Shore pwr plugs

DeniseO30

DeniseO30

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Feb 26, 2009
716
Oday 30 Anchor Yacht Club, Bristol PA
Well my OEM marinco plug end (female)
which was quite new has cooked where it plugs into the boat so it's time to replace the end

I'm finding lots of knockoffs for 1/3 or half the price my question: name brand doesn't seem the last any longer than a knock off what is your experience?
No I'm not going to get a smart plug because it's not going to add any value to the boat and it's up for sale but that's another story thank you in advance
 
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Tally Ho

Tally Ho

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Jan 7, 2011
5,462
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
If I were to replace the end only, I think I would go with a SmartPlug. I would buy the plug end and receptacle.

Otherwise, just buy a new Marinco to replace the burned one.

Greg
 
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sail sfbay

sail sfbay

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Feb 21, 2013
4,638
Hunter 46 Point Richmond, CA
Are you looking for a 30 amp 125 v shore power inlet with a cover? Do you want plastic or stainless steel and square and round? What is you budget?
 
D

dlochner

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Jan 11, 2014
12,731
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
Buying from a reputable marine store is probably as important as the manufacturer. I would be extremely hesitant to purchase a knock of from eBay or Amazon reseller. The receptacle's provenance will be quite unknown.

Defender has a number of options including the just the guts of the Marinco plug for a pretty reasonable price.

What caused the receptacle to fail in such short order?


www.defender.com

Boatside Inlets

Boatside Inlets from Defender. We offer: Furrion F30ITR-PS 30 Amp Shore Power Non-Metallic Inlet - Round, SmartPlug 50 Amp 125 / 250 Volt Shore Power Inlet with Cover, Furrion 50 Amp 125 Volt Shore Power Inlet Square, Marinco Replacement Cap & Bezel, Marinco Weatherproof Cover with Lift Li for boats
www.defender.com www.defender.com
 
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Johann

Johann

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Jun 3, 2004
477
Leopard 39 Pensacola
I think you might get your money back from a smartplug. If a potential buyers sees a cheap Chinese knock off shore power inlet they may be thinking what other shortcuts and fire hazards are on this boat and just walk away. Whereas if they see a smart plug they may think this is a well taken care of boat.
 
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Terry Cox

Terry Cox

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Dec 25, 2000
5,907
Hunter Passage 42 Shelter Bay, WA
Hi Denise. Just to clarify, our boat has the built-in plug that the cord socket attaches. If it's one of the boat plug spades that burnt, you can replace the burnt spade like I did on our boat (ours was the ground spade). Typically, one reason that causes this is repeatedly disconnecting the shore power cord from the plug with power, either on the boat or the pedestal, still on. I always make it point to shut power off before disconnecting. Another cause may just be the cord socket or boat plug just wearing out from use.

If the cord end socket is burnt, then best to replace the cord, too. I got two shore power cords at a garage sale that have lasted for years with no issues after replacing the boat plug spade.
 
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DeniseO30

DeniseO30

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Feb 26, 2009
716
Oday 30 Anchor Yacht Club, Bristol PA
It's the female plug end. NOT the plate mounted male the on the boat, that is fine still with shiny TANGS

The molded on Marinco clearly isnt
any more reliable than anything else, I've read numerous reports on them they don't last, so I ordered the cheap copy that has at least as many good reports that you can't really believe anyway
(Note; I don't assign quality to race or nationality which is offensive in the least racist at the max)
 
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Johann

Johann

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Jun 3, 2004
477
Leopard 39 Pensacola
DeniseO30 said:
It's the female plug end. NOT the plate mounted male the on the boat, that is fine still with shiny TANGS

The molded on Marinco clearly isnt
any more reliable than anything else, I've read numerous reports on them they don't last, so I ordered the cheap copy that has at least as many good reports that you can't really believe anyway
(Note; I don't assign quality to race or nationality which is offensive in the least racist at the max)
Click to expand
There is definitely a problem with counterfeit and knock offs coming from China. Pointing that out isn‘t racist. If you ordered your “Marinco” off of Amazon it’s possible it was counterfeit. Electrical components are no place to cheap out or risk a counterfeit. As @dlochner said you should be getting these items from a reputable marine store.
 
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DeniseO30

DeniseO30

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Feb 26, 2009
716
Oday 30 Anchor Yacht Club, Bristol PA
Clearly we are of different opinions, if you have ever been a public speaker like me and did a Q&A after speaking one will quickly learn how to be politically correct assigning race or nationality to Quality is definitely wrong,
it doesn't matter where you buy there is nothing such as a reputable Marine store because they sell junk also, you know it we all know it where do you think marinco is made?

"Marinco®, Mastervolt, Ancor®, BEP, ProMariner, and C-Zone™, designs and manufactures a broad product portfolio of electrical components and power management systems for marine, specialty vehicle, and industrial markets. More information please visit www.marinco.com, www.mastervolt.com, www.ancorproducts.com or www.promariner.com. Power Products, LLC is headquartered in Menomonee Falls, WI with facilities across the United States and in the Netherlands, New Zealand, Mexico and China."

OK I'm done
 
Johann

Johann

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Jun 3, 2004
477
Leopard 39 Pensacola
There are plenty of very high quality components from China, no one said otherwise. But Amazon, eBay, Alibaba are more likely to sell you a low quality or perhaps counterfeit product than Defender or another company that knows exactly who their supplier is. It‘s really the Wild West out there ordering on your own from China. I wouldn’t take that risk and I hope whoever is plugged in next to me on the dock won’t either.
 
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capta

capta

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Jun 4, 2009
4,907
Pearson 530 Admiralty Bay, Bequia SVG
In my experience, replacing the twist lock plugs now and then is just one of the costs of boating. Most burned plugs happen because the plug untwists and is just hanging there by the prongs making poor contact. I got in the habit of twisting them whenever I passed by and that helped a lot. The metal ring (plastic) should be tightened to the inlet and all connections in the line, then the twist lock shouldn't be a problem, but many to not use tighten these religiously.
All the others, including the smart plug don't really seem to be an improvement and I believe Boater's How-To indicates that.
 
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D

dlochner

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Jan 11, 2014
12,731
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
In any country you will find manufacturers who will build quality components if they are paid to produce quality products, just ask Apple. Many of their products are well designed and well built and built in China. Then there is Harbor Freight who asks for products built to a price, to put it euphemistically, and much of their stuff is of poor or mediocre quality.

Historically this has been true. Japan in the 50s and 60s was seen as a cheap producer of goods and they produced cheap goods. Once Japanesse companies were paid to produce quality goods, they produced quality goods. It also happened in Korea, and is now happening in Viet Nam.

In most cases you get what you pay for.
 
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Davidasailor26

Davidasailor26

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May 17, 2004
5,551
Beneteau Oceanis 37 Havre de Grace
capta said:
All the others, including the smart plug don't really seem to be an improvement and I believe Boater's How-To indicates that.
Click to expand
I haven’t seen the boater how-to material on the smart plug, but the marinehowto article at Shore Power - SmartPlug vs. 1938 - Marine How To suggests there are worthwhile differences. My experience is that the twist-lock’s ability to loosen itself and unlock is not possible with the Smart Plug. It has three clips that don’t leave any room for the plug to work its way loose.


DeniseO30 said:
"Marinco®, Mastervolt, Ancor®, BEP, ProMariner, and C-Zone™, designs and manufactures a broad product portfolio of electrical components and power management systems for marine, specialty vehicle, and industrial markets. More information please visit www.marinco.com, www.mastervolt.com, www.ancorproducts.com or www.promariner.com. Power Products, LLC is headquartered in Menomonee Falls, WI with facilities across the United States and in the Netherlands, New Zealand, Mexico and China."
Click to expand
There is a significant difference between a product manufactured in China but backed by US company and one from a Chinese based company. The US based company, particularly a longstanding one, provides a local presence that you can go to with problems. That in itself motivates them to have some level of QA that an offshore company unloading on a marketplace likely won’t have. I’m not saying every US based company will have that level of QA, but in general I think they probably do.

The Marinco receptacle on Defender is $30. If the knock-off is 1/3rd of the cost that’s $20 less. To save $20 a device that needs to work to protect my boat and the boats around it sounds reasonable to me. If nothing else if the genuine Marinco plug failed I’d rather explain that to my insurance agent than if the knock-off did.
 
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Siamese

Siamese

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Aug 2, 2009
651
Catalina 315 Muskegon
Another vote for Smart Plug here. Doesn't seem like a place to skimp.
 
J

jrussnogle

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Apr 19, 2010
60
S2 9.2C Lincoln, NE
I suggest you read this article and then make up your mind. SmartPlugs are so much easier to use and eliminate a common source of shore power problems.

marinehowto.com

Shore Power - SmartPlug vs. 1938 - Marine How To

SmartPlug vs. 1938 In today's day and age it is far and few between that I come across products that: #1 Do as they say. #2 Are built to an exceptional standard. #3 Redefine what great is. The SmartPlug is one
marinehowto.com
 
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Mark Maulden

Mark Maulden

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Jan 25, 2011
2,436
S2 11.0A Anacortes, WA
I’ve used Marinco for 50 yrs and four different boats in the PNW. Never a problem. I take the extra few seconds to screw the ring down tight so it seals. If you don’t want to do that, then get the smart one.
 
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capta

capta

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Jun 4, 2009
4,907
Pearson 530 Admiralty Bay, Bequia SVG
Davidasailor26 said:
I haven’t seen the boater how-to material on the smart plug, but the marinehowto article at Shore Power - SmartPlug vs. 1938 - Marine How To suggests there are worthwhile differences. My experience is that the twist-lock’s ability to loosen itself and unlock is not possible with the Smart Plug. It has three clips that don’t leave any room for the plug to work its way loose.
Click to expand
OK, you got me. Marine how to it is. I believe Rod has changed his opinion on the smart plug.
 
Ward H

Ward H

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Nov 7, 2011
3,774
Catalina 30 Mk II Cedar Creek, Bayville NJ
I too am a Smart Plug fan and installed one on my C30.
capta said:
I believe Rod has changed his opinion on the smart plug.
Click to expand
@capta Just curious, is this based on Rod's Marinehowto.com article or did he publish comments elsewhere?

I did reread the article linked and noted he does state he prefers to install new cord sets rather than installing the retrofit Smart Plug kits on existing cord sets.
I don't know if that is a change on Rod's opinion of the Smart Plug retrofit kit but doesn't sound like he changed his opinion on the Smart Plug itself.
 
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