Home port: Pensacola FL |
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Sea Wolf
Joined: 01 Nov 2003
Posts: 8650
City/Region: Redding
State or Province: CA
C-Dory Year: 1987
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Sea Wolf
Photos: Sea Wolf
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colbysmith
Joined: 02 Oct 2011
Posts: 4551
City/Region: Madison
State or Province: WI
C-Dory Year: 2009
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: C-Traveler
Photos: C-Traveler and Midnight-Flyer
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| Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2014 10:27 am Post subject: |
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The photos have been very helpful. At first I didn't really see any difference in the two plugs. However, now I see that it is the Female side that allows much more contact between plugs. The problem I see right now, besides cost, is the availability of adapters. IE, for those that need to plug their boat in at home or other facility that uses standard plugs, as opposed to marine plugs. Personally, I think the Marinco plug works fine, as long as one maintains it. How many years and boats have used it without problem? I do like what I see on this new Smart Plug. But until costs come down and adapters become available, I don't see it as becoming mainstream for a while. Colby P.s. Actually I think the better photos I saw were on the new thread Joe started. Sorry Joe for continuing to post in this thread, but for continuity, that's what I did.  BTW, anyone putting Smart Plug or Marinco Plug in the search box, should see this as one of the threads that pop up, so it's not a complete loss to those looking for info on this particular subject...  |
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rogerbum
Joined: 21 Nov 2004
Posts: 5922
City/Region: Kenmore
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 2008
C-Dory Model: 255 Tomcat
Vessel Name: Meant to be
Photos: SeaDNA
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| Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2014 11:44 am Post subject: |
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| colbysmith wrote: | | The photos have been very helpful. At first I didn't really see any difference in the two plugs. However, now I see that it is the Female side that allows much more contact between plugs. The problem I see right now, besides cost, is the availability of adapters. IE, for those that need to plug their boat in at home or other facility that uses standard plugs, as opposed to marine plugs. Personally, I think the Marinco plug works fine, as long as one maintains it. How many years and boats have used it without problem? I do like what I see on this new Smart Plug. But until costs come down and adapters become available, I don't see it as becoming mainstream for a while. Colby P.s. Actually I think the better photos I saw were on the new thread Joe started. Sorry Joe for continuing to post in this thread, but for continuity, that's what I did. BTW, anyone putting Smart Plug or Marinco Plug in the search box, should see this as one of the threads that pop up, so it's not a complete loss to those looking for info on this particular subject... |
Colby, the other end of the cord - e.g. the one that plugs into the pedestal (or into your home or land based power) is the same as the Marinco cable. So all the adapters that you need (30A to 50A, 30A to 15A, etc) are still available. It's only at the boat end that things are different. The only downside I can see is that your boat power cable cannot be lent to someone else to power their boat unless they also have a Smartplug on their boat. To me, I see this as an advantage as it means my cord is less useful to those who might want to "borrow it" without asking while my boat is unattended. |
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colbysmith
Joined: 02 Oct 2011
Posts: 4551
City/Region: Madison
State or Province: WI
C-Dory Year: 2009
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: C-Traveler
Photos: C-Traveler and Midnight-Flyer
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| Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2014 2:10 pm Post subject: |
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| The adapters I'm talking about would be at the boat end. Otherwise one has to drag out the 25' or 50' of marine cord they have. |
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