Has anyone ever added shore power to the 23.5 or similar? My slip has shore power but the boat does not. Thanks!
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shore power
If you do not know what you are doing, I suggest strongly getting a marine electrician. Materials should include 1 GFI receptalce and panel that has the red and green lights. The red light if illuminated indicates reverse polarity and you should then disconnect and get the heck away from that dock. When teaching my customers, red light equals electrocution being around water. I usally will put the power inlet or shore power inlet on the port side. Then I run it up the port side as I am able to find more places to put recepticale boxs in to include the panel with on and off with the reverse polarity light indicator. It is also easy to run the wiring up through the storage lockers on the port side. Make sure to include that GFI. Again if you do not know electrical, get a certified electrician as this is something you do not play around with the installation.
If you do not know what you are doing, I suggest strongly getting a marine electrician. Materials should include 1 GFI receptalce and panel that has the red and green lights. The red light if illuminated indicates reverse polarity and you should then disconnect and get the heck away from that dock. When teaching my customers, red light equals electrocution being around water. I usally will put the power inlet or shore power inlet on the port side. Then I run it up the port side as I am able to find more places to put recepticale boxs in to include the panel with on and off with the reverse polarity light indicator. It is also easy to run the wiring up through the storage lockers on the port side. Make sure to include that GFI. Again if you do not know electrical, get a certified electrician as this is something you do not play around with the installation.
Or you can do what we did
Just plug in an extension cord. Go to Home Depot (or your equivalent) and get a length of 10ga, three-strand wire, a weather resistant 30A male plug and 20A female and make an extension cord. Total cost was around $12. Plug it in to the shore power recepticle. We use a 4-way adapter on the end to simultaneously power our battery charger, radio and fan (or heater). It is independent of the boat's 12V system and runs only home AC appliances. No drilling holes, using expensive marine hardware, running wiring, etc. We've used this setup for 5 yrs.
Just plug in an extension cord. Go to Home Depot (or your equivalent) and get a length of 10ga, three-strand wire, a weather resistant 30A male plug and 20A female and make an extension cord. Total cost was around $12. Plug it in to the shore power recepticle. We use a 4-way adapter on the end to simultaneously power our battery charger, radio and fan (or heater). It is independent of the boat's 12V system and runs only home AC appliances. No drilling holes, using expensive marine hardware, running wiring, etc. We've used this setup for 5 yrs.
I do the same..
A good exterior extension cord, but on the inside I use a power strip like the computer uses. I keep a de-humidifier running 24/7, and I use an A/C unit during the day if I'm at the boat. Aside from that, everything else is 12V.
A good exterior extension cord, but on the inside I use a power strip like the computer uses. I keep a de-humidifier running 24/7, and I use an A/C unit during the day if I'm at the boat. Aside from that, everything else is 12V.
Shore Power
I installed shore power on my 235 when I decided to put in a mermaid AC unit. I put the inlet on the starboard side just below the aft nav light, and ran the wires to an new panel I put above the DC panel. I put a panel cover behind the AC panel to keep the wires isolated from the dc panel. The main breaker should be within 10feet of the inlet and this is right at 10ft. I had to lower the DC panel quite a bit. There are some pictures in the project forum for the 235. It was fairly easy to push a conduit for the wires through the foam on the starboard side. I used one identical to the conduit hunter used for the dc wires on that side. From the panel I ran AC wires for the battery charger and one outlet behind the carpet below the panel. I put them in a flat conduit and then fiberglassed over the conduit.
I installed shore power on my 235 when I decided to put in a mermaid AC unit. I put the inlet on the starboard side just below the aft nav light, and ran the wires to an new panel I put above the DC panel. I put a panel cover behind the AC panel to keep the wires isolated from the dc panel. The main breaker should be within 10feet of the inlet and this is right at 10ft. I had to lower the DC panel quite a bit. There are some pictures in the project forum for the 235. It was fairly easy to push a conduit for the wires through the foam on the starboard side. I used one identical to the conduit hunter used for the dc wires on that side. From the panel I ran AC wires for the battery charger and one outlet behind the carpet below the panel. I put them in a flat conduit and then fiberglassed over the conduit.
Oops
I meant I had to lower the ac panel. It is very tight at the top behind the panels and the ac panel wouldn't fit there.
I meant I had to lower the ac panel. It is very tight at the top behind the panels and the ac panel wouldn't fit there.
Thank you everyone!
Thanks so much for your responses. After reading them, I think I will stick to the extension cord idea. We are new to the boat so I'm sure I will have other questions. Thanks again!
Thanks so much for your responses. After reading them, I think I will stick to the extension cord idea. We are new to the boat so I'm sure I will have other questions. Thanks again!
Extension Cord
Make sure you get an extension cord with a GFI built in. Do not use it with anything on the boat that is not double insulated, generally anything in a plastic case is ok. Some marinas do not allow extension cords except as a temporary power source. I did it just as described for a while but when I found the parts for a good deal on ebay I switched to a real shore power set up. The AC panel is on port side just like the DC panel on the starboard. The plug receptical is just above that. I have three plugs each on their own circut each a GFI one in the overhead in the aft berth, one in the cabinet in the "galley" and one in the locker under the v berth for the battery charger. I had moved the batteries up there some time before that.
Make sure you get an extension cord with a GFI built in. Do not use it with anything on the boat that is not double insulated, generally anything in a plastic case is ok. Some marinas do not allow extension cords except as a temporary power source. I did it just as described for a while but when I found the parts for a good deal on ebay I switched to a real shore power set up. The AC panel is on port side just like the DC panel on the starboard. The plug receptical is just above that. I have three plugs each on their own circut each a GFI one in the overhead in the aft berth, one in the cabinet in the "galley" and one in the locker under the v berth for the battery charger. I had moved the batteries up there some time before that.
Battery charging
Battery charging instructions always say not to charge a battery in an enclosed space, but it seems regular practice on boats. I assume some mentions of battery charging here are high current (10A) not just trickle charging. What's the real deal?
Battery charging instructions always say not to charge a battery in an enclosed space, but it seems regular practice on boats. I assume some mentions of battery charging here are high current (10A) not just trickle charging. What's the real deal?
A mix of both approaches
I have an inlet but haven't been able to set-up a panel yet. So the wiring from the inlet goes directly to a GFCI outlet. In effect, it's like an extension cord from the dock. It provides an outlet for the battery charger & to plug in a clip light. It's on the list to install a proper panel soon. I'm not entirely comfortable with the current arrangement (no pun intended), but life is a series of compromises, isn't it? Kevin Fitzpatrick s/v Grasshopper '93 Hunter 23.5 Brownsville, VT
I have an inlet but haven't been able to set-up a panel yet. So the wiring from the inlet goes directly to a GFCI outlet. In effect, it's like an extension cord from the dock. It provides an outlet for the battery charger & to plug in a clip light. It's on the list to install a proper panel soon. I'm not entirely comfortable with the current arrangement (no pun intended), but life is a series of compromises, isn't it? Kevin Fitzpatrick s/v Grasshopper '93 Hunter 23.5 Brownsville, VT
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