Installing shore power. Tips or guide sought.

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fredrussell

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My boat is in a marina for the winter months, such luxury!

I'd like to install shore power - if anyone knows of a good online guide to such a project, or could give me a few pointers, I'd appreciate it. Its a small boat (26ft) so one double socket in cabin should be all I need.

cheers
 
It might depend on what your marina want? I think a lot require a metered lead. So something like this: https://www.force4.co.uk/32amp-15m-lead-master-m.html
with probably something like this https://www.force4.co.uk/force-4-trailing-socket-double.html to give you standard 13A sockets.
I also know at least one marina that is a bit fussy about which brand of metered leads they will accept, so I would check with them first.

That is assuming you don't have a burning desire for it all to be permanently attached to the boat?
 
fredrussell said:
My boat is in a marina for the winter months, such luxury!

I'd like to install shore power - if anyone knows of a good online guide to such a project, or could give me a few pointers, I'd appreciate it. Its a small boat (26ft) so one double socket in cabin should be all I need.

cheers
Click to expand...

A fixed shorepower installation should be in accordance with ISO 13297 : 2014. The standard for alternating current installations in small craft. A Job for a pro, or at least someone who knows his electrics

However maybe all you need is a campsite mains supply unit such as this one from Towsure at a very good price at the moment
1017detail.jpg

https://www.towsure.com/camping-site-mains-supply-unit-3-outlet

It contains the essential mcb and rcd. Single socket versions are also available

The sideways mounted sockets on this one are a good idea https://www.amazon.co.uk/Eurohike-M...d=1510951018&sr=8-2&keywords=campsite+hook+up
 
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fredrussell said:
My boat is in a marina for the winter months, such luxury!

I'd like to install shore power - if anyone knows of a good online guide to such a project, or could give me a few pointers, I'd appreciate it. Its a small boat (26ft) so one double socket in cabin should be all I need.
Click to expand...

Like you, I have a 26' boat and am trying a winter in a marina.

The boat has a very, very basic mains system which was installed before I bought her. It's a standard caravan hookup 16A whatever-the-opposite-of-a-socket-is in the cockpit, connected directly to a double socket with inbuilt RCD in the cabin, and nothing else. Seems fine to me.

However I don't use it, because storing the hook up lead is a pain and anyway I can't find it. Instead I am using a system which I used on my last boat for four years in Kirkcudbright marina. It's a standard extension lead on a reel (turn the handle and wind it in) on which I replaced the 13A plug with a 16A one. It's not as good as VicS's Towsure suggestion, as it relies on the marina's protection, but it's easy to use, works fine and stows neatly and easily. All I run from it is a 750W oil-filled radiator for cold nights on board, a laptop and tools when working on board.
 
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JumbleDuck said:
Like you, I have a 26' boat and am trying a winter in a marina.

The boat has a very, very basic mains system which was installed before I bought her. It's a standard caravan hookup 16A whatever-the-opposite-of-a-socket-is in the cockpit, connected directly to a double socket with inbuilt RCD in the cabin, and nothing else. Seems fine to me.

However I don't use it, because storing the hook up lead is a pain and anyway I can't find it. Instead I am using a system which I used on my last boat for four years in Kirkcudbright marina. It's a standard extension lead on a reel (turn the handle and wind it in) on which I replaced the 13A plug with a 16A one. It's not as good as VicS's Towsure suggestion, as it relies on the marina's protection, but it's easy to use, works fine and stows neatly and easily. All I run from it is a 750W oil-filled radiator for cold nights on board, a laptop and tools when working on board.
Click to expand...

Best to unwind completely when in use.
 
NormanS said:
Best to unwind completely when in use.
Click to expand...

Yes, should have said. It doesn't matter for the wee heater, because (a) 3A ain't much and (b) most of the cable is unwound to reach the boat anyway, but if I ever need more power then it has to be unwound completely. I have a 50m extension at home which is surprisingly useless, because any significant current drain heats it up a lot unless you unwind the whole bleedin' lot.
 
brman said:
It might depend on what your marina want? I think a lot require a metered lead. So something like this: https://www.force4.co.uk/32amp-15m-lead-master-m.html
with probably something like this https://www.force4.co.uk/force-4-trailing-socket-double.html to give you standard 13A sockets.
I also know at least one marina that is a bit fussy about which brand of metered leads they will accept, so I would check with them first.

That is assuming you don't have a burning desire for it all to be permanently attached to the boat?
Click to expand...

Its a lot cheaper to buy the lead direct from Rolec

see
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/16amp-3pi...d=142172956542&_trksid=p2385738.c100677.m4598

I bought one a year ago and found I was dealing direct with Rolec.
 
YOu can buy a kit with a fully insulated mini-consumer unit with twin miniature circuit breakers, 25A, 30mA RCD earth leakage protection (to guard against electric shock), 2x single gang switched white sockets, cables and a surface-mounted inlet plug here:

https://www.12voltplanet.co.uk/240v...lation-kit-for-caravans-motorhomes-boats.html

or here:

https://chandleryshop.co.uk/MAINS-INSTALLATION-KIT-STANDARD

Both cheap as chips compared to the one suggested higher up the thread. I haven't done it yet, but it is one of the jobs on the 'to-do' list for the new boat this Winter and I am planning to use one of these kits.

- W
 
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parsifal said:
Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't marina supplies 16 Amp? If so, shouldn't the RCD also be rated at 16 Amp; or less?
Click to expand...

For the purposes of this thread, yes to all of that. Fitting RCDs or MCBs greater than 16 amp means that you are relying on the shore power supply for protection. Assuming it works as it should, you could trip the power on the pontoon, in some cases cutting power to other boats, but certainly requiring a trip outdoors to reset the trip.

It isn't just about protection, if you exceed the load rating of the shore power breakers by turning the kettle on when you have a large heater on, something will trip, better that the something is onboard rather than at the pontoon.
 
parsifal said:
Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't marina supplies 16 Amp? If so, shouldn't the RCD also be rated at 16 Amp; or less?
Click to expand...

The current rating of the RCD is the maximum current that it is rated to carry. It is not an overcurrent tripping device. Its important characteristics, which protect you from electrocution, are its tripping current ( 30mA) and the tripping time.

The MCBs protect the boat circuits from overcurrent ( 6 amp, 10 amps, 16 amps or whatever)

The circuit breaker on the pontoon protects the shorepower lead from overcurrent. The lead must be rated higher than the pontoon circuit breaker . There should also be an RCD on the pontoon supply. It protects people handling the lead from electrocution
 
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