[C38] shore power

[Patrick Harpole]

Chuck,
I "never" use my water heater.....get hot water only when engine is running. 
Does that mean I have 3000 watts?
I assume I don't.
Patrick
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Chuck Finn" <charles at finn.ws>
To: "Catalina 38 Listserve" <listserve at catalina38.org>
Sent: Monday, June 06, 2011 11:59 AM
Subject: Re: [C38] shore power


> Patrick,
> Our main breaker is 30 amps, but this can be very misleading.  This is a 
> 30 amp breaker, which feeds the two, 117-20 volt, 15 amp breakers.  There 
> are two, 117 volt circuits in our boats.  Usually, your battery charger 
> and everything else is on one and your water heater is on the other.  The 
> water heaters we commonly have are 1500 watt, which pretty much maxes out 
> the one circuit breaker.  So, you get the other 15 amps to work with. 
> Now, you might think that gives you  15 x 120=1800 watts available, but is 
> really about a max of 1500 watts  (80-90% of max is considered relatively 
> safe).   So, now you can add things up:
>
> microwave:   600 - 1000 watts.
> hair dryer: 400 - 1000 watts.
>
> What makes me write this is the wire outlet that melted.  This I believe 
> is the "load" wire and the melting on the plug looks more like an "arcing" 
> issue.  I think  Steve S. and Tom T. are better at this than I am, but 
> there are two ways I know we get arc melting.   First is not shutting off 
> your circuit breakers before unplugging, but I am guessing you do this. 
> Second is the problem caused by cords getting stretched as the boat moves 
> on the dock.  I see this a lot at the marinas I visit.  Folks simply plug 
> their boats in like they would a vacuum cleaner at home, with no attempt 
> to secure the plug.  Yes, there are cords that have a threaded coupler, 
> but I cannot see that yours is one.  Regardless, I have a rule that both 
> ends of my electrical cord have a "wrap" around some secure point on my 
> boat and the dock (I use the large winch).  I believe many marinas want 
> you to take a wrap around the the power pedestal to protect their outlets 
> and this is a rule at my yacht club.  Steve S. has an article all about 
> this by the way!
>
> Boat US reports this is a major issue regarding insurance fires on boats. 
> Perhaps we should be discussing this as well?
>
> Chuck Finn
> Mighty Quinn  #114
> Great Lakes
>
>
> On 6/6/2011 1:51 PM, Patrick Harpole wrote:
>> A few days ago I asked for help determining loss of shore power.  Thanks 
>> for
>> the advice.  Turns out one terminal of the female connector to Marinco 
>> cable
>> melted down.  Local hardware sold connector for about $20.  Works fine.
>> Harbor Freight sells (about $20)device which plugs into wall then plug
>> appliance into other end.  It reads power consumed by appliance.  I 
>> believe
>> I was using too many amps, for example, hairdryer.
>> Patrick
>> "Blue Eyes"
>>
>>
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>
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