60a 110V Shore Power to 230V Boat System.

[Jammer]

The other possibility, as you point out, is to add a battery charger. You could just plug it directly into the shore power pedestal, with a suitable cord and connectors, and call it good. There are many installations that do just that.


The problem is that you give up the benefits of the isolation transformer and shore power system that you already have. As a practical matter you would also have to install the battery charger on the boat somewhere and tie it into the 24v battery bus with proper disconnects and overcurrent protectoin. Cable routing would have to be considered unless you just run the cable out the companionway when you need it. This ends up being heavy and expensive, and would have to be undone when you return to Asia, since its presence would not be in compliance with local electrical regulations.

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by SVHarmonie

This is important: With two hot wires all breakers MUST be double pole breakers.

If the above does not make sense to you, you'll need an electrician who does understand review your set up BEFORE YOU PLUG IT IN.

Wrong, he has an isolation transformer so it doesn't matter.

[Jammer]

Finally, I would suggest that you contact some of the places you intend to dock and ask what they offer.


You may find that substantially all the marinas that can accommodate your length and draft also have 240v at the pedestal.



The exceptions would mainly be those marinas that don't ordinarily serve 60'+ vessels but are able to do so as tie-alongs at the end of a dock with slips half that size. You may conclude that the expense/complexity/space don't justify the handful of nights you might spend at such places.

[Pelagic]

Thanks for clarifying.
Some comments below

Originally Posted by Dsanduril

No, the autotransformer really doesn't do much for you. As used in the article it is really for American vessels that want 120V from a Euro 240V (or a US 240V) connection.

Probably the simplest, in overall terms, is just to add the little brother 3600W Victron isolation unit to your system. Set it up for 120V in, 240V out. Hardwire your 120V shore power cable to the input. Connect the output in parallel with your existing isolation transformer (put a switch/breaker on the output of each so you don't waste power feeding the xfmr that is not in use).

If you are at a dock with 120V power you drag out that cable, connect it, and just carefully monitor your load so you don't exceed the capabilities of the 120V 30A circuit. If you are at a dock with 240 V power you drag out the cable connected to your existing 7000W unit.

It's extra expense and weight, but the 3600W can be had for about US$700 and it saves any fiddling around, allows long-term connections over the winter if needed, etc. You might be able to save a little getting something other than the Victron product, but not a ton.

That's an option I hadn't thought about and has the benefit of being a clean permanent solution if wired with a transfer switch and breaker as you advise.

The other benefit is that I am not buying a 120V charger, that can not be used if on 230V Generator.

Presently I have the 70a Multiplus charger and an old Skyla 50 that was purchased in 1991..... still works fine, but not what I would want to depend upon if the Multi went down.

I have plans on buying a 2nd Multiplus, since I've switched to induction cooking. So maybe time to retire the Skyla and put in the 2nd Multi, with the 3000W transformer as a step-up as I have the space to mount it in same area as the 7000w

We don't know how long we would keep the boat in the PNW and may head down to Mexico to defrost instead of returning to Asia, so this solution feels right...Thanks

For us, we have a 12V system and only 520Ah, so we have a 30A charger. Even if we happen to come in deeply discharged it can get us pretty much topped up overnight. We rely mostly on solar, it does pretty well during the summer. And there's not a lot of sailing on the inside, so the motoring makes up any deficits.

Yes, I expect to motorsail a lot

We love Petersburg, and the marina is right in town, but Wrangell has a few more options for eating out if you like meals away from the boat and are planning to spend the winter. I doubt you could find a slip in town in Wrangell, but you might be able to find one at Heritage Harbor just south of town. Shoemaker is several miles south and not convenient without a vehicle. IIRC Denali Rose (here on CF) keep their boat in Wrangell.

Don't know how long you've been up that way but many years ago we used to tow 2 unmanned container ships with active rudders controlled from the tug (Klondike and Yukon?) from Vancouver to Skagway. I used to board the ship's before Wrangell for more precise handling thru the narrows and stop off at Petersburg or Wrangle on the way back to tug.
Doubt if they would ever let us do that now

[Seadarer]

I travel in the PNW quite a bit, and use 50A 230V where ever possible. When I get to 30A 120V locations - and quite a few, I have had usual success in connecting to two 30A 120V connections with a Y-adaptor. https://www.marinco.com/en/ry504-2-30. Sometimes however, the host marinas don’t have enough power supply to allow connecting to more than one connection, or only have single phase power, and then I’m just stuck with using only 120V equipment.


Don

[Koz1]

Originally Posted by Seadarer

I travel in the PNW quite a bit, and use 50A 230V where ever possible. When I get to 30A 120V locations - and quite a few, I have had usual success in connecting to two 30A 120V connections with a Y-adaptor. https://www.marinco.com/en/ry504-2-30. Sometimes however, the host marinas don’t have enough power supply to allow connecting to more than one connection, or only have single phase power, and then I’m just stuck with using only 120V equipment.


Don

Are you using this on a European wired boat?