another Marinco shore power failure.

cmetzenberg

I came home from work to find my boat without shore power. After a minimal amount of testing i found the culprit; the Marinco adapter. Apparently at some point the power draw got to high and it melted (see photos herehttps://photos.app.goo.gl/GyW1Yxxqiud7UkGQ8). I'm going to have to figure out a different solution. I know everyone says ditch Marinco and get a smart plugs but i've never had any issues except for this adapter. I think the solution is to put in a proper 30amp receptacle outside rather than hooking my shower power cable up to an extension cord in the garage via a converter. This is what about i'm thinking about putting outside https://www.google.com/shopping/product/6585157734780728951?biw=1280&bih=721&q=marine+dock+power+outlet&oq=marine+dock+power+outlet&prds=paur:ClkAsKraX2qo1Q1x4HDTEnmvTzqvz25WvORJkzeyZhPsYJq-L3yZa1F2V-G1fC9SmQ87zugvYcRMDiBogSxWB1IFp9ohL7B7T0vfOgY8-9e-afwLkbqpMNzG-xIZAFPVH73znvr2klMsgXPUObPzJcZOu6i9Uw&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwivz6zMwo_gAhVPM6wKHehzCKgQ8wII6wI

What does everyone think?

DW · Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2019 11:00 pm Post subject:

You need an ABYC certified marine electrician with good references.

Two Bears · Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2019 11:27 pm Post subject:

The Marinco outlet/ plug has, according to my reading, poor contact points. I'm in the process of putting a smart plug in my boat as a replacement to the existing Marinco. Then my power cord will leave the boat to a live source that could be Marinco or something else. I carry lots of adapters. If a fire occurs at the Marinco fitting hopefully my boat will be far enough away to be safe.

I've looked at the Marinco fixtures in lots of marinas and RV parks and in some of them as much as 50 percent of the outlets show evidence of arching. In one marina one in ten was un-useable due to arching. Going to a Smart Plug in your boat fixes the potential problem at your boat. What you are suggesting, I think is to put that new adapter on your boat. That won't solve the poor contacts problem which is the arching from poor contacts. Eventually the arching starts a fire. Get the Marinco fire trap off your boat.

As consumers we are in a bind. Everyone has Marinco plugs so the average marina can not change and install Smart Plugs. Until a safety organization mandates a change or the insurance industry demands a change we'll still be using these 100 years from now.

Chuck

starcrafttom · Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2019 3:39 am Post subject:

Its not that marincos have such bad contact points , its that you have to maintenance then more. if you are not pulling that plug apart every year you are not doing your part. I pull mine apart and clean the contacts, cut any green cable away and then grease up the plug with a dielectric grease. do both ends once a year. and have that circuit on a Fault interrupter . Mine arched this summer and the FIC tripped. The smart plugs are nice , but dam expensive.

thataway · Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2019 12:17 pm Post subject:

What cmetzenberg experienced is not typical of Marinco plug failures. I suspect that his failure was also due to arcing, and perhaps not a good connection on the land side. The typical Marinco failure is at the inlet to the boat. Also this is a 15 amp connector, with no support. I don't know amount of power in this case, but a water heater takes 1500 watts, or close to 15 amps. Add in any small heater even on low, and the circuit is overloaded. 15 amp circuits should be on 15 amp circuit breakers. But many house circuits are on 20 to 30 amp breakers.

The "secret" of any 110/220 connector on a boat is inspection, tear down and then as Tom suggests, re do if there is any evidence of corrosion, over heating or arcing.

The standard 110 V 15 amp plug as illustrated is a poor plug for out door applications. It is not supported, and can be pulled partly loose easily.

The Twist lock, Marinco 3 spade 30 amp plug, properly using the barrel support which screws onto the outside of the boat outlet, and the cord gives it good support. Unfortunately very few people use the plug properly, and as Tom suggests use dielectric grease.

Below is a inlet properly supported.

The plug to the shore side connector--and barrel connector properly done

Never plug in any of the boat cords with out tripping the shorepower/boat breakers. This way, you don't arc the plug when you connect it. The support of both ends of the cord is critical.

I agree with the 30 amp connectors--and I have several of those by my dock (with appropriate wiring and breakers for 2 legs of 30 amps 110 v each. Be sure and support the cable. Just the "spade twist lock" is not enough.

The problem with the Hubble type 1 socket shown in the link is that you have to use the corresponding Hubble type one plug, with plastic lugs to support. These are not found at most marinas. So the Marinco type of attachment, with screw collar is better. If you want to stick with Marinco fittings, instead of Smart Plugs.

bobjarrard · Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2019 3:29 pm Post subject: A better mouse trap

Great topic, I ride horses and we all have electric to our campers and trailers. This item I have found to be faultless. Even pulls apart when you go to move your bumper hitch or fifth wheel trailer and forget you have a big black or yellow cord attached. Still good to use the right grease but anything with spring loaded parts will fail sooner or later. The classic spade and two prong set up we buy today seem to have the ability to hold tension over time. I run Honda 2000I/'s, a Honda 5000 (has 220 also) and lots of 20-50 amp trailer plugs in my RV area at home. The AFI is a great idea but they are touchy and I get false trips at time. Try looking for the electric arc in pitch dark conditions, you will be blown away at the arc from a simple 15 ample single pole light switch on your garage wall.
http://www.ezconnector.com/
And a Mr. Trailer - this guy is a hoot!
https://mrtrailer.com/ezconnector.htm
Also, a trailer hitch with built in tongue weight gauge, much easier to use than a loose load cell on the ground (which are fragile - ask me how I know):
https://mrtrailer.com/weigh-safe-hitch-scale.htm
Bob

thataway · Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2019 3:36 pm Post subject:

bobjarrard
Are you advocating using trailer connectors in lieu of 30 amp 110 V plugs?

bobjarrard · Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2019 4:29 pm Post subject: What I am suggesting

Interesting comment. I had a long reply typed in and hit the erase button by accident. So here is a brief thought or two:
#1 I suggest using the best products and alongside help you can afford when dealing with high voltages, especially in a marine environment.
#2 I am not a fan of Marinco products.
#3 The cord and connector are only part of a much larger system, the whole environment has to be matched and coordinated according to applicable codes and established guidelines.
#4 I do not trust any boat side connection other than a hard wired/lug connected oversized marine grade cord with the best dock side connection and protection possible.
That being said, I would use my current camping trailer's 30 amp 110v connection system over a 15 amp three prong yellow thingy any day of the week.
Love the Thataway posts, you keep us all on our toes!!!
Bob Jarrard

ssobol · Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2019 5:00 pm Post subject: Re: A better mouse trap

Gulfcoastjohn · Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2019 6:36 pm Post subject:

Conrad,
A Smartplug boat inlet and cord is not expensive. Filling up with nonethanol gas is more expensive and won't last the life of the boat.
A fire in your garage is expensive.
A fire in your boat shorepower inlet is expensive, even more so if you burn down the marina.

Re-wiring your house for an outside non-Hubbell plug is very expensive.

Would this help, allowing you to still plug into your gargage, but still have the twist-connect AND cord support that Bob advises (and I concur with).

https://www.ebay.com/itm/RV-12-15A-Male-to-30A-Female-Twist-Lock-Adapter-30A-125V-NEMA-5-15P-to-L5-30R/323634531765?hash=item4b5a1f0db5:g:LQQAAOSwt0FZCpCQ:rk:10:pf:0

Granted, nothing keeps the std plug from pulling out of your garage wall 15A outlet, but the 12 inch wire length allows for some creative restraints on that portion of it. I have the same issues trying to plug my shorepower cord into a Honda 2000i, as well as in my dry storage slip, which has 15A household outlets.

Get a Kill-O-watt for $19 and get an objective measurement of just what you want your TomCat to pull out of the 15A garage circut. But never ever try to pull over 15 amps from a 15 amp circut of any type.

I happen to favor moulded solid adapters that seem more rain proof, and simply trash them at the first sign of compromise of the types Tom mentioned.

Happy shopping!
John

thataway · Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2019 7:30 pm Post subject:

John, I use those short 15 amp to 30 amp adaptors when I have to plug into a domestic socket. I also carry a 30 amp RV male to 30 amp Marine adaptor. But I don't see the adaptor any solution to Conrad's problem. You can more easily support a molded 15 amp plug than the weight of the adaptor, and 30 amp plug. When my boat is on the trailer, or when using the Honda EU 2200, I have a cord, which has a molded 15 amp plug on the male side, and a manually attached 30 amp female adaptor on the end which goes into the male inlet to the boat--but have the threaded ring on the Marinco 30 amp plug--to support that connection.

If Conrad wanted to use the outlet female plug holder he linked to, and made a strain relief for that (which angles down at about 60*, that should be a good solution for the problem he has at the inlet to his cord. There should be no more than a 15 amp breaker on that circuit--using the 15 amp plug,

Unfortunately the Smart plug is not fool proof. There have been the same type of failures reported with them as the Marinco--not properly maintained. So one cannot say that just because one uses a smart plug it will prevent a fire on the boat. Vigilance and preventive maintenance are necessary in any type of plug. The Smart Plug, uses the same connectors as Marinco at the dock pedestal.

Gulfcoastjohn · Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2019 9:17 pm Post subject:

All excellent points!
I certainly did not mean to imply that the Smartplug is fool proof or does not need routine maintance or always prevents mishaps or over heating.

Conrad, hope you find a best solution for you and let us know what you decide. It's a boat, so the solution is never easy or obvious.
Best,
John

cmetzenberg · Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2019 11:45 pm Post subject:

I have a new pig tail adapter that is working for now. That adapter burned out on over amperage. The electrical supply is only as strong as it's weakest link, the adapter in this case. I need to put in a proper 30 amp outlet...somewhere of some kind. What's great is where i plug the boat in a foot away from the breaker. So putting in a proper outlet is really easy.

cmetzenberg · Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2019 11:59 pm Post subject:

https://www.amazon.com/ALEKO-RV30-50D25-Female-Detachable-Marine/dp/B00P8E106Q/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1548737717&sr=8-6&keywords=30+amp+to+30+amp+marine

https://www.amazon.com/ALEKO-RV30-50D25-Female-Detachable-Marine/dp/B00P8E106Q/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1548737717&sr=8-6&keywords=30+amp+to+30+amp+marine

The above two products plus the cord I already have would fix my problem.

thataway

Conrad, Those are for 30 amp RV (which is fine on the shore side in your yard--and what I have on my RV pad)--also cheaper than the marine fitting. But