[C38] Shore Power Connection

[Steve Smolinske]

Even with seperate circuits inside the boat for heaters or other items, the important thing to remember is that they only safeguard against and overload.  In my house I have nifty breakers that sense current leakage and trip at the point should enough current stray to become a danger.  Similiar to GFI circuits.  On our boats we have the old style breakers that only sense load.  So if an outlet is overloaded then the breaker trips.  It is possible to have a heater cord overheat, melt and burn while still being under the load threshold of the breaker.  As has been mentioned the shore power connection is the number one problem in fires, even with seperate breakers below all of the current first passes through the shore power connection, corroded terminals, bad wires or just to much current being used down below will result in more flow with greater resistance, thus producing heat and fire potential.   The chandlery up here has a big box of burnt up shore power connections in the electrical department as a constant reminder.   
 
Space heaters are especially bad as they draw alot of current.
 
Steve
Peregrine #312
Seattle
 
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