Looking for an inlet that is highly corrosion-resistant? This is the back of a SmartPlug 30A inlet. Clearly not a satisfactory situation, but not exactly what you describe. The challenge to save energy, improve safety or make sure everything continues to perform in a harsh environment, are all candidates for good solutions. Try Marincos Stainless Cable TV/Internet Inlet. Its important to understand that I am not alone in my feelings about shore power safety. Regardless of the age or make of your craft, Wholesale Marine has the. FACT: I personally believe in this product and SmartPlug had nothing to do with my writing of this article. Read the full press release, Marinco 70A Trolling Motor Plug Wins 2017 Boating Industry Top Product Award, Marinco is honoured that the new 70A trolling motor plug and receptacle has recently been named one of the top 50 products of 2017 by Boating Industry. Every marine product we manufacture can face the harshest of conditions without sacrificing performance. I then slid it back and forth thus creating a corresponding mark on the sheet metal showing the actual contact area. Front of Pin Contact = 6mm X 8.5mm = 51 sq mm The challenge to save energy, improve safety or make sure everything continues to perform in a harsh environment, are all candidates for good solutions. As you can see here the metal used to create the clamping force on the male pin is a mere 1mm thick in the NEMA L5-30 socket. Marinco's EEL Line of Products. HBL29W78. 5- There are no seals on this plug standard thus it is very easy for corrosion to set in on the pins & sockets and create yet even more resistance. We dont and wont install replacement cord ends for customers. Returns are easy and youll always receive the best customer service and advice. If you know what you are looking for the early signs of high resistance can be pretty obvious. So why do I dislike it so much? RV Receptacle to Power Hookup. It would only be fair to show both. Marine Adapter, Molded "Y", Two 30A Locking Connectors to 50A Locking Plug. height: 350px; Shop for all your Hubbell plugs at Fisheries Supply today! complete line of products to meet practically every application. I believe in the dire seriousness of these issues 150%. A major reason for this inspection routine is to document the condition of each boats Inlet Receptacle, the device on the boats exterior to which the shore power cord is connected, and the condition of the mating end of the cord itself. The Marinco 50 Amp Shore power Female Connector is designed to withstands the rigors of sea life and hold up in marine environments. Corrosion is a direct contributor to high resistance. Due to a design, that included for the projected environmental concerns, the SmartPlug system is considerably better sealed in order to keep it as dry and corrosion free as is possible. Why are there no locking rings at the dock end? I do this purposely and by design to eliminate any potential for being called a shill. The Smart Plug pins are flat thus measurements are far easier. I knew exactly how to fix and remedy his problem, a new SmartPlug inlet and cord set.. If your wire run between the AC shore inlet to the AC main breaker, at the AC panel, is more than 10 wire feet, not as the crow flies, then you will want to install a second 30A or 50A double pole breaker. The positive locking mechanism is also considerably more robust. Wiring Device - Kellems is a proud member of the Hubbell family. Here is a different brand of NEMA L5-30, a non marine grade version, and we can see that the male pin is virtually the exact same thickness. , high-temperature washdowns, oil/coolant splashing, and are corrosion-resistant so they can be used in high-vibration marine environments. 6- The socket clamping mechanism/spring clamping feature is made from material just 1mm thick.. Marinco is honoured that the new 70A trolling motor plug and receptacle has recently been named one of the top 50 products of 2017 by Boating Industry. In order to dig deeper than weve ever seen before, into this antiquated standard, I bought a NEMA L5-30 socket. While many boats owners do improperly use these cord sets, and this too can lead to high resistance, many of them still fail and burn up even when being properly used with the locking rings properly used and installed.The failure modes are well beyond just one cause and most of it starts with the design. Once the plate is removed the inlet can be wired. This essentially means that no torquing or unintended loading of the spring clamping mechanism, beyond the design criteria, can occur with the SmartPlug. .jumbotron { FACT: I receive nothing from SmartPlug, zero, zilch, NADA. Up until now we have had no shore power thermal breakers that trip on high resistance / temperature just on overload of the circuit or an imbalance such as an ELCI (basically a whole boat GFCI).. Wholesale Marine has you covered, we carry shore power plugs and receptacles from brands such as Furrion Electrical, International Dock Products, and Marinco. For a 50-amp cord with a male connector and female twist-lock connector we have 18-inch cords like # CAM55572 and the others shown on the other linked page. The other reason there can be more contact area, is because the pins are flat not curved. Slide the weatherproof boot and metal two-piece connector body onto the cord. Back of Pin Contact = 16.4mm X 8.5mm = 139.4 sq mm Can't find what you're looking for? This company is not Chinese, as one may assume, but rather a German company where labor costs are quite high. This is the clamping screw for the AC BLACK/HOT wire. IMPORTANT: There are some in the industry who feel an auto-resetting breaker, of any kind including thermal, is not safe. More Options . Marine Products. The individual I spoke at length with was directly involved in the investigation and very confident about the eye witness and the perceived or assumed cause of this massive fire and where it originated. AS A MARINE ELECTRICIAN I TRULY DESPISE THIS ANTIQUATED & ARGUABLY UNSAFE STANDARD FOR SHORE POWER PLUGS/SOCKETS ON BOATS! Features: Industrial At the marina, many boaters want all the comforts of home- away from home. Think this stuff is not serious? Marine grade construction A main AC breaker on a boat needs to interrupt both the AC WHITE/NEUTRAL & AC BLACK/HOT wires, and be located quite closely to the AC shore inlet (10 or less). When I called SmartPlug, during the research phase of this article, I spend many hours or sometimes weeks researching before I delve into a detailed article, I asked about independent testing and temp scanning. Click part # below to order or call 1-800-406-8520 - Usually Ships within 24 hours . Think about this the next time you need a shore power cord. background-repeat: no-repeat; NEW Because of this dual stage insertion method the socket receptacle has to be shaped to accept both forms of engagement, insert and then the twist.. Product Features: I am trying my hardest to keep this information FREE. This is their new set screw design for clamping the inlet wire. To combat these issues the guys at SmartPlug came up with a floating & rotating head for their set screw design. Still 1.31 mm is pretty minimal for 30A of current, on a moving boat where corrosion is a huge player. - 14-30 standard 30A 240 volt 4-prong Dryer outlet found in homes built in 1996 and newer. Back of Pin Contact = 1.3mm X 2.7mm = 3.51 sq mm Shore cords weigh a lot and the cord alone can cause strain to the plug & socket, forget waves, boat movement or people stepping or tripping over the shore cord etc. The Marinco 30 Amp Standard Shore Power Inlet features a glass filled polyester construction that is UV stabilized and constructed for lasting strength. Resource Quick View. Here Im measuring the pin thickness of a NEMA L5-30 marine grade plug made by Marinco. 50 Amp 125 Volt Here we are looking at the back of the 120V SmartPlug inlet with the cover plate removed. 50 Amp Female Plug. Add to Project List. Due to the fact that he sails year round he keeps his boat heated with electricity to prevent it from freezing up. After 35 inserts and removals only two very small wire strands broke. See official legal notice page for details. Most of our marine devices are made in the United States and are UL listed, CSA approved, and CE certified. Wholesale Marine has those, as well! One look in the cockpit, or at the boat end of the cord, saves you a trip to the dock pedestal. align-items: center; Product Features: These failures are a combination of a poor design that is not well suited to the application and sometimes no option to use the cord-set properly even if an owner wanted to. margin-top: -10px; With this old, antiquated left over 1938 NEMA L5-30 standard there is approximately 20 times less surface contact area than there is in a modern SmartPlug. 2 pole, 3 wire Stainless steel fasteners. NEMA Locking Marine Grade Plugs . This allows it to have a long life and stand up in harsh marine environments. 50 Amp 125/250 Volt *Hubbell Watertight Twist-Lock Connectors are UL Listed. Mighty Cord. Copyright 1994 - 2023 Compass Marine Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Here is the lid gasket. This new SmartPlug 30A inlet is purposely designed to use the same mounting & hole pattern as the twist-lock standard 30A marine inlet. Adapter Plug. The industrial quality of these plugs gives the strength for long lasting use backed by our 5 year warranty. The Marinco 30 Amp Stainless Steel Shore Power Inlet is constructed of 316 marine grade stainless steel and includes a heavy duty cap strap for strength and durability. Twist-Lock failures, marina fires and the safety of my fellow boaters are what drive my motivation. That said the product is out there and is available. Over time the female spring mechanism tires, becomes weaker and the plug fits loosely and no longer snaps or clicks into the detentes. The receptacle is robust and offers massive contact area when compared to the circa 1938 twist-lock standard. Lets examine this further. When you look at the temp spread you can see a 23F rise in temperature, from the ambient air temp, on the circa 1938 NEMA L5-30 plug standard. Product Features: Harsh Environment Turn-Lock Connectors. Easily adapt your RV's 50-amp, twist-lock power inlet for use with a 50-amp, standard power cord. I have literally seen NEMA L5-30s forced in and inserted incorrectly. They were loaded to 28A for 1.5 hours at an ambient room temp of 72F.. (2) Hubbell HBL9452C 50A 125/250V 14-50P 3-Pole 4-Wire Industrial Grade Male Electrical Plug - Black. On boats we are in a corrosive environment, that also moves. This is an actual video that was posted on YouTube of the McCotters fire. This was a major part of the design criteria for this system.. Please try again. The gasket for keeping it water tight is also very well designed and engineered. Product Features: Once plugged in and locked a SmartPlug 30A or 50A male/female socket combo can not move side to side or up and down. Use with SKU #MAR-7788CR (weather proof cover). width: 100%; You bet. In todays day and age it is far and few between that I come across products that: I got a call from this owner one day saying his shore power cord looked charred and no surprise it certainly was. One is the circa 1938 NEMA L5-30 twist-lock standard, most boaters are using today, and the other is a SmartPlug. Please use the latest version of one of these browsers. If the connection between the cord and the boat is even slightly damaged, it will create heat that can eventually result in fire.. Factory made cord sets have a blue LED in the boat end of the cord. 3-Prong, twist-lock female plug locks onto the power inlet. This means it only has to insert but does not have to twist as well. Our Price: $ 148.75. Support for this site through my donate button (end of this article) help keep this site FREE and the in-depth brutally straight forward articles coming your way. 2 pole I installed a SmartPlug 30a in Atsa back in the summer of 2014 no issues and everything worked as advertised. Rustic American USA Flag Distressed Tow Trailer Hitch Cover Plug Insert. L18-30R. I used their retrofit kit and changed the end on my existing twist-lock cable. Because it does not involve fine threads, twisting and the plug cant physically wiggle, once inserted, the locking mechanism actually lasts for more than a few weeks before self destructing. 4 wire system / 2-hot, 1-neutral, Marinco 50 Amp Shore Power Female Connector display: flex; Fisheries Supply offers a wide variety of electrical marine products, including Marinco 12 volt trolling motor plugs, receptacles, and sockets. By that I mean calling out the sheer safety concerns of a left over, grandfathered & arguably dangerous standard from 1938 vs. todays technology designed from the ground up to minimize the exact issues the twist lock standard is fraught with. or any replacement part or upgrade your boat requires. They also prevent moisture and dust from entering the electrical box. SKU: 138089 | Item ID: MCO 2018BP-24. These MaxxHaul testers are designed to test your wiring harness by simply plugging the tester inline between your toe vehicle and trailer, turn on your lights and check the easy to read LED indicator lights. 50 Amp 125/250 Volt The Marinco ConnectPro features a locking plug and receptacle and spring clamping connection to provide a secure electrical contact. In stock and ready to ship. Hubbell CS8365C Twist-Lock Male Locking Electrical Plug. Remember this is called the twist-lock or HUBBELLOCK standard. We . Every product we make, from our rugged shore power cordsets and adapters to a wide array of 12V accessories, is designed to withstand the rigors of life at sea. This means that nearly 25% of all boat fires start in the shore cord/power system. Fast-forward to the spring of 2017, weve put over 10,000 nm on the log and we are now in Florida getting ready to head North for the summer, and I noticed that the rubber (?) WARNING: I will be honest here and say that I much prefer a new cord set and inlet as compared to the retrofit kit shown here. Threaded . Made to withstand the harsh marine environment, Hubbell shore power products are some of the best in the business - keeping your boat safe while plugged in. Stainless steel fasteners, Marinco Stainless Cable TV/Internet Inlet We are dedicated to developing and delivering marine products so that boat builders and boat captains can feel at ease while on the water. These Colors Don't Run Patriotic Eagle USA American Flag Tow Trailer Hitch Cover Plug Insert 1 1/4 inch (1.25") 2. This fire also turned McCotters into a SUPERFUND SITE for clean up. Prices, specifications, and images are subject to change without notice. . FACT: I make no compensation from SmartPlug, I do not sell it on this site and I have specifically & purposely not become a direct dealer so as to not impede or negatively impact the importance of this article. Compare. One of the reasons the SmartPlug can have so much more metal to metal contact surface area, between the male pins and the female socket, is because this is a single-action plug. (3) Hubbell CS8164C 50 Amp 480V Locking Connector - Black/White. Everything is clearly coded for a US AC wire color standard installation. Products shown as available are normally stocked but inventory levels cannot be guaranteed, For screen reader problems with this website, please call 1-800-430-3376 or text 38698 (standard carrier rates apply to texts), 30 ft. 10/3 STW 30-Amp RV Power Extension Cord with Power Light Lighted Plug, 3 ft. 10/3 Two 30 Amp Males to 50 Amp Female Marine Shore Power Y-Adapter, 36 ft. 6/4 Marine Shore Power 50 Amp 250-Volt Extension Cord NEMA SS2-50P to SS2-50R, 50 ft. STW 6/3 plus 8/1 RV/Marine 50 Amp 125-Volt/250-Volt Extension Cord 14-50P Plug to SS2-50R Twist Lock Receptacle, 50 ft. 10/3 30 Amp 125-Volt Marine Shore Power Extension Cord, 50 ft. STW 6/3+8/1 4-Wire Heavy-Duty RV/EV/Generator 50 Amp 125-Volt/250-Volt 14-50 Extension Cord NEMA 14-50P to 14-50R, 25 ft. 125 Volt 50 Amp RV Camper Extension Cord, 3 ft. 10/3 50 Amp Male to Two 30 Amp Females Marine Shore Power Y-Adapter, 25 ft. 6/4 50 Amp 125/250 Dual Voltage Marine Shore Power Extension Cord, 3 ft. 10/3 50 Amp Male to Two 50 Amp Females Marine Shore Power Y-Adapter, 25 ft. 125 Volt 30 Amp RV Camper Extension Cord, 3 ft. STW 6/3+8/1 4-Wire RV 50 Amp Y Adapter Cord NEMA 14-50P Plug to two 14-50R Female Receptacle, Limit the Use of My Sensitive Personal Information, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Black nylon Retail: $175.00. See our major markets and building types below. Get it as soon as Saturday, May 6. Product Features: Be sure to ask about our Customer Loyalty Program for additional savings. SITE PLUG: Here is a prime example of where your support comes in handy. 50 Amp 125 Volt The individual I spoke with at Bunyan Fire Department asked not to be identified because they were unsure if the damage numbers on boats, in dollars was accurate. (Tip: cut the green ground wire half an . Hubbell Twist-Lock Marine Grade Plugs . Product Features: Blatant hypocrisy? It should be noted that the vast majority of this system is made right here in America and I like that. This was a very early cord and they subsequently added more UV inhibitors in later production runs. This type of situation cant physically happen with the SmartPlug. Please understand & comprehend that you can easily start a fire with high resistance and never trip a circuit breaker. They are SS and lock into very thick and robust notches in the sides of the inlet. See our major markets and building types below. The guys at Smart Plug like to think outside the box and come up with very well designed equipment. Just need replacement male and female connectors? 3 of 3, Power Products provides life-saving and essential products in COVID-19 relief efforts, Power Products, LLC - A Menomonee Falls based division of Brunswick Corporation (NYSE: BC) is playing a vital role in the nationwide efforts to provide critical services during the COVID-19 crisis. SmartPlug sales have taken off dramatically and demand is high, and for good reason. I sure wish I could say I never see this, but I see it with regular frequency.. Unfortunately this call was in February, in Maine and the boat is stored in the water because this hearty owner sails year round. Product Features: 50 Amp 125/250 Volt 3 pole, 4 wire Marine grade twist lock construction Stainless steel. As the connections age corrosion can set in and this can create high resistance, especially with the highly susceptible 1938 twist-lock standard. I wrote this from my own physical experiences and from what I firmly believe, as a marine electrician, is safer. Manufacturer: Plug: Amps: Voltage : Poles /Wire: Part # Hubbell: L5-15P: 15A: 125V: 2 Pole, 3 Wire: HBL24W47: Hubbell: L5-20P: 20A . - TT-30 (Travel Trailer 30amp) 30A 120-volt 3-prong outlet, the older style found in RV parks, not used in . Darrell #1 goes to the dock pedestal and physically unplugs the shore power cord. When this plug standard began life it was back in 1938. In 1938 lead paint was the rage and asbestos was in everyday use. Trek Power 30A 125V Power Inlet Receptacle RV Power Twist Lock Inlet Marine Shore power Inlet with 3 Stainless Steel Pins for Camper RV, Black. Any boat that enters the marina under a new Moorage Agreement during the winter heating season shall be inspected within 15 days of its entry into the Marina. I am certainly not alone in my dislike for this antiquated & unsafe standard. This is the standard used for 30A shore power on boats here in the USA and elsewhere. All Rights Reserved. Inlet, Cable TV Square Stainless Steel. This is the original style plug which has now been updated, and further enhanced for ease of installation, but the basics are the same. In 1938 there were NO SAFETY STANDARDS for electrical safety on docks or boats. Furrion 30 Amp Male Plug- Yellow This cord-to-boat connection is subject to wear-and-tear damage from the activity of connecting and disconnecting the cord, and it is also subject to damage from wet winter weather, and it is a major source of fire in marinas. I regularly measure plug temps with my infrared thermometer and also see this in the real world.