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01-13-2021, 12:18 PM
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#1
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Guru
City: Here
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,940
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Smart plug melt down
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01-13-2021, 12:54 PM
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#2
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Guru
City: Inside Passage Summer/Columbia River Winter
Vessel Name: Alaskan Sea-Duction
Vessel Model: 1988 M/Y Camargue YachtFisher
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 8,050
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Wasn't this the cause of the diver boat in SO Cali
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01-13-2021, 03:20 PM
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#3
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Moderator Emeritus
City: Au Gres, MI
Vessel Name: Black Dog
Vessel Model: Formula 41PC
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 21,185
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alaskan Sea-Duction
Wasn't this the cause of the diver boat in SO Cali
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No, the dive boat was anchored and not plugged into shore power. They think it was portable batteries being charged in the main salon, maybe.
__________________
Boat Nut:
If you are one there is no explanation necessary.
If you aren’t one, there is no explanation possible.
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01-13-2021, 03:32 PM
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#4
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Guru
City: Seattle
Vessel Name: AZZURRA
Vessel Model: Ocean Alexander 54
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 4,308
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Look at all the water draining out of the cord. Don’t think this is a smart plug issue. This is a water intrusion issue.
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01-13-2021, 05:48 PM
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#5
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Guru
City: Qualicum Beach, Vancouver Island
Vessel Name: Capricorn
Vessel Model: Mariner 30 - Sedan Cruiser 1969
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 2,019
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Boatpoker, love your boat. I've kind of lost interest in boats that are "glass specials." For a 2001 boat, it feels like a boat from the 1930- 60 era which is a compliment not an insult from me. I'm a fan of wooden boats, just not a fan of wooden hulls. My boat is glass over plywood which has made a huge difference in maintains (original build).
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01-13-2021, 05:57 PM
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#6
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Guru
City: Here
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,940
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rsn48
Boatpoker, love your boat. I've kind of lost interest in boats that are "glass specials." For a 2001 boat, it feels like a boat from the 1930- 60 era which is a compliment not an insult from me. I'm a fan of wooden boats, just not a fan of wooden hulls. My boat is glass over plywood which has made a huge difference in maintains (original build).
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Thanks, All my boats have been what I call "orphan boats".
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01-13-2021, 07:53 PM
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#7
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Guru
City: San Francisco
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 3,093
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tiltrider1
Look at all the water draining out of the cord. Don’t think this is a smart plug issue. This is a water intrusion issue.
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So, Smart Plugs can't be used near the water or in wet locations? Kinda limits their usefulness around boats....
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01-13-2021, 08:56 PM
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#8
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Moderator Emeritus
City: Au Gres, MI
Vessel Name: Black Dog
Vessel Model: Formula 41PC
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 21,185
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I have 2 of them on my boat. Never had any issues with them and he has had problems several times??? Maybe he was installing them incorrectly. The issue does seem to be the water inside of the plug. In the video I saw what appears like him pushing on the seal with a screw driver because it was sticking. If I remember correctly the directions tell you to lube it before you put it together. Maybe the lack of lube caused him to use a screwdriver on it and damaged the seal? Not sure because his video is from long distance and you can’t really tell exactly what he is doing.
__________________
Boat Nut:
If you are one there is no explanation necessary.
If you aren’t one, there is no explanation possible.
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01-13-2021, 09:35 PM
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#9
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Guru
City: Seattle
Vessel Name: AZZURRA
Vessel Model: Ocean Alexander 54
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 4,308
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DDW
So, Smart Plugs can't be used near the water or in wet locations? Kinda limits their usefulness around boats....
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Customer did a self install of a smart plug end on an old used power cord. We can’t be sure that it was done right. We also don’t know if he dropped the end in the water. We do know that a smart plug has more contact area then your standard 30A twist lock cable. I suspect that this failure would have happened regardless of what plug was on the end of that cable.
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01-13-2021, 09:46 PM
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#10
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Guru
City: Here
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,940
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My shorepower cords are hardwired. When not in use we simply pull them in from inside a locker in the pilot house.
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01-13-2021, 10:40 PM
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#11
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Guru
City: Gibsons, B.C., Canada
Vessel Name: Island Pride
Vessel Model: Palmer 32'
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,414
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Without actually inspecting his installation I can think of one big problem that I have seen people create for themselves by improper assembly of all plugs/receptacles on extension cords.
To often the cable insulation is not properly installed so the clamp and seal actually, RELIABLY grips the cable and closes on the insulation really gripping.
This can happen if the actual wires are cut too long, the clamp is improperly tightened or improperly set. The actual cable sheath must be gripped, not just at the very last bit of insulation but some what before the very insulation end. I have seen cables and hoses slip out of the clamping mechanism unless this detail is paid attention to.
Once that happens then water can enter the cable as the seal is gone when or if the insulation slides back.
His cable sheath is yellow so he has adapted his older cable from Marinco, or whoever, so if the installation was not done properly problems can occur.
The bend, as it enters the plug when connected to the receptacle could have contributed to the insulation pulling out or the clamp if not done properly.
Yes, these are details but are important details and this is also a guess from here just based on what I have seen over the years including my own goof ups.
Another could be once he installed the plug and never rechecked the actual wire clamps. Copper can flow from pressure, not much but it can. Add a bit of wiggling from use and it is just possible the wire clamp , not loosened yet, but the cold flow released some pressure under the clamps. Often in adaptions like this the plug should be opened some time later and the wire clamps given a tweak just to be sure.
But any looseness and resulting wetness can speed corrosion of the contacts
increasing resistance and of course heating.
Done properly these plugs are water tight.
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01-13-2021, 11:21 PM
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#12
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Guru
City: Gig Harbor
Vessel Name: Sandpiper
Vessel Model: Bluewater 40 Pilothouse Trawler
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 2,315
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Quote:
Originally Posted by boatpoker
My shorepower cords are hardwired. When not in use we simply pull them in from inside a locker in the pilot house.
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My shore cords were hardwired like yours for a very long time. Worked perfectly.
I now use a Marinco 30 amp inlet mounted through a 8" X 8" stainless plate which is fastened to a steel electrical box flush mounted in a cutout on the exterior of the cabin sides. There is a temperature sensor mounted to the top of the steel box inside the boat that will send an alarm if it detects a higher than normal temperature. Since there is metal between the shore inlet and combustibles, nothing to start fires. I use a standard Marinco cordset.
Reason for not hardwireing anymore. I have three shore power inlets and use one most of the time so having multiple hardwired cords was a hassle.
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01-13-2021, 11:35 PM
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#13
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Guru
City: Gulf Islands, BC Canada
Vessel Name: Sea Sanctuary
Vessel Model: Bayliner 4588
Join Date: Jul 2019
Posts: 5,017
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Hardwired?
Is there any comment from ABYC? In practise how far inside, is the cable used outside OK to run inside for any distance? I have the smartplug, but thinking of relocating.
__________________
SteveK
You only need one working engine. That is why I have two.
Sea Sanctuary-new to me 1992 Bayliner 4588
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01-14-2021, 12:39 AM
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#14
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Guru
City: Burien
Vessel Name: Intrepid
Vessel Model: North Pacific/ NP-45 Hull 10
Join Date: Apr 2020
Posts: 683
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On my boat the smart plugs are inside the stern behind a door so they never see any water.
This guys problem seems like load since all the plugs on the stern seem to show black stains from smoke?
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01-14-2021, 01:01 AM
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#15
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Guru
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 565
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Here’s another vote for smart plugs. On this boat, the inlet is forward of the helm door, maybe 6 feet off the water.
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01-14-2021, 02:06 AM
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#16
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Moderator Emeritus
City: Au Gres, MI
Vessel Name: Black Dog
Vessel Model: Formula 41PC
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 21,185
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Soo-Valley
Hardwired?
Is there any comment from ABYC? In practise how far inside, is the cable used outside OK to run inside for any distance? I have the smartplug, but thinking of relocating.
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The Glendinning cable system is hard wired. You would still need a breaker within 10’ if I read the guidelines correctly.
__________________
Boat Nut:
If you are one there is no explanation necessary.
If you aren’t one, there is no explanation possible.
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01-14-2021, 06:20 AM
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#17
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Guru
City: Here
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,940
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Comodave
The Glendinning cable system is hard wired. You would still need a breaker within 10’ if I read the guidelines correctly.
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Yes, thats all thats required.
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01-14-2021, 07:56 AM
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#18
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Guru
City: Bayfield, WI
Vessel Name: Gopher Broke
Vessel Model: Silverton 410 Sport Bridge
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 904
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Especially with the heavy 50 amp cords, we LOVE our Glendinning system. It was on our boat shopping list as a "nice to have" and turns out we were right.
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01-14-2021, 08:03 AM
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#19
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Guru
City: Rochester, NY
Vessel Name: Hour Glass
Vessel Model: Chris Craft 381 Catalina
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 7,550
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BDofMSP
Especially with the heavy 50 amp cords, we LOVE our Glendinning system. It was on our boat shopping list as a "nice to have" and turns out we were right.
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I wish I had a spot to mount something like that. Lugging 50 amp cords around by hand sucks, but with no cockpit or lazarette, I don't have a good alternative. Plus, hard wired cords would be good for reduced potential failure points.
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01-14-2021, 08:17 AM
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#20
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Guru
City: Edgewater, MD
Vessel Name: Catalina Jack
Vessel Model: Defever 44
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 3,585
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That guy was an abject idiot. First of all, his cords were retrofitted with a Smart Plug end. And, obviously, he did a shoemaker job of installing the plug. See the duck tape wrapped around the cord where it enters the plug. He did not use the cone-shaped insulators that come with the Smart Plug kit. Of course, there was water intrusion. Of course, a melt-down occurred. It was 100% user error, user stupidity.
When I first read about Smart Plugs, I retrofitted an old "yellow cord" cordset which was very stiff and difficult to manage but still serviceable. It worked just fine, not even a hint of heat at the inlet. But, I finally tired of manhandling that old, stiff cold - my wife couldn't at all - and purchased a factory-made Smart Plug cordset. It was one of the wisest boat equipment purchases I ever made. The cord jacket is some kind of silicone rubber, is lighter weight, and remaines flexible in even very cold weather. My wife is able to coil it whereas it was impossible with the other cordset. Plus, the Smart Plug end is factory-sealed, thus, never any worry about water intrusion. And never mind the ease of plugging in to the house inlet. No more being on hands and knees trying to line up the prongs blindly and having to thread on the locking ring. With the Smart Plug one just pushes without much force necessary until the plug clicks into place with absolutely no danger of it releasing on its own.
Quote:
Originally Posted by boatpoker
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