Shore Power

[cliffb]

Re Bambola's reply...
Yes, I agree...that's the simplest method. But I'd still be wary about how many amps I was drawing at any one time. Keep the power draw down and you should be fine.

Re RJP's reply...
I hear what you're saying..and it's news to me. But I have to admit I'm confused about it. '+110v...-110v'?? As it's AC there's not really a plus or a minus. It still sounds like it's a three phase situation.
Anyone else out there... in the US, perhaps.. who can throw some light on this?

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[Sea Devil]

Cliff your wrong.. I know it's odd but I blew the fuse in the charger... an electrician in the boat yard explained that some how there is polarity in 110v!!!! Seemed surprised I did not know about it - apparently the power comes in (to somewhere) at 220 then is 'split' to supply more 'houses and be safer??' to 110 and sensitive equipment - some chargers etc are affected by the polarity - not the blow heater!

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[snowleopard]

picking up on the point about where you're going, for long distance cruising you will go to lots of places where you end up at anchor, by choice or through lack of marinas. i'd be inclined to concentrate on other ways of getting charge into your batteries.

an inverter is a handy way of getting your chosen a.c. voltage but remember power = amps x volts so while a 3kw appliance will draw 12-13 amps back home, running it from an inverter will draw around 300 amps from your batteries: that calls for some serious cabling!

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[cliffb]

Thanks Michael.
Every day in every way, you learn a little more.
Next time I'm over there I shall investigate more.
Cheers

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[rallyveteran]

50A supply, which is available in most US marinas, isn't three phase. You can get three phase 208V supply in some, and that is not to be messed with.

All you have to buy is a 50A connector (with four conductors) and wire the two hot pins to your + and -, ground to ground and leave the shore neutral unconnected. Then everything on board worked: charger, heaters, the lot. The only thing I have heard there is a problem with is washing machines because of the frequency - but that may be a tale.

I don't live in the USA but did use this method for nine months all the way up and down the east coast in the late 90s.

Some marinas tried to charge more for the 50A hook up, but almost all backed down when we said it was for a British yacht with modest power demands. The extra charge is really for MoBo types with air conditioning, ice makers etc.

Rallyveteran

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[PaulS]

The power comes into the house at 220V connected with four wires. Two hot wires, one neutral, one ground. For 110V you simply take one of the two hot wires, a neutral and a ground. Appliances such as electric stoves, heat, hot water are typically run off 22ov...everything else is only wired for 110v. Not too sure about wiring two 110 wires together to obtain 220 since they would be in phase, whereas the 220 which is supplied to the house would typically be phased opposite to each other. Thre phase is a whole other animal which I've always let professionals deal with.

Paul

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[PaulS]

I just thought about that for a minute...I guess it actually IS in phase so perhaps combining two 110 curuits could provide the 220V. Though it could present problems if they aren't exactly in phase.

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[roly_voya]

Can I suggest that the simplest system is to go with the inverter to run all the onboard stuff and then get a battery charger that has 220 & 110v input. ie your onboard mains ONLY connects to inverter and shorepower is ONLY connected to battercharger. Saves messing around with wiring and worrying about voltage/frequency. 600w inverter is cheap and will run power tools, laptop etc but one big enough to run a kettle is not only mega bucks but uses a lot of ower even when idling. If you want to use a kettle why not just get an extension lead with a plugboad on the end and run it direct from shore to the galley the plug a 110v kettle in

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[rjp]

I'm going back 25 years now to when I lived in the States, but the distribution box in my house consisted of three busses, two live and one neutral. If you took a voltage reading across the neutral and either live bus you got a reading of 110v. If you took a reading across the two live busses you got 220v. Two install a 110v circuit you simply went to your local store and bought a 110v circuit breaker which clipped across any either live and the neutral. To get 220v you bought a larger 220v circuit breaker which clipped across the two live busses. I guess this is equivalent to bridging the two live pins on the 4 pin marina outlet.

John

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[Trevethan]

Suggest you fit a big 40-50 amp dual input voltage charger/powerpack -- I think Sterling do them, then a hefty inverter -- sat 1500 watt, for the your mains equipment when in 110 voltage areas.

Buy a smallish kettle (We bought a 1,200 watt jug from Robert Dyas and fit an engine/12 volt compressor fridge.

The invertor charger combination should mean you are immune to the various voltages you encounter and shouldn't have to worry whether you got things wired right for this country or another.



BTW most laptops power supplies handle 110/220v on their own.

The only drawback to this is that if your kettle buggers up in the U.S. getting a replacement can be a pain.

All the best,

Nick

<hr width=100% size=1><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by Trevethan on 28/11/2004 12:35 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[Uisteach]

Thanks.

Thanks everyone, plenty of solutions on hand. This forum can be priceless for advice!



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[cliffb]

Thanks Paul, for enlightening me.
Seems a wierd system...to a Brit like me!!.. but I can see the advantages.
Incidentally.. I came across what I thought was a three phase system in Frankfurt not so long ago. From what you've said, maybe it wasn't. It was in a house and was powering an electric (dooh! wouldn't be gas would it?) cooker.
Thanks again.

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[cliffb]

Thanks Paul, for enlightening me.
Seems a wierd system...to a Brit like me!!.. but I can see the advantages.
Incidentally.. I came across what I thought was a three phase system in Frankfurt not so long ago. From what you've said, maybe it wasn't. It was in a house and was powering an electric (dooh! wouldn't be gas would it?) cooker.
Thanks again.

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