Does this make ANY sense?

dlochner · Dec 15, 2019

A simpler way is with a 15 amp male to 30 amp female adapter and just plug into the shore power inlet. Marinco makes one as do other companies. I've used that system for years with no problems.

Davidasailor26 · Dec 15, 2019

dlochner said:
A simpler way is with a 15 amp male to 30 amp female adapter and just plug into the shore power inlet. Marinco makes one as do other companies. I've used that system for years with no problems.

Works for me when I charge on the hard once or twice per winter.

capta · Dec 16, 2019

Don't you have a shore power connection? If so, why wouldn't you want the panel powered up instead of only the one unit? Then you could just turn off any circuits you don't want powered when you are plugged in, and use those you do. I don't understand why you'd want to do that.
Breaking any electrical circuit and adding something like an outlet is just adding more possible places for corrosion and poor connections to cause problems.

Head Sail · Dec 16, 2019

Tally Ho said:
My battery charger is wired into a breaker on my power panel (as most are). I was thinking that I could instead wire an outlet into that breaker outlet near the charger), and wire a plug on charger power cord.

That way,
When I am at the dock and on shore power, I just have the charger plugged into the A/C outlet dedicated to the charger.

I don't understand. You have a breaker already for the charger. Turn it on or off as needed or add a breaker/switch for what you don't want on when the charger is on.

Tally Ho said:
When on the hook, I could plug the charger cord into a small generator.

If you have a Marinco RV cord, you could connect that to the small generator and the boats 30amp connection. That way, the wholel A/C system is live.

Tally Ho said:
When on the hard, I could run an extension cord to the boat and plug the charger into the extension cord.

I've wanted to do this also. I wanted to put a timer on only the charger when stored for months to give the batteries a charge once a week. I ended up disconnecting the charger and attaching a temporary A/C plug.

capta · Dec 17, 2019

Head Sail said:
I don't understand. You have a breaker already for the charger. Turn it on or off as needed or add a breaker/switch for what you don't want on when the charger is on.

If you have a Marinco RV cord, you could connect that to the small generator and the boats 30amp connection. That way, the wholel A/C system is live.

I've wanted to do this also. I wanted to put a timer on only the charger when stored for months to give the batteries a charge once a week. I ended up disconnecting the charger and attaching a temporary A/C plug.

They make an adapter from a 15 amp extension cord to a 30 amp shore power cord. Wouldn't that be an easier way to go?

Head Sail · Dec 17, 2019

capta said:
They make an adapter from a 15 amp extension cord to a 30 amp shore power cord. Wouldn't that be an easier way to go?

Not sure what issue you are addressing.

Scott T-Bird · Dec 17, 2019

Head Sail said:
Not sure what issue you are addressing.

I think his issue is that he wants to be able to use the charger with either the generator or a 15 amp service while stored for the winter. His shore power cord terminations are 30 amp and don't fit either one. As others pointed out, the simpler solution is an adaptor. I have an adaptor, too, because my shore power is a 15 amp service. So I agree with the recommendation for an adaptor.

Ron20324 · Dec 17, 2019

I suggest a purpose-made cord with the proper ends and proper length. Eliminates a source of problems.

Davidasailor26 · Dec 17, 2019

Ron20324 said:
I suggest a purpose-made cord with the proper ends and proper length. Eliminates a source of problems.

Are there purpose-made cords to go from a 15A source to 30A inlet, at adequate length to work for shore power? All I can find are pigtail adapters, which are certainly purpose built, but not long enough for the task, so a standard extension cord needs to run to them.

Scott T-Bird · Dec 17, 2019

I think Ron is suggesting to make one. It's not a bad idea. I have a 100' 12 GA. extension with the ground broken off at the male end that I no longer use, but I have it coiled and stored. It would be a good idea to cut the ends off and re-assemble it in the right configuration.

dlochner · Dec 17, 2019

Davidasailor26 said:
Are there purpose-made cords to go from a 15A source to 30A inlet, at adequate length to work for shore power? All I can find are pigtail adapters, which are certainly purpose built, but not long enough for the task, so a standard extension cord needs to run to them.

Yes, you run an extension cord from the shore outlet to the the pigtail. One caveat about the extension cord, it should be a heavy duty cord because of the length of the run. My extension cord is a 12 ga. There is a danger of over heating the cord, depending on what is being run. The AC panel will have a 30 amp breaker protecting the boat, but the extension cord is not 10 gauge. So this is not a good solution for leaving the boat unattended. Many yards forbid leaving the boat plugged in while on the hard for this reason.

Edit: A 12 gauge cord should be protected by a 20 amp breaker, a 15 gauge cord by a 15 amp breaker.

Davidasailor26 · Dec 17, 2019

dlochner said:
Yes, you run an extension cord from the shore outlet to the the pigtail. One caveat about the extension cord, it should be a heavy duty cord because of the length of the run. My extension cord is a 12 ga. There is a danger of over heating the cord, depending on what is being run. The AC panel will have a 30 amp breaker protecting the boat, but the extension cord is not 10 gauge. So this is not a good solution for leaving the boat unattended. Many yards forbid leaving the boat plugged in while on the hard for this reason.

Edit: A 12 gauge cord should be protected by a 20 amp breaker, a 15 gauge cord by a 15 amp breaker.

The shore end of the extension cord should be plugged into an outlet on a 15A breaker, so there is at least some protection there. Concur that there could be a voltage drop on the wire so the belt and suspenders is a good idea.

Edit: I wrote my reply before seeing your edit.I agree.

LloydB · Dec 21, 2019

Do you have a generator on the boat now? I don't understand why you want to run an extension cord from your battery charger.

sailme88 · Dec 21, 2019

Comes the day your charger gives up the ghost, wouldn't you be better served to have some isolation.. So your shore power is just that. Then you decide where it goes and what is does. After making the land/shore connection, you should be closing a switch that allows that power to be used. FROM that point there should be a switch to activate the charger and ( possibly) a switch to supply A/C to throughout the interior. Charger dies or has issues, you leave it's switch open. BUT you'll still have power elsewhere.....