Boat Electrical Outlets

jviss

jviss

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Feb 5, 2004
7,089
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
My C36 and my new boat, a T3800, both have 120V AC outlets all over the boat. This is great if you're usually plugged in to a shore power source, but these days, makes little sense if you are on a mooring or cruising around and throwing the hook or taking a mooring.

I'm thinking that USB is becoming more important than 120VAC, with all the phones, tablets, and laptops that people use.

Does it make sense to convert the boat's AC outlets to USB outlets?
 
Maine Sail

Maine Sail

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Feb 6, 1998
11,711
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
The USB "outlets", Legrand/Pass & Seymour, Leviton, Eaton etc. all run on 120V...

Install a few dedicated 12V outlets (multi-use) and buy some $9.99 USB DC to DC inserts, done... Keep your AC system intact even if you don't use it often. Some day you'll need to sell the boat...


When the USB standard changes, again, and it will, simply remove the old one and slide in a new one.. I'm not a big believer in "fixed-mount" USB charging as the standard is an ever moving target, the socket is for one use only & they are more expensive than an insert-charger...
 
jviss

jviss

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Feb 5, 2004
7,089
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
I'd rather avoid the conversion losses of going from battery to inverter to USB. I'd put a 'bank' of 12V lighter socket to USB power adapters near the electrical panel to feed the house wiring, so I could always have the latest USB charging technology, like QC 3.0. I'd be going directly from 12V to 5V.
 
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jviss

jviss

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Feb 5, 2004
7,089
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
Those look nice, but are old technology, for USB charging. A modern Android phone will take much, much longer to charge with one than with a QC 3.0 USB charger.
 
jviss

jviss

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Feb 5, 2004
7,089
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
Someday you will have a device that will accept more.
 
B

Benny17441

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May 24, 2004
7,179
CC 30 South Florida
No it does not. You may not think about resale value now but the time will come when you do and the prospective buyer might be a live aboard. The addition of 12V USB plugs strategically located may make a nice improvement without throwing away a system which is still in very use today.
 
Scott T-Bird

Scott T-Bird

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Oct 26, 2008
6,305
Catalina 320 Barnegat, NJ
I guess it makes sense to convert the AC outlets to DC outlets for both the DC plugs and USB ports, but I would probably leave at least a few AC outlets as is. Probably one in the galley and possibly one in the head (hair dryer for Sue), other than the outlet for water heater. I don't have very much use for AC outlets and don't see any need for inverter. I would only use AC outlets on shore power.
 
Maine Sail

Maine Sail

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Feb 6, 1998
11,711
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
Scott T-Bird said:
I guess it makes sense to convert the AC outlets to DC outlets for both the DC plugs and USB ports, but I would probably leave at least a few AC outlets as is. Probably one in the galley and possibly one in the head (hair dryer for Sue), other than the outlet for water heater. I don't have very much use for AC outlets and don't see any need for inverter. I would only use AC outlets on shore power.
Click to expand
As a buyer, if I stepped onto a Tartan 3800 where someone hacked the vessels AC system to DC outlets I would first buckle over laughing then turn and leave.. The boat would be permanently removed from my list of potential candidates.

There are much better ways to add USB charging to a Tartan 3800 than by Rube Goldberging the vessels AC system...:wink:
 
jviss

jviss

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Feb 5, 2004
7,089
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
Maine Sail said:
As a buyer, if I stepped onto a Tartan 3800 where someone hacked the vessels AC system to DC outlets I would first buckle over laughing then turn and leave.. The boat would be permanently removed from my list of potential candidates.

There are much better ways to add USB charging to a Tartan 3800 than by destroying & Rube Goldberging the vessels AC system...

A modification like that is akin to the guy who cut a 3' X 4' hole in his main bulkhead so he could watch TV in the v-berth &'saloon.. Broker thought it was a "sweet" modification... I didn't need to even see what else the guy had "modified" I slid the companionway closed as fast as I opened it...
Click to expand
Well, RC, that's something of an extreme response. I wasn't suggesting hacking and "Rube Goldberging" my boat, if I did anything, it would be reversible. But, I think you must admit that these days, there is more utility to USB power outlets than 120VAC outlets. You, yourself, have warned about excessive conversion. Why run a 1kW inverter to charge an Amazon Kindle, or keep it running, in the v-berth?
 
jviss

jviss

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Feb 5, 2004
7,089
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
This is an alternative. [sarcasm] I guess they are popular because they don't make any sense, and people don't really want USB outlets all around.... [/sarcasm]

http://data:image/webp;base64,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
 
jviss

jviss

.
Feb 5, 2004
7,089
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
I also found a QC 3.0 outlet, like the above, but it's $33.
 
Skipper

Skipper

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Oct 9, 2008
1,742
Bristol 29.9 Dana Point
Just use standard 120v to usb plugs, like those that come with an iPhone.
-for when on shorepower.
For on the hook and sailing, many other things have usb charging out. As others have mentioned. Even my stereo head unit has a usb plug for MP3 usage for music files, and it has charging volts as well. Some nav gear has the same for video input, which will also charge.
-- also, there are adapters for existing 12v light fixtures on a boat that retain the light plus add usb outlets.
 
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jviss

jviss

.
Feb 5, 2004
7,089
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
Skipper said:
-- also, there are adapters for existing 12v light fixtures on a boat that retain the light plus add usb outlets.
Click to expand
Can you please give me a pointer to that? I haven't found one.
 
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