Peculiar Receptacles!

Below are pics of the duplex receptacles on our 1984 Fu Hwa. I've never seen anything like 'em. One receptacle is the usual 110v American-style grounded. The other looks like, and fits, two-prong plugs but the voltage supplied is 12v.

And, of course, at the main panel there is a breaker in the 110v section labeled 'Outlet', and a breaker in the 12v section also labeled 'Outlet'.

Really? Anybody else got these things?

The wiring supplying one of these receptacles is surely original. Since all the cabinetwork is single-thickness plywood, there was no way to conceal the wiring.

We have a 34' 1984 Fu Hwa as well, and yes we have the same electrical setup. Weird but I do remember seeing in my younger years some 12 volt appliances being sold.

John

In 1987, the one on the right, is what Krogen used for 12 volt outlets. This is the last one that hasn't been converted to something else or terminated.

It wouldn't be difficult to convert them to duplex 120 volt receptacles. Just make sure the ground is actually there. Cap off the 12 volt wiring or better yet remove it from the box entirely. You can connect it to a cigarette lighter style outlet or a dual USB outlet and install it nearby.

1984 marine trawler labelle series, I have the exact same receptacles. I converted one to a duplex 120, like the idea of USB port. Have to look into that.

WesK said:

...You can connect it to a cigarette lighter style outlet or a dual USB outlet and install it nearby.

Click to expand...

My 1980 Taiwanese C&L 44 has similar outlets. Yes, 12 v plugs fit handily into the 120v side, but the 120v do not fit into the 12v side. Unfortunately, we did hear OOPS! from the admiral when trying to plug in the 12v freezer. In addition to a $300 brain to replace the one that was smoked, I changed out the 12v supply connection to one that is sufficiently different from the 120v that no accidental plugging into the wrong place can occur. You can try the 240 style plugs, so long as you don't also have some 240v stuff aboard. We still have some lamps that are 12 v, so the outlets nearby still get used.

Those 2 pin 12V receptacles were a 'standard' Taiwanese approach to wiring. I had double 12V receptacles side by side every double 120V receptacle. The PO had bought plastic inserts to help avoid mishaps, even though both the 120VAC and 12VDC receptacles had engraved plastic labels affixed. He and his family apparently had quite a few mishaps over the years.

So now the 12VDC receptacles are all gone, and in their place are the Australian 230VAC ones, with new wiring back to an additional switch panel that has ELCB protection. Unfortunately they are ugly white plastic instead of teak, but at times I will accept function over aesthetics.

But I am going to check in a couple of spots whether the 12V wiring is still there - I want to fit some USB outlets that have a 12VDC input, and finding some blanked off wiring would be a bonus.

The simple solution is to replace those 12V units with 240V plugs and sockets.

These are also polarized and will not fit in a 120V or any other socket than a 240v.(USA)

In Home Cheapo at a great price.

Many off grid folks use these instead of cigar plugs for DC as they can be had with a 15 or 20A rating and are cheap and foolproof.

Yep.
We've got one of those receptacles in our galley along with it's own dedicated switch on the fuse panel.
Thanks for starting this thread DHeckrotte, so I know how to deal with it now since we don't have any 12V appliances.
Looks like a USB outlet is the ticket.

We have the same receptacle on our Taiwan trawler fly-bridge, fed from the same terminal board, both AC and DC.

We have a couple of standard 12v outlets with its own switch on the panel. We also have an odd ball 12v receptacle that was added by the PO to power a 12v freezer/cooler in the aft cockpit. Based on the electrical tape on the plug on the cooler, I don't think it is what was standard with the cooler.

Need to find my soldering gun and check that....

I'm finding you can't have enough 12V outlets OR USB outlets.

You can buy a pair (one each) for about $12 on Amazon. Then buy a blank wall plate at the big-box home improvement store and use a hole saw to make appropriate sized holes for the outlets. They sell nylon wall plates that won't crack when you drill them.

CaptTom said:

I'm finding you can't have enough 12V outlets OR USB outlets.

You can buy a pair (one each) for about $12 on Amazon. Then buy a blank wall plate at the big-box home improvement store and use a hole saw to make appropriate sized holes for the outlets. They sell nylon wall plates that won't crack when you drill them.

Click to expand...

I dumped the face plate and drilled 2 holes. I then converted the AC outlet to a double. We now have 4-12 volt USB charging stations in the pilot house and 2 cigarette type plugs.

I want to replace all the internal AC outlets in my boat with something like this.

Can charge anything that takes a USB cord from anywhere then.

"so I know how to deal with it now since we don't have any 12V appliances."

Not even a 12v Fantastic fan?

dhays said:

I want to replace all the internal AC outlets in my boat with something like this.

Can charge anything that takes a USB cord from anywhere then.

Click to expand...

The only down side is you need AC power to the receptacle. That's what's nice about the plugs Capt Tom posted, they're 12 VDC and run off the house bank

While we're on the subject of USB outlets, be aware that they're not all created equal. Newer devices can draw 2 to 3 A (at 5V).

Also, there are "charging" and "data" cords. If the device detects that the connection is for charging only (based on the voltages present on the data pins in Apple devices, or the data pins being shorted for Android devices) then it will draw the full available current. If not, it may throttle charging to as little as 100mA. Android devices show this as "charging on DC." With a charging cord, it will say "charging on AC" and charge MUCH faster.

And, not to start a generational war, but I've found that anyone under a certain age doesn't understand how batteries work. Their phone batteries are forever at or near total discharge. They spend a good portion of every day searching for a power source to charge them back up to 10 or 15%, then head out to start the process over again.

It's very helpful to have an assortment of charging cords and outlets for guests. Without that, they get antsy and start talking about how they need to get going before their phone dies.

My 1985 Taiwanese trawler has the same receptacle (the only one of its kind on the boat) under the wet bar (now my work from home desk). I use the 110V for my computer and the 12 volt for my phone charger. Keeps everything neat and close by.

Lazy is good...for now.

Our dollar store solution to the confusion.

FF said:

"so I know how to deal with it now since we don't have any 12V appliances."

Not even a 12v Fantastic fan?

Click to expand...

There is a 12v fan, but it's for the windows at the lower helm.
Guess I should look up Fantastic Fan for the heck of it though.

dhays said:

I want to replace all the internal AC outlets in my boat with something like this.

Can charge anything that takes a USB cord from anywhere then.

Click to expand...

I did just that but only one. Then I realized that they only work on shorepower (or genset/inverter). Better choice is the 12 volt USB receptacles that are intended to replace the cigarette lighter receptacles. 12 volts all the time.

Larry M said:

The only down side is you need AC power to the receptacle. That's what's nice about the plugs Capt Tom posted, they're 12 VDC and run off the house bank

Click to expand...

Good point. I have the typical 12v outlets but it would be nice to add 12v USB power outlets like he posted. Since I have a 12v power outlet in the PH, would it be a bad idea to split it and power both a USB receptacle and the standard 12v power outlet?

BTW, I installed a couple of those AC outlets with incorporated UBS charging today.

dhays said:

.........would it be a bad idea to split it and power both a USB receptacle and the standard 12v power outlet?
.

Click to expand...

That would be fine. You can buy wire terminals that allow "double tapping". Connecting two wires to one terminal. Put one on each terminal of your existing outlet, then reinstall the wires and add the wires to the new device.

"Guess I should look up Fantastic Fan for the heck of it though. "

Fantastic does a good line of rooftop vents , but for a breeze in a cabin or at your bunk, look at this,


Fantastic Vent Endless Breeze Fan - $56.49

Now that would be a nice amenity since we don't have an inverter...yet.
The only fan we have in our aft stateroom is 120V, and we're just now learning about NOT turning on the generator before 8:00am in some areas.