[C38] shore power

[Chuck Finn]

Patrick,
That would be wishful thinking!  You still only work off the one 15 amp 
breaker.   This makes your problem look even more like arcing as you 
clearly are not overloading the 30 amp circuit if you are not using the 
water heater!  Remember the power cable is rated for at least 30 amps 
and you clearly are not coming close to that number.

All the best,
Chuck Finn
Mighty Quinn #114
Great Lakes

On 6/6/2011 4:46 PM, Patrick Harpole wrote:
> 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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