T&T: Shore Power Cords 30 and 50 Pigtail

[Peter Bennett]

Monday, February 19, 2007, 7:25:25 PM, Michael wrote:

ML> Good day listees,
ML> I was at the Miami boat show looking for shore power cords.  Several good
ML> suppliers had 30 amp, 25 ft in the range of $55, and 50 amp, 25 ft in the
ML> range of $395, but I think I've seen the 50 amp cheaper.  Why is the 50 amp
ML> so massively more expensive?  7 times!  Could you not just use a pigtail and
ML> use two 30 cords that then go into the 50 amp receptacle on the boat via the
ML> pigtail?  A lot cheaper if that would work.
ML> Thanks in advance for the input--
ML> Michael Liddle
ML> captmike@SharetheCruise07.com

The two 30 amp solution gives you two times 30 amp, 120 volt, where
the 50 amp cord will give you two times 50 amp, 120 volt, along with
the capability to use some of that as a 240 volt source. There's no
guarantee that you'll get 240 volts between the hot sides of two random
120 volt outlets.

There are special Y-cords available from Marinco and others to safely
connect a 50 amp 240 volt boat inlet to two 30 amp 120 volt dock
outlets.


-- 
Peter Bennett, VE7CEI    Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Lien Hwa 28 (AKA Polaris 30) "Sea Spray"
GPS and NMEA info: http://vancouver-webpages.com/peter 
Vancouver Power Squadron: http://vancouver.powersquadron.ca