Adding shore power to boat

[LVANGEE]

Could anyone tell me what I need to add shorepower to my boat that I am restoring ... This is my first boat ,and was thinking of adding it to my boat . My boat does not have anything on it now.


1982 Silverline Farallon cuddy 350 merc

 

[arks]

Re: Adding shore power to boat

Here 's a short article about this very subject.
http://sailmagazine.com/boatworks/maintenance/shore-power_upgrade/
Remember, even if you only intend to add one or two 120v circuits, you'll need an AC distribution panel.
Unless you're very familiar with these systems I'd suggest you hire a qualified electrician for the job, or at least have one look at your work before energizing.
Either way, do the job correctly and be sure to use proper tinned wiring.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Adding shore power to boat

The important thing to remember about shore power is that if you do it wrong you can kill someone. If you do not understand the importance of proper AC power wiring then you are strongly advised to have someone else do this install. What the link does not show is a ground fault interrupter on the first out let in a string. That's required in AC power circuits.

 

[arks]

Re: Adding shore power to boat

Ground fault circuit interruption is covered in the second page of that link.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Adding shore power to boat

Agreed -- but the diagram does not. And in the case of powering a device such as a motor or pump the GFCI is a special breaker that goes in the entrance panel.

 

[bkwapisz]

Re: Adding shore power to boat

Agreed -- but the diagram does not. And in the case of powering a device such as a motor or pump the GFCI is a special breaker that goes in the entrance panel.

Putting the GFI in the breaker just puts the protection for the entire circuit in the panel, rather than at the outlet. I just redid a bathroom in my home and made the circuits for the jet tub, etc protected in the panel.

I ran another to the sink outlets without the GFI breaker, but put the GFI outlet there, so that if I want to to some electrical work in the bathroom I can trip the breaker for the bathroom outlets I can do it from there and don't have to make the trip to the breaker room. Just laziness on my part.

Not to mention a GFI breaker is a lot more expensive than a GFI outlet. Just make sure that if you use the outlet you continue the run to the rest of the plugs on the "load" side of the GFI.

 

[amanphoto]

Re: Adding shore power to boat

I have a question. How do I connect my power inverter to the shore power system. That way, I can have 110v while away from the dock. Then when I get back to the dock, should the inverter be isolated from 110v being back feeded threw it.

 

[Fl_Richard]

Re: Adding shore power to boat

BzzzzzZAP!!~! - your dead!

Dude-your over your head. An electrical Panel is a must. It will have a switch, generator(Inverter)- Off - Shore Power and appropriate circuit breakers.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Adding shore power to boat

GFI in the breaker panel IS required when there is nothing else on that circuit (meaning no GFI outlets). And connecting a direct wired motor to an outlet style GFI is not recommended. Granted, there would not likely be any high current draw motors being used on this boat but I want to make it perfectly clear what is and is not acceptable and safe. I also agree that this poster is probably over his head on this project.

 

[amanphoto]

Re: Adding shore power to boat

Ok another question. Why add "shore power"? When your at sea your boat runs off the batteries. And if you need 110V you have a power inverter connected to your batteries. Why can't you just use a beefy charger that charges or produces enough juice that the batteries don't drain when your using your 110v inverter? It seams simpler way to go.

 

[bkwapisz]

Re: Adding shore power to boat

GFI in the breaker panel IS required when there is nothing else on that circuit (meaning no GFI outlets). And connecting a direct wired motor to an outlet style GFI is not recommended. Granted, there would not likely be any high current draw motors being used on this boat but I want to make it perfectly clear what is and is not acceptable and safe. I also agree that this poster is probably over his head on this project.

So, what if he wanted to run a Tablesaw on the deck while out on the lake? Should he have a GFI then?

Seriously, unless you absolutely have to have 110v on the boat when it's away from port I'd forget it. I have an inverter on my big boat and never have used it. We have a Microwave, etc on there and I'm always afraid of draining battery power, so we bring cold stuff to eat, but we do have a fridge that's 12V/110V. Gotta have cold brewski's.

 

[marine4003]

Re: Adding shore power to boat

Ok another question. Why add "shore power"? When your at sea your boat runs off the batteries. And if you need 110V you have a power inverter connected to your batteries. Why can't you just use a beefy charger that charges or produces enough juice that the batteries don't drain when your using your 110v inverter? It seams simpler way to go.

Shore power is for running A/C..stereo and other 120vac so the demand is not running thru the 12v system ..inverters are great while the engine is running..again battery's not draining down..but you cant have a system using a charger to power the battery's..while using the inverter, without having the motor running..unless you have a genset..in which case you don't need an inverter. Chargers dont "supply" power for 110 items..they just charge, separate system.

 

[amanphoto]

Re: Adding shore power to boat

I was saying an Inverter that runs off batteries. Inverters work weather the engine is running or not. The engine's alternator charges the batteries when its running. A beefy Charger (two or three bank)will do the same thing.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Adding shore power to boat

Let's set the record straight about using a 110 volt battery charger to charge batteries running off an inverter that is running off the batteries. If you followed that statement you should have realized this is a full circle. If you also paid attention in high school physics class you would have learned that perpetual motion has not been invented yet. Meaning everything in that system results in losses. A battery charger uses more power than it produces so that's one loss. An inverter uses more power than it produces so that's another loss. And all the while this is going on the items you are trying to run are sucking the life out of the batteries INCLUDING THE BATTERY CHARGER AND THE INVERTER. And those are big losses. So trying to charge a battery the way you think you can is not practical. In fact it would speed the discharge process.

 

[amanphoto]

Re: Adding shore power to boat

Maybe I wasn't clear. I'm not saying connect the battery charger to the inverter. That doesn't make any scene. I'm staying connect the inverter to the battery charger. The battery charger gets connected to 110V from the dock. This way you don't have to put in a separate switch for the 110V shore power setup. It's just simplifying things.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Adding shore power to boat

I understood what you were saying.

What I am wondering about is why you would want/need to have shorepower on a cuddy cabin boat that the OP has. Its not like you have a 110 stove or fridge in the thing.

 

[amanphoto]

Re: Adding shore power to boat

Its simple. You need 110V for your wife's hair dryer. LOL

 

[marine4003]

Re: Adding shore power to boat

Maybe I wasn't clear. I'm not saying connect the battery charger to the inverter. That doesn't make any scene. I'm staying connect the inverter to the battery charger. The battery charger gets connected to 110V from the dock. This way you don't have to put in a separate switch for the 110V shore power setup. It's just simplifying things.

In that case..just use the 110 hook-up on the dock power..most marinas have them.
Hair dryer..hair dryer..you mean i just wasted my time being concerned about how to power a hair dryer? throw the dam thing overboard and get on with the boating.