Zinc Anodes .. Marina Berth

[exfinnsailor]

Hi All

We are in Ipswich Haven Marina .. I am off down to the boat tommorrow to put a bit of gentle heat on .. I have two 60 watt tube heaters .. Should I connect the boat to the Marina Power or Just run a trailing lead into the boat .. The heaters will be on the floor and will not be touching anything metal ..

 

[VicS]

Your title refers to zinc anodes but no mention is made of them in the question

Assuming your shorepower is installed as it should be, with an earth connection to the DC negative, and that the anodes are also connected to the DC negative they may be at risk of galvanic corrosion if your shorepower installation does not include a galvanic isolator and is left plugged in for prolonged periods (even without actually being in use)

If that risk exists, ie anodes connected to shorepower earth and no GI fitted then the safer option for your anodes is to run a temporary lead to the heaters. Otherwise by using the proper shorepower connection you will be making use of the safety aspects of the on board RCD and MCB although of course the down side is that you whole shore power system is live.

 

[Matt341]

On our previous boat we kept the shorepower connected all the time, the system fitted was fairly simple, a waterproof socket in the cockpit which the shore power cable connected to. Then an RCD/MCB with Earth leak protection and then sockets around the cabin. There was nothing of the shore power connected to the boat galvanically, e.g. no anode connection.

I know this isnt 100% safe. At the same time I have spoken to a lot of people down the marina and none have the shorepower anode connection.

We never suffered unusual anode loss and im still alive to tell the tale.

Our current boat had the shorepower installed by a marine electrician (at a very high cost to the previous owner!!), on inspection it is absolutely no different to the system on our previoust boat. No connection to the anode, just an RCD etc. there was a sticker by the shore power inlet saying "test RCD periodically".

A marine electrician must have to comply with certain regulations and so fitted/tested this system to comply.

We have a dehumidifier on and also 2x80 watt tube heaters. We havent used this boat long so I cant comment on Anode loss but I imagine it will be similar to the previous boat as it is wired the same.

Im by no means saying that the system both on our previous boat and on this boat (even though fitted by a marine electrician) is 100% safe. Just describing our experience.


Ian.