Upgrading AC cable

[bwindrope]

My Gulf 32 was built in 88, and like most production boats of the era had hit and miss AC systems. Years ago I installed a 15 am dual pole breaker as ABYC requires between the shore power and main electrical panel. The panel came with one single pole breaker rated to 37amps! No protection at all, given the cable they used and outlets are only rated to 15.

Anyway, I recently got around to replacing my original shore power system with a Smartplug system. Glad to do that. When I did so, I noticed the AC cable going into the shore power junction looked heat damaged, and the cover was brittle. This is cable from 1988 or before.

So I got to it and bought some Ancor flat 10/3 tinned cable and today went to Aeolus and replace the section between the shore power and my breaker. The old cable was certainly not great to begin with and past its prime.

I'll go back and replace the section between my breaker and the electrical panel next time around. Then over time I will get to the lines going to the outlets, but those are harder to reach and route and carry less load than the supply lines.

I've got photos of the old and new https://gulf32aeolus.blogspot.com/20...stem.html#more on my blog if you'd like visuals. All of us with production boats built long ago or without tinned AC cable should probably be replacing the stock AC cable. Boat fires and all.