Anyone use a Smartplug?

Curious to hear your reviews. https://smartplug.com/

I replaced Marinco plugs with Smart Plugs. Boat was wired for 50 Amp but put 30 Amp plugs and wires.

Two years of use from Anacortes to Glacier Bay & back with no problems--so, they did what they were supposed to do.

When looking for a boat I assumed I would upgrade to 30Amp SmartPlug - but the boat we liked (and bought) is a 50Amp boat, and standard Marinco 50amp is much more robust than 30 amp, and much less prone to problems, so I'm just putting new std ends/plugs on my shore cord.

I put 2 of them on my boat 2 years ago. Really like them, very easy to plug in no trying to find which way the plugs go in and trying to twist lock the plug.

Transpac said:

Curious to hear your reviews.

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I bought and installed a 50 A-220V Smart plug about 4 years ago and haven't had one problem with it!

I changed all four of my plugs. Two 30 amp inputs, two forward, two aft, usage depends on dock configuration.
Like them, have had no problems. Easy to use and stupid proof.
Dock end is still Marinco style, figure that pushes any issues off the boat and makes it someone else's problem.

Transpac,
You may want to check out a very informative article on this product. See: https://pbase.com/mainecruising/installing_a_smart_plug
On that website, there is another article called "Hall of Fail" regarding shore power cord failures.
FYI, some insurance companies will give a reduction or rebate if you switch to a "Smart Plug" and have it professionally installed, so an inquiry may be a good idea if you decide to go ahead with the change.
I installed a Smart Plug on my previous boat and received an insurance rebate and was very happy with the product. Because my new (to me) boat came with a brand new cord, I have not yet installed one on this boat. I also regularly inspect my cords and boat connections.

I replaced the twin 30 amp marinco with SmartPlug probably 5+ years ago. No problem and I check the temperature of the plugs 2 or 3 times a year while a heavy load is on the system.

Just purchased a 30 amp one, hope to install it soon. Looks like by promotional material to be a great thing, time will tell.

I replaced both 50amp inlets on my boat and replaced one of my shore power cord end with SmartPlug. It takes a little bit of muscle to insert/remove the plug. I added some rescue tape around the cord to plug joint.
Overall I am very happy with the SmartPlug design. I do wish it had an LED showing power flowing.

I installed a 30amp Smart Plug outlet on my last sailboat. I really liked it. Much better than the traditional 30amp connector.

My current boat has 50amp/120v connections. They are much better than the 30amp so I don't feel the need to change to a Smart Plug.

However, most of the time I am plugged into 30amp services so switching would avoid having to use an adapter.

I installed a 30 amp Smartplug a couple years ago. A couple months ago I noticed that the orange outside case had cracked. I don't remember any way it could have been damaged. I sent a photo to Smartplug explaining that I had no proof of purchase and they sent me a new plug at no cost.

On the recommendation of a surveyor, 8 yrs ago, I put in a smart and got a $150 rebate from my insurer. Last summer the plug failed, and SP send me a new plug right away. The new one doesn't have the overtemperature cutout, that failed.

If you switch from Marinco, keep the old one aboard, as the SP is known to fail. Still a superior product and maybe the new one is better designed and less prone to failure.

Just purchased one to install when the boat comes out of storage. Can't seem to find the insurance discounts in Canada though.

Thanks everyone! I'm moving a Smartplug to the top of the shopping list for this season...

If you are replacing a 30A twist lock, then I can see the benefit of a SmartPlug. But if you have a 50A twist lock, I see no benefit. The 50A plugs are very robust.

When the SP was redesigned, the over temperature circuit breaker was eliminated.

The overtemp feature was the main reason to buy one. Without it I'm not sure if it's that much of an improvement.

Marincos new EEL cord with the jaw clamp design is similar to the SP without having to replace the inlet fitting.

syjos said:

When the SP was redesigned, the over temperature circuit breaker was eliminated.

The overtemp feature was the main reason to buy one. Without it I'm not sure if it's that much of an improvement.

Marincos new EEL cord with the jaw clamp design is similar to the SP without having to replace the inlet fitting.

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While the EEL cord by Marinco is nice (I have a 50/120 Marinco EEL for my permanent dock cord now) it isn't nearly as solid as a 30 amp Smart Plug connection. IMO, that is the primary reason to go with a 30amp Smart Plug over the traditional 30 amp plug.

We have been using the Marinco and Hubbel 30 amp fittings for nearly 40 years without problems. Not even burn marks on the spades. The key is to keep the plugs clean and the locking ring tight. Shoot it with a temperature gun when running close to 30 amps and check the temp of the fitting. If it is hot, time to clean or replace the plug or inlet.

Without the thermal cutoff, the improvement offered by Smart Plug is not worth the extra expense.

The primary reason for a Smart Plug is the vastly increased area of contact versus twist lock plugs. Also I love the plug because mine are low on the deck and I used to have to get down on my knees, not good, to line up the twist lock plug. Now I just bend over and push in the new plug until it latches close the cover down until it latches, no more getting down on my knees.

For what it's worth, I think the IEC pin and sleeve plugs are the best of all, used pretty much everywhere in the world except North America.

twistedtree said:

For what it's worth, I think the IEC pin and sleeve plugs are the best of all, used pretty much everywhere in the world except North America.

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I was not familiar with them. They do look really solid with lots of contact area.

dhays said:

I was not familiar with them. They do look really solid with lots of contact area.

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They are almost too big. I'm using one for a dock-to-shore connection for dock power, and it's a beast. The plug is a good foot long, and has a truly water proof IP67 connection to the receptacle, unlike all the US plugs which are a joke in that regard. And when the receptacle is not in use, it has a flip-down water proof cover.

I’ve had the SP inlets and cord for 7 years or so, absolutely no problems. Being a live aboard most of the time I’ll have a pretty heavy load when heating or cooling the boat. I did get a $100.00 reduction on my insurance premium. I just bought a 2nd pair of inlets to install on the port side. I’ll get started on that when the flooding is over and the marina is back in service. No power on the docks for well over a week and no water this year.

Well, another failed attempt at setting my boat on fire. South Louisiana was pretty chilly this weekend and we were running the electric heaters full time. Photo results attached. Next stop Smart Plug which will be a big improvement when plugging in, no more guessing where the L shaped prong goes in the dark.

Long term Smart Plug advocate- first with twin 30A, and now with a single 50A.

Side note- my office is directly upstairs from SmartPlug corporate office and manufacturing facility!

I love the Smart plug first because of the safety issue and second because how easy it is to plug in. Mine are down low on the side deck and I love not having to kneel down to plug in the power cords..

The plugs used by the RV industry , 4 pins made for ranges ,do not seem to have the problems that "marine" twist lock plugs have.

The pins are at least 3X 4X the surface area and self wipe each time they are inserted.

Not water proof unless in a proper box with a cover , but since the plugs are solid copper any green can be wiped off with a scouring pad in seconds.

Take a look in a RV store or at any big box store.The RV units cost more bur come with a built in handle to make removal easy.

It is worth the extra expense if for no other reason that I no longer have to struggle on my hands and knees plugging in that damn four-prong beast down low and very difficult to access along a narrow gunwhale. Not to mention just push in and forget. So, yeah, you can make it work well, most of the time but it's not for me.

syjos said:

We have been using the Marinco and Hubbel 30 amp fittings for nearly 40 years without problems. Not even burn marks on the spades. The key is to keep the plugs clean and the locking ring tight. Shoot it with a temperature gun when running close to 30 amps and check the temp of the fitting. If it is hot, time to clean or replace the plug or inlet.

Without the thermal cutoff, the improvement offered by Smart Plug is not worth the extra expense.

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I had installed after my original one started smoking and fried both the cord side and the boat side. If using original cord with new plug head, make sure to seal around cable as if not done correctly, water can get in.....