Will my boat catch fire?

[osirissail]

Whether you "hardwire" or not is really a matter of practicality. Assuming that by "hardwiring" you mean removing the cabin top side shore power receptacle and directly connecting the shore power cable wires to the wires that formerly went to the receptacle. Everything else stays the same.

The practicality of having one end of the shore power cable permanently connected to the boat involves having a place which is part of the "junction box" that will hold 50 or 75 or 100 ft of cable. That requires a large compartment and since it is on the "outside" of the cockpit or cabin top wall it needs to be watertight and strong enough to take boarding seas and other wet impacts. This normally means using a metal hatch frame and cover to cover and seal the storage compartment for the shore power cable. Which can be done but definitely is not simple.

Being able to totally disconnect the shore power cable from the boat and bring it inside the cockpit to be stowed in a lazarette is a lot simpler. The outside shore power receptacle is small, and has a watertight cover. That is about as simple as you can get.

[St. Elsewhere]

Glenndining cord winders have the boat end hard wired, and has a weather-tight cover for the dockside plug end of it. The cord winds into a bucket.

[osirissail]

Originally Posted by St. Elsewhere

Glenndining cord winders have the boat end hard wired, and has a weather-tight cover for the dockside plug end of it. The cord winds into a bucket.

Great looking device and only $553 plus shipping and the cost of the cable. Here is the rest of the story from the Jamestown Catalog:
"The Glendinning Cablemaster is an electrically operated power cord reel that effortlessly extends, retracts, and stores your boat's shore power cable into a designated area below deck at the flip of the switch. The Cablemaster does not require any storage container; the shore power cable can free-fall into any void space that can handle the amount of cable. It handles all types of shore power cable from 1/2" to 1-5/8" diameter and works with every size of shore power cable between 16 and 206 amp service.
Glendinning's unique design eliminates slip rings or rushes. By eliminating the need for the detachable plug connection, which is used on boats that are not equipped with the Cablemaster, the shore power cable can be "hard-wired" to the boat's electrical system preventing hot spots and voltage drops."

[mitiempo]

If you are going to hard wire the cable on the boat the best way I think is to have the cable in a lazarette or cockpit locker and seal the current inlet permanently. Much easier to deal with that way, unplug from the dock and store in the locker. It does mean re-routing the wires to a locker though.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by nitpik

I don't wish to sound flippant, but surely someone who would find this to be difficult, would find the many other tasks associated with being a competent skipper to be challenging also.
I like BoatPoker's advice to trip the breakers before disconnect, to prevent arcing at this time.

I agree. We get a lot of the same "it's confusing" when it comes to 1-2-B switches, and I feel the same way. I don't think it's flippant, I think it's kinda stupid that people can figure out sail trim and running rigging, but can't figure out a simple switch.

I always turn off the breaker at the dock before I remove my power from the connector.

We also have two shorepower cords. We leave the one at the dock (and are rarely plugged in when we are not at the boat). We have another one for when we travel, and people are almost always amazed at how "clean your shorepower cord is!" I never felt it made any sense to keep removing the dock one for when we traveled. It's so much easier to leave it there.

Given that, hard wiring makes little sense for us.

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by St. Elsewhere

Glenndining cord winders have the boat end hard wired, and has a weather-tight cover for the dockside plug end of it. The cord winds into a bucket.

America is freakin' awesome!

I was ready to go around the world this month but I think I gotta wait until I can afford $600 to self wind my shore cord.

Looks like a must have...

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

America is freakin' awesome!

I was ready to go around the world this month but I think I gotta wait until I can afford $600 to self wind my shore cord.

Looks like a must have...

Yeah! But I bet it's made in China, pawned off on some show-off dock yachty, who owns his own dock, to boot.

[Windseeker]

I can't believe for what I spent on this connector that the weather proof sleeve has rotted away. That lasted only two years. What a disappointment.

[osirissail]

Originally Posted by Windseeker

I can't believe for what I spent on this connector that the weather proof sleeve has rotted away. That lasted only two years. What a disappointment.

But not unexpected. The sun's UV is indeed very powerful and it doesn't take long for petrochemical derived materials like plastic, etc., to break down and crumble. Add in the corrosive properties of salt water, ocean air and the process proceeds rapidly.

What I did was simply use UV resistant silicon caulk to fill and make a seal around the connector to cable/wire. Or you can use a variety of car sealants to close the open end of the connector.

Also you can purchase electrical self-vulcanizing rubber insulating tape to restore the connector to cable seal. The black tape is a thick rubber about 1/8" and the usual 3/4" wide. You unroll a length and remove the thin material that keeps the tape from stretching. Pulling or stretching the tape breaks tiny bubbles imbedded in the tape and starts a reaction that changes the layers of tape wrapped around the cable/connector into a solid rubber.

[JPA Cate]

Not too hard to prevent. Make a Sunbrella cover, slit along its length, fastening with velcro. Make it tight around the plug, and along the wire, and it will protect the plastic bit from the UV. Just use a scrap of UV resistant fabric left over from another project. Sometimes sailmakers and marine trimmers will give you scraps, if you ask. Any velcro not covered by the Sunbrella (or Weather-Max) will rot away from the UV. A little project like this can even be hand sewn. [Remember when you measure to allow for the thickness of hemmed areas and of the velcro.]

Ann

[feelsgood]

we usedto get the same problem but what I do now is when I fit anew plug after it is wired I fill the plug wit a product called CT1 sealant then put the plug together then Iapply some silicont self amalgamating tape to the plug and lead. So far the latest plug has lasted 4 years and no problems. Cheers Pete

[SmartPlug]

Originally Posted by Windseeker

I can't believe for what I spent on this connector that the weather proof sleeve has rotted away. That lasted only two years. What a disappointment.

Windseeker, your SmartPlug is covered under our 7 year warranty. Please contact me so I can provide you with replacement parts at no charge - tgilliland@smartplug.com
Thanks! - Terry

[SmartPlug]

Originally Posted by Windseeker

I can't believe for what I spent on this connector that the weather proof sleeve has rotted away. That lasted only two years. What a disappointment.

Windseeker, Sorry about your cordseal problem. Your SmartPlug is covered under our 7 year warranty. I will send you replacement parts at no charge. Please call our office at 206.285.2990 to provide your shipping information. Thanks, Terry

[wingless]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

Not too hard to prevent. Make a Sunbrella cover, slit along its length, fastening with velcro.

That is a good solution.

The "easy" solution is to purchase this Marinco cord cover. I am using one and it is doing fine w/ protecting the cords.

[sartorst]

As to the dielectric grease I think it also disapates heat from a pin point area to the area around it thus cooling it so to speak !it withstands heat up to 400 f