Marinco electric hook up

[Kma83]

I’ve bought this Marinco 32amp 230v extension cable. It’s for my camper van, I needed this because the hookup on the van required this type of female connector.
My problem is that the blue male end is bigger than other electric hook up make ends.
I bought an adapter with a uk plug on and it doesn’t fit. So now I’m worried that it won’t fit normal campsite power supply.
Why is it bigger? It states it’s a European plug, but it’s still a 3 prong and doesn’t look European. I’m confused.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Post a photo. Impossible to guess what you have.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

But at a guess, you’ve got a lead with a 32A Marinco at the boat/caravan end and a 32A 1P commando at the pontoon / campsite end. You need a 16 to 32 Commando adaptor, or remove the 32A commando plug and fit a 16A.

 

[Trident]

Also be aware that Marine How To showed repeated fires due to the Marino design - the little nipple on the twist lock fitting being the only contact point rather than the whole "prong" which ca generate a lot of heat. They have lots of nice pics of melted plugs and burned boats. Clearly there are many around that have caused no problems but I would never fit one

 

[Alex_Blackwood]

But at a guess, you’ve got a lead with a 32A Marinco at the boat/caravan end and a 32A 1P commando at the pontoon / campsite end. You need a 16 to 32 Commando adaptor, or remove the 32A commando plug and fit a 16A.

Sorry to be pedantic but think you mean 16 amp at the bollard end

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Sorry to be pedantic but think you mean 16 amp at the bollard end

I was basing my assumption that the OP has a 32A commando at one end of his cable on his words "My problem is that the blue male end is bigger than other electric hook up make ends" which isn't entirely clear but that sounds like a 32A commando to me. Campsite hookups (and a lot of pontoon bollards) are 16A commando.

 

[Alex_Blackwood]

I was basing my assumption that the OP has a 32A commando at one end of his cable on his words "My problem is that the blue male end is bigger than other electric hook up make ends" which isn't entirely clear but that sounds like a 32A commando to me. Campsite hookups (and a lot of pontoon bollards) are 16A commando.

Apologies, I misread your OP. What he needs is the 16 at the bollard end or a 32/16 reducer. As you have indeed suggested. The CSA of the Marinco lead may be too large to fit a 16 amp plug.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Apologies, I misread your OP. What he needs is the 16 at the bollard end or a 32/16 reducer. As you have indeed suggested. The CSA of the Marinco lead may be too large to fit a 16 amp plug.

Exactly so. No worries.

 

[Kma83]

Post a photo. Impossible to guess what you have.

Post a photo. Impossible to guess what you have.

The marinco is on the left and a generic hook up on the right

Post a photo. Impossible to guess what you have.

Post a photo. Impossible to guess what you have.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

That’s a 32A commando on the left, not a Marinco connector although it maybe manufactured by Marinco. Which end plugs into your boat/caravan?

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Easiest here is a 32/16 adaptor.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Or cut off the 32A and fit a 16A if you’re competent with wiring.

 

[Alex_Blackwood]

That’s a 32A commando on the left, not a Marinco connector although it maybe manufactured by Marinco. Which end plugs into your boat/caravan?

And a 16 amp on the right. He cannot, or should not have a plug both ends, never mind different amperages! The user end should be a socket and the supply end a plug. Most confusing!! Can't see a cable coming out of the 32 amp either. It may be tucked behind the cushion?? You should not have an arrangement where the supply end is 32 amp and the user end 16 amp. Vice Versa OK.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Urgh yes. That cable is likely to be useless in practice as well as life threateningly dangerous once plugged in.

 

[PeterBoater]

Also be aware that Marine How To showed repeated fires due to the Marino design - the little nipple on the twist lock fitting being the only contact point rather than the whole "prong" which ca generate a lot of heat. They have lots of nice pics of melted plugs and burned boats. Clearly there are many around that have caused no problems but I would never fit one

I read somewhere that a lot of the alleged Marinco fires are because the pins and sockets get corroded due to the salt environment, the resultant poor connections start to arc and thus overheat. I keep the pins and inside the individual sockets greased with petroleum jelly or ACF-50.

 

[starfire]

I read somewhere that a lot of the alleged Marinco fires are because the pins and sockets get corroded due to the salt environment, the resultant poor connections start to arc and thus overheat. I keep the pins and inside the individual sockets greased with petroleum jelly or ACF-50.

Also people not twisting them to lock, leading to a poor contact.

Spawn of the devil things, I prefer the Ratio connectors, well designed.

 

[st599]

The marinco is on the left and a generic hook up on the right

You shouldn't have a male plug at both ends of that lead, it's potentially lethal. The boat end must be a female socket.
Neither of those is marinco, one is CEEform 240v 16A single phase, one is CEEform 240v 32A single phase.
You shouldn't step up from 16-32. The socket can't provide the current.

 

[Alex_Blackwood]

You shouldn't have a male plug at both ends of that lead, it's potentially lethal. The boat end must be a female socket.
Neither of those is marinco, one is CEEform 240v 16A single phase, one is CEEform 240v 32A single phase.
You shouldn't step up from 16-32. The socket can't provide the current.

Yes you can. (See #13) You should not use an adaptor to go from 32 amp to 16 amp. Unless you use some form of protection such as :-
32A to 16A adaptor (230v & 415v options)
If you go from a16 outlet to a 32 amp lead and system you will be limited to 16 amps but it will work. If you go from 32 amps to 16 amps without proper protection your 16amp lead and associate circuits could draw excess fault current and cause damage or fire before tripping.
The lead shown below is, in my opinion, positively dangerous. It offers absolutely no protection and uses 1.5mm cable which is the absolute minimum cable rated for 16 amp. 2.5mm should be used on all 16 amp systems, to err on the side of safety and good working practice. You may want to go to 4mm cable for a 32 amp system. I would!
240v 32a Plug to 16a Socket Converter - Generators Direct
Having read the full thread I am not convinced the OP knows exactly what he has, I don't mean that as a criticism. We are not all electrical experts I do hope however, that he has gained enough information from our combined inputs to put him on the right track.

 

[ashtead]

It’s fairly common to find 32a sockets on mobo pontoons at 12m plus so it’s wise to carry along with your spare lead a converter socket as shown plus perhaps a doubler socket and some spare end sockets . Most marina should however a converter to lend but maybe campsites not so geared up ?