How do I wire a blue 3 pin 32A socket to a red 5 pin 32A plug?

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The 32A shorepower supplies in my marina have red 5 pin sockets. The shorepower cable from my boat has a blue 3 pin 32A plug on the end of it. I did have an adaptor which came with the boat but it's lost itself over the winter so I want to make up another one. How do I wire up a 3 core cable to a 5 pin plug?
 
Red plug will be 3 phases, neutral and earth, just wire to corresponding pins in your 32A blue but only connect one live phase wire, easy:)
 
Chris_d said:
Red plug will be 3 phases
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It's unlikely that they actually supply 3-phase power to each berth, but a relatively common dodge is to use 3-phase sockets so that visitors can't plug in their standard single-phase cables without asking the office for an adaptor. The adaptor will either contain a meter or only be handed over on payment of the optional electricity fee.

This being the case, I'd have thought that one of the phase conductors will be connected (hopefully they didn't wire it up completely randomly, with phase on the earth or something) but which one will depend on the marina. Might have to carefully investigate with a multimeter, or borrow someone else's working adaptor and buzz it through to find out how it's connected.

Pete
 
It's unlikely that they actually supply 3-phase power to each berth, but a relatively common dodge is to use 3-phase sockets so that visitors can't plug in their standard single-phase cables without asking the office for an adaptor. The adaptor will either contain a meter or only be handed over on payment of the optional electricity fee.
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You got it. In the case of my marina, they send their electrician along to make up an adaptor and charge me €100

This being the case, I'd have thought that one of the phase conductors will be connected (hopefully they didn't wire it up completely randomly, with phase on the earth or something) but which one will depend on the marina. Might have to carefully investigate with a multimeter, or borrow someone else's working adaptor and buzz it through to find out how it's connected.
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Can I not just wire the live core to each of the live terminals in turn and see which one works?
 
LOL, I can see a "LBOK Mk2" thread at the horizon...
popcorn.gif
 
Mike this is very simple,

in the red plug,
the yellow green wire goes to the earthing pin (you know the symbol)
the bleu wire goes to the neutral pin marked N
the brown or black wire goes to ONLY ONE phase pin,
marked L1, L2, L3, or R, or S, or T....

then when you are finished,
put just the adapter cable in the shore connection,
and measure the tension on the bleu socket,

approx 230V between Phase and Neutral,
approx 230V between phase and earth
0V between Neutral and earth

call me if you don't understand, or if the measurement seems weird
be carefull not to touch any contacts during measurement
 
Deleted User said:
Can I not just wire the live core to each of the live terminals in turn and see which one works?
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As long as you trust them not to have used what's normally earth or neutral for the live in their sooper-sekrit adaptors.

I would probably test or measure with something else (perhaps a 13a socket with one of those plug-in testers?) before plugging in the boat.

Pete
 
Connecting SINGLE PHASE to a three phase plug

The above advice is all good, but whatever you do do, DO NOT CONNECT YOUR LIVE AND NEUTRAL TO TWO PHASES OR ELSE YOU WILL GET 415 VOLTS OUT OF THE END, AND THIS WILL BLOW UP ANYTHING NORMALLY CONNECTED TO THE 240V SUPPLY
 
superheat6k said:
DO NOT CONNECT YOUR LIVE AND NEUTRAL TO TWO PHASES OR ELSE YOU WILL GET 415 VOLTS OUT OF THE END, AND THIS WILL BLOW UP ANYTHING NORMALLY CONNECTED TO THE 240V SUPPLY [/COLOR]
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True, but since there aren't two phases available in the socket, not a problem in this case.

Pete
 
Yawn, what boring suggestions...
I'll tell you how to find out the easy way, along the KISS principle. :rolleyes:

1) detach the cable from your blue plug;
2) leave aside the earth wire, that's easy because you already know that it goes on the bigger pin;
3) take the blue and brown wires, with their exposed end, and try to stick them in any of the other 4 holes of the 5 pins socket;
4) when you'll have electricity onboard, you'll have found the right connections.

Just don't forget to wear some wooden sandals.

PS: oh, of course one alternative is to stay onboard to control the result, particularly if it rains, and send SWMBO to make these attempts. :D
Possibly forgetting the last suggestion above... :eek:
 
Seriously it sounds like you don't know the first thing about what you are trying to do.
"SO DON'T DO IT" !!!

Get some one to sort it who doses.

From someone who has played with elecy from 12v to 11KV.
 
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