Has anyone ever cut off and replaced the end of their power cord?

There is a threshold issue here for Aussies. I`m fairly sure replacing plugs on a boat cord here is an electrician only job here, it certainly is for domestic/land activities. The boat cord I bought recently came with an electricians safety test certificate.
Of course most people can DIY it, it`s not difficult, I have an electrical engineer in the family but doubt even he`s qualified to do it. And if anything goes wrong, the insurer might get feisty.

Questions for Smart Plug Advocates

Do the 50amp 240/120 Smart Plugs work in a non Smart Plug shore power post, if not do you carry a second cord for traveling?

What percentage of the US/Canadian/Australian docks are Smart Plug equipped?

With our boat being outside the US for the last eight years I have missed this changeover. I have been on a few docks in the US in my land travels (Chicago, Michigan City, Annapolis and Sarasota) but have not noticed any of the shore power posts to be different from the old 50 amp twist lock plugs.

"Smart Plugs ' are only found on owner aftermarket installed locations.

Some folks have install one for bringing power into the hull, but the rest is the same as the past 5-6 decades.

Bay Pelican said:

Questions for Smart Plug Advocates

Do the 50amp 240/120 Smart Plugs work in a non Smart Plug shore power post, if not do you carry a second cord for traveling?

What percentage of the US/Canadian/Australian docks are Smart Plug equipped?

With our boat being outside the US for the last eight years I have missed this changeover. I have been on a few docks in the US in my land travels (Chicago, Michigan City, Annapolis and Sarasota) but have not noticed any of the shore power posts to be different from the old 50 amp twist lock plugs.

Click to expand...

Smart Plugs are on the boat side only. Dock side plug and receptacles remain the same old NEMA L5-30 (30amp) and SS-1 (50amp) connectors.

roguewave said:

I noticed I have a couple of spare 30 amp power cords for the boat. The female ends of these cords show signs of heat, as in the rubber area around the prongs are discolored and show signs of heat. I was wondering if anyone has cut off the plug and put on a new one. Obviously the new one must be water tight...just wondering is all. Hate to throw a real nice cord away.
Thanks

Click to expand...

If your cord is Marinco, call them. They have a great warranty on their cables and plugs.

BruceK said:

There is a threshold issue here for Aussies. I`m fairly sure replacing plugs on a boat cord here is an electrician only job here, it certainly is for domestic/land activities. The boat cord I bought recently came with an electricians safety test certificate.
Of course most people can DIY it, it`s not difficult, I have an electrical engineer in the family but doubt even he`s qualified to do it. And if anything goes wrong, the insurer might get feisty.

Click to expand...

Are you saying that in Australia, replacing a cord cap must be done by a licensed electrician?


To the OP, the companies that manufacture the cords sell repair parts. West Marine and other vendors have them. You will need the plug or socket and the appropriate weatherproofing boot. If you have any doubts of your ability (I have actually seen people screw this up), buy a new cord instead.

WesK, my words which you quoted are, as above,"fairly sure". Short of trying to wade through a mass of regulations,I checked a Sydney marine electrical website selling cords and plug fittings(Aquavolt). It says the connecting work has to be done by an electrician. That`s consistent with my understanding.
Can anyone DIY with mains electrical work in USA?

BruceK, yes we can change the ends on extension cords. In fact we can do anything we want to our boats that are not in commercial service. If you do it badly, you might not be able to buy insurance but there is no law that says you have to have insurance.

Can you guys change a wall switch or outlet in your own house?

I'm thinking the electricians union is very well connected in Oz.

Hi Parks, thanks for that.
No, I don`t think I can lawfully change a wall switch or GPO in my house. A friend(who owns a steam engine powered launch,uncannily quiet in operation) has electrical qualifications and he obtained a special license, limited to work on his home electrical system, but nowhere else.
Wiring cable, plugs, sockets etc are readily available at hardware stores. Do any get fitted by unqualified homeowners? Mmmm.
We had a recall on cheap cabling imported from China, widely sold, used by electricians. The insulation began degrading after 2 years, requiring stripping and replacement of cabling in new and refitted houses. That would cost! Retailers would have been liable for selling a product of unmerchantable quality,hope they recovered their loss from the supplier/importer.

HopCar said:

BruceK, yes we can change the ends on extension cords. In fact we can do anything we want to our boats that are not in commercial service. If you do it badly, you might not be able to buy insurance but there is no law that says you have to have insurance.

Can you guys change a wall switch or outlet in your own house?

I'm thinking the electricians union is very well connected in Oz.

Click to expand...

Most states (all??) require electricians to complete a 15 hour code review for updates. Further, there is another 6 hour mandatory study requirement that must be focused on the trade. Further, that 6 hour course must be taken in an approved setting....local college, approved electrical school. I lost track of the number of apprenticeship hours needed to take the journeyman's examine, its in the 5000 hour range I believe.

Now here is the kicker!!!! Massachusetts homeowners are allowed to change faucet washers and that is it via the plumbing code.

The electrical code allows Massachusetts HOMEOWNERS to pull electrical permits to wire their own homes!!!!! No training required

I have no issue with a homeowner being allowed to wire their own home without a training course. Think they should still have to pull a permit and have a rough in inspection before the wiring is covered. Would really like to see a building inspector have to do some serious inspection for a change. Have done a modest amount of wiring in my day both commercial and residential. Had qualified people show me what to do and checked my work, but never took any kind of a training course.

Ted

We used have a system where when the electrician had wired a house, he submitted a "Ready to Test" to the electrical authority and they came and inspected the job before it was put into use. Overkill? Don`t think it happens anymore.
I do not want to buy a house which some enthusiastic unqualified would be electrician had wired from start to finish. That`s asking for trouble. If you did that here, and asked someone in authority to check it, pretty sure you`d be told to rip it out,your mains connection would be terminated, and you`d be told to hire an electrician.

BruceK said:

We used have a system where when the electrician had wired a house, he submitted a "Ready to Test" to the electrical authority and they came and inspected the job before it was put into use. Overkill? Don`t think it happens anymore.
I do not want to buy a house which some enthusiastic unqualified would be electrician had wired from start to finish. That`s asking for trouble. If you did that here, and asked someone in authority to check it, pretty sure you`d be told to rip it out,your mains connection would be terminated, and you`d be told to hire an electrician.

Click to expand...

So it doesn't matter if it's done correctly; it only matters if it's done by the correct person (possibly union). That's why there are building codes and inspectors in this country. Glad I don't live in a nanny state.

Ted

In the USA, every state, county, city or town has building codes. Sometimes, the code requirements on one side of the street are different from the other side because of a political boundary.


In most areas, a permit is required for anything besides repairs or minor additions. If a permit is required, an inspection will be required as well. Even if the work is done by a licensed contractor, an inspection is required. The downside of this is, in many jurisdictions, inspectors are "cross trained". This means that the guy inspecting your electrical work may be a plumber who studied the electrical code. A friend of mine (homeowner) got flagged because he didn't use green screws for the ground on metal boxes. He had to change them all before his project passed inspection.


Of course, a lot of work gets done without permits or inspections either by homeowners or by unlicensed "contractors". Sometimes it's fine, sometimes it's a disaster waiting to happen.

foggysail said:

Most states (all??) require electricians to complete a 15 hour code review for updates. Further, there is another 6 hour mandatory study requirement that must be focused on the trade. Further, that 6 hour course must be taken in an approved setting....local college, approved electrical school. I lost track of the number of apprenticeship hours needed to take the journeyman's examine, its in the 5000 hour range I believe.

Now here is the kicker!!!! Massachusetts homeowners are allowed to change faucet washers and that is it via the plumbing code.

The electrical code allows Massachusetts HOMEOWNERS to pull electrical permits to wire their own homes!!!!! No training required

Click to expand...

I do all my own electrical work. Even replaced my fuse panel to 200 amp service breakers. I did get it inspected, the utility will not hook up the new meter base without codes compliance telling them your good to go.

sdowney717 said:

I do all my own electrical work. Even replaced my fuse panel to 200 amp service breakers. I did get it inspected, the utility will not hook up the new meter base without codes compliance telling them your good to go.

Click to expand...

Some do work correctly and many others do not. Years ago I did some electrical contracting. Insane how many times I found zip cord, the same stuff as lamp cords buried in walls. And that kind of junk stays there for the next unsuspecting home owner to contend with.

If those who work in the trades are required by law to currently attend 21 hours of classes before an electrical license can be renewed, there is no logical reason for home owners to be anointed qualified to do their own work with zero understanding of the National Electric Code. Fires and death become unnecessary risks when amateurs engage in such activities.

And as to inspections, inspectors cannot check every wire, spice, ground in a building. The probability of an untrained homeowner doing equal quality electrical work as an electrician who completed upwards to 5000 hours of apprentice work plus trade schools plus mandatory retraining for license renewal is nothing more than bull poop!

WesK said:

In the USA, every state, county, city or town has building codes. Sometimes, the code requirements on one side of the street are different from the other side because of a political boundary.

.

Click to expand...

That may have been true many years ago but not now. There are national codes to cover most trades. Sure, states can make exceptions but I have not read about any municipalities having their own code in years. Many years ago one had to get a Boston electrical license to do work in Boston. That was challenged in court, Boston lost.

The reason for the so called Boston license was to keep "out of town electricians" from doing work in Boston. And I want to make a comment about unions. I have not done any surveys although my experience proves that most trades people are not unionized. This is especially true when it comes to those who work for the general public.

Foggysail and WesK nailed it. If I buy a not new house, and unqualified persons were allowed to do the electrical fit out, how do I tell it was done properly despite amateur electricians being in action, without pulling the place apart? I can`t. It`s not nanny state to require potentially lethal electrical works to be done by qualified persons, it`s just good sense. But OCD, if you can`t live with that it`s entirely appropriate you don`t reside in a location with those requirements, and I respect your choice.

foggysail said:

If those who work in the trades are required by law to currently attend 21 hours of classes before an electrical license can be renewed, there is no logical reason for home owners to be anointed qualified to do their own work with zero understanding of the National Electric Code. Fires and death become unnecessary risks when amateurs engage in such activities.

And as to inspections, inspectors cannot check every wire, spice, ground in a building. The probability of an untrained homeowner doing equal quality electrical work as an electrician who completed upwards to 5000 hours of apprentice work plus trade schools plus mandatory retraining for license renewal is nothing more than bull poop!

Click to expand...

Wonder if you feel the same way about people being allowed to operate their boat without ever passing an extensive USCG test (3+ hours) to demonstrate they have learned the laws regarding the safe operation and compliance requirements of their vessel.

Ted

My second son is a "new-born" electrician. His first and latest non-union job was "electrifying" a building which paid almost as much as his clerk job at one of Trader Joe's grocery stores. Nevertheless, he found being an electrician much more satisfying than clerking even with the sweating and reaching over his head. After passing several rigorous tests recently, he's been offered a job at BART for repairing their electric-powered passenger cars.

Greetings,
Mr. f. Extensive training and state/federal certification is no guarantee of safe, quality work. There are numerous thread on TF chronicling shoddy, overpriced work done be "certified" professionals. To suggest someone cannot do their own plumbing, engine work, electrical work or what ever simply because they lack the "qualifications" is simply foolish.
That being said, yes, there ARE those who shouldn't be left alone with tools at any time.
I have done my own repairs on both our boats and our houses BUT I know enough to know when to call in the "professionals" even though they are few and far between.
As far as changing out the power cord ends. Yup. Been there, done that.

O C Diver said:

Wonder if you feel the same way about people being allowed to operate their boat without ever passing an extensive USCG test (3+ hours) to demonstrate they have learned the laws regarding the safe operation and compliance requirements of their vessel.

Ted

Click to expand...

I presume most boat drivers are ignorant, but it is amazing that almost all avoid colliding with me.

Answer to O C Diver:

No I do not. I do strongly recommend that anybody who purchases a boat, at a minimum, take Coast Guard Auxiliary or Power Squadron basic courses. I also do not agree with the out of control licensing of soooo many things by states. Hair dressers, painters and the list goes on. People should be able to such things without the government involvement. But there are professions/trades that should be licensed.

foggysail said:

Answer to O C Diver:

No I do not. I do strongly recommend that anybody who purchases a boat, at a minimum, take Coast Guard Auxiliary or Power Squadron basic courses. I also do not agree with the out of control licensing of soooo many things by states. Hair dressers, painters and the list goes on. People should be able to such things without the government involvement. But there are professions/trades that should be licensed.

Click to expand...

Maybe were not on the same page. If you're paying someone to work on your wiring, I think licensing is reasonable as the homeowner likely has no idea if the contractor is doing it correctly or not.

If you're working on your own house, that's different. Replacing a light switch, a wall receptacle, a ceiling light, a breaker in a panel, or a bathroom fan isn't rocket science. Maybe most people can't install a sub panel and wire a garage for lights and outlets, but that shouldn't prevent those of us who can and have, from doing it for ourselves.

Ted

O C Diver said:

Maybe were not on the same page. If you're paying someone to work on your wiring, I think licensing is reasonable as the homeowner likely has no idea if the contractor is doing it correctly or not.

If you're working on your own house, that's different. Replacing a light switch, a wall receptacle, a ceiling light, a breaker in a panel, or a bathroom fan isn't rocket science. Maybe most people can't install a sub panel and wire a garage for lights and outlets, but that shouldn't prevent those of us who can and have, from doing it for ourselves.

Ted

Click to expand...

Wiring a whole house us one thing, adding or repairing a circuit, with any of the bazillion home repair books out there is certainly within the limits of the average homeowner handyman.

Doing things right or sloppy ..... neither one is the guaranteed trait of a homeowner, or tradesman.

psneeld said:

Doing things right or sloppy ..... neither one is the guaranteed trait of a homeowner, or tradesman.

Click to expand...

That may well be. Although the odds are that the tradesman will do it right the first time.

I was in a Home Depot several years ago when a presumed home owner approached a sales clerk in the electrical section for advise for an outlet he was going to add in his home. Mainly, the discussion was around the wire to be used. The sales person showed the home owner a piece of 14-2 romex suggesting that it was the needed wire for his task.

I remember clearly the home owner's response! "WOW!!! That is for heavy duty wiring!"

I do not have any argument against folks changing an outlet, switch or simple things as long as they have some respect for the risks involved. Heck, I do my own plumbing repairs including adding additional pipes when I needed to. At least the person should do a little research for the task before doing anything.

The comparison I made pertaining to all the training and hands on experience prior to even being allowed to take the examination to become an electrician was made primarily to illustrate the inconsistency of allowing a home owner to wire his entire home with zero wiring knowledge. I consider that to be a foolish exemption.

Nobody can own their home forever....................unfortunately.

A family and friends up the street from me died when fire broke out from inside the walls at 2:00 AM. The dad who wired the renovation was not home and survived. Be careful out there.

I know (knew) an electrician who electrocuted himself. "Familiarity breeds contempt."
I had a friend who electrocuted himself trying to fix a clothes dryer on a 4th of July weekend when he couldn't get a repair person. I had a neighbor who electrocuted himself trying to install an attic fan.

Perhaps I'm a wuss, but I don't do anything electrical myself. Well, maybe just sometimes.

mike66 said:

A family and friends up the street from me died when fire broke out from inside the walls at 2:00 AM. The dad who wired the renovation was not home and survived. Be careful out there.

Click to expand...

If his work resulted in the fire, I don't envy how he must feel. There are some who just will not take advice, do things without understanding the life threatening risks. Terrible accident, I sincerely wish him the best.