shore power help !

[cutlass1970]

OK ! ,,, here's the deal !!!
I have an 87 Chap 230 XLC, and I want to
install 30A 125AMP shore power.
for the following,,,
#1 : batt charger
#2 : auto bilge pump
#3 : 2 x AC outlets for lamps and microwave

Can someone tell me what I have to get ( in boat )

I am installing a Marinco 30A 125AMP inlet ( is that enough ? )
but after that I'm not sure what I need
distribution panel?
fuse panel?
both?
wiring ?

I am knowledgeable in electricity ( renovated many houses )
and I know there are compliance differences on the marine
side of things, so I need to know what those are !
i.e. wire types/gauges/gfci/fuses/panels and so on,,,

thnx to who ever re's me

 

[seabob4]

Re: shore power help !

...install 30A 125AMP shore power.

I believe you meant 30A, 125V shore power...

First, your bilge pump, auto or not, is a 12VDC appliance, won't run on AC. Unless of course you have some sort of 120VAC pump down there, which I doubt...

You're not going to need a 30A service for what you say you want to run, but no problem having it, just a bit more expensive than 15A.

So, you need a 30A inlet, a galvanic isolator, a distribution panel, and all the stuff downstream from there. The incoming feed from the dock will have the ground interuppted by the isolator, this will take care of any issues with your shorepower supply. Use 10/3 stranded, preferably Pacer or Ancor for your feed the panel. Main breaker should be 30A DP. Run a jumper from the neutral side of the breaker to a dedicated neutral buss. Install a separate ground buss as well, and terminate ground here. For your outlets and micro, wire the outlets the same as you do in a house, using 12/3 stranded, use a 15A SP for each, run the neutrals to the neutral buss, the grounds to the ground buss.

Now, this is where it gets different than a house. Tie in your main DC ground to the AC ground buss. This gives the AC ground the path it needs to achieve ground, basically through your engine and it's zincs.

Piece of cake, especially for what you want to do, which is minimal. You might want to also consider installing a battery charger with a separate circuit for that. Plug in shorepower, turn on your main breaker, turn on the batt charger breaker, and walk away...no extension cords to trip on or get in the way, always available to you...

 

[arks]

Re: shore power help !

Good info by seabob.
All I can add is that the stranded wire needs to be tinned, and your battery charger should be a 'smart' charger that automatically goes into maintenance mode after charging.

Come to think of it, maybe this would be a good time to add a second battery and switch- if you don't have one.

 

[seabob4]

Re: shore power help !

Forgot one little thing. The first outlet in the "chain" should be a GFCI, then feed the downstream outlets from there.

If you are thinking about an on-board batt charger wired to the panel, go with ProMariner...