Shorepower receptacle - Who's is best

superheat6k

superheat6k

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Last year I replaced the caravan style shore power input plug receptacle which takes a standard 16a blue cable socket was replaced with an identical style due to corrosion issues.

One year on and the pins on the newer one are badly burnt with one lead mounted socket also knackered.

Not sure if this is the socket or the plug / receptacle, but either way I am loathe to put in yet another potentially crap receptacle.

Any make recommendations, preferably with a requirement for a hole ~ 80 mm in diameter. It is positioned in an area that will get a decent amount of sea spray over it, and I prefer not to have to re-locate it, although that could be something I need to consider.

Thanks.
 
Are you sure that what you're seeing on the pins is corrosion? It might well be down to some loose connection or reversed polarity causing burning on the pins. Next door neighbour in Corfu a few years back replaced his connector twice over the winter due to it failing with similar symptoms to yours: turned out the supply had reversed polarity. Once that was sorted, he had no further problems.
 
Polarity won't cause burning with an AC current, the pins simply see an AC current flow - live and neutral are relative qualities, the neutral generally being grounded at its source. However, the socket had been very tight, and it seems the connection is not very clever, so likely some arcing going on. I guess sea water spray will add corrosion of the pins into the mix.
 
.. and if you see the plug and think that's a cheaper way of making the interconnecting cable.. remember you need to get the waterproof cover as well.
 
When I was looking for similar I was not able to find a fully waterproof flush mount receptacle for a standard 230v 16A 3 pin hookup socket. I do not believe they are available but would be happy to be corrected. The options I found were; the splash-proof caravan types as already used by the OP, the waterproof Marinco (or similar) IEC type (which require a compatable lead) or a surface mounted 16A inlet and cover. In the end I went for the last option fitted in the cockpit locker.
 
Soldering the wire ends prior to fitting them into the connector is a common cause of burnt contacts. You haven't done that have you?
 
RupertW said:
Good article - the twist lock seems a dreadful idea - both the repetitive torque as you jiggle the plug about in the dark to attach or detach it and the flat thin plug fittings.
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Inherited that system with our boat, age unknown but we've had the boat 12 years or so. Works fine and would go for it again. Wonder how many of those in the article had been either overloaded or not twisted fully and the locking ring tightened down.
 
Fitted many different types to customers boats over the years, for the last two or three years we have been using Ratio which are probably the best combination of quality and value as a weapon of choice. They are available in a number of different materials from stainless through carbon fibre effect to glass filled nylon and all are good.
 
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David2452 said:
Fitted many different types to customers boats over the years, for the last two or three years we have been using Ratio which are probably the best combination of quality and value as a weapon of choice. They are available in a number of different materials from stainless through carbon fibre effect to glass filled nylon and all are good.
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David, do you have a link to a UK supplier for Ratio inlets and plugs?
Thanks
 
David2452 said:
Fitted many different types to customers boats over the years, for the last two or three years we have been using Ratio which are probably the best combination of quality and value as a weapon of choice. They are available in a number of different materials from stainless through carbon fibre effect to glass filled nylon and all are good.
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The Ratio inlets look like a very good solution. My Bavaria came with a waterproof ABL Sursum inlet, which is a bit plasticky but works fine.

1168160_600x600@2x.jpg
 
The Ratio one looks really good, but if it only takes the ratio plug then it means I have to convert both my shore power cables making it an expensive exercise. Is the ABL one as fitted to some Bavarias all plastic or part metal. If it is all plastic is it the sort of brittle plastic that kids toys are made of or is it something a bit more substantial?
 
Bluenote2 said:
The Ratio one looks really good, but if it only takes the ratio plug then it means I have to convert both my shore power cables making it an expensive exercise. Is the ABL one as fitted to some Bavarias all plastic or part metal. If it is all plastic is it the sort of brittle plastic that kids toys are made of or is it something a bit more substantial?
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Mine's 16 years old now and still good. It's plastic with a stainless lid. The lid makes it pricey though: https://www.svb24.com/en/cee-connector-for-shore-power.html
 
Bluenote2 said:
The Ratio one looks really good, but if it only takes the ratio plug then it means I have to convert both my shore power cables making it an expensive exercise. Is the ABL one as fitted to some Bavarias all plastic or part metal. If it is all plastic is it the sort of brittle plastic that kids toys are made of or is it something a bit more substantial?
Click to expand...

The ABL one is all plastic, but seems fairly strong.
 
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