T&T: Shore power Question

[Peter Bennett]

Thursday, October 25, 2007, 10:10:29 AM, John01 wrote:

Js> From: "Dan Winchester"

>>. This boat has 3 shore power sockets, one 50 amp
>> 120, one 30 amp 120 on the starboard side and another 50 amp 120 on the
>> port
>> side.  My question has to do with how these should be connected at the
>> panel.  If they are connected in parallel at the panel then all sockets
>> become hot  when any single socket is used which in my opinion raises a
>> big
>> safety issue because if someone takes the cover off the unused socket it
>> exposes 120 volts for easy contact. ... It seams to me that my
>> best option is to rewire back to the original configuration and abandon
>> the
>> starboard 50 amp socket or allow switching between the 50 amp sockets and
>> abandon the 30 amp socket which is no big deal since an adapter can be
>> used
>> to connect to a 30 amp shore power service.
>>
>> Am I looking at this right?  Are there options that would allow safely
>> keeping all three sockets without adding a very expensive switch that
>> would
>> allow selecting any of the 3 sources?

Js> Dan,
Js>    I had the same setup on my 48' Seamaster when I added  a 50 amp to the
Js> existing 2 - 30 amps.
Js>  I would not abandon any of the outlets.  What we did was to run each set of
Js> 30 amps (port & Stb) and the 50 amp
Js> to separate incoming Blue Sea switches. I believe they are #8077 for 30 amps
Js> & #8079 for 50 amp. These switches are
Js> right as I come into the salon from the aft deck and I can select which
Js> input I want to use to channel the power to the panel.

Js> Note, with this configuration you can still have power coming in one set and
Js> out the other if you do not select the proper
Js> switch setting.  I believe that they have switches that will do that but
Js> they are much more expensive.


Js> John Esch

Blue Sea Systems has mechanical interlock devices for those breakers -
part # 4126 will interlock three, two-pole breakers, so that only one
can be on at a time.


-- 
Peter Bennett, VE7CEI    Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Ennos 31 "Honeycomb"
GPS and NMEA info: http://vancouver-webpages.com/peter 
Vancouver Power Squadron: http://vancouver.powersquadron.ca