Cleaning grimy shore power cable

[davil]

Originally Posted by JordanH

This was my thought too... although... where are you getting $40 shore cables?!?! Up here, they are $120 - $170 depending on length.


The way I figure it, the amount of time to clean a 30' or 50' shore power cable + the cost of cleaning materials + aggravation of having to do it again in one or two years... I would look seriously hard at all of that to see if it's more expensive than just buying a new one. At $40, it's a no brainer to buy a new cord. At $170... well... I might see if I could extend its life.

==========================================

Clear Power 50 ft Heavy Duty Outdoor Extension Cord 12/3 SJTW, Water & Weather Resistant, Flame Retardant, Yellow, 3 Prong Grounded Plug, CP10145
Visit the Clear Power Store
4.9 out of 5 stars 1,041 ratings
Amazon's
Choice
for "heavy duty extension cord"
Price: $43.99 & FREE Returns

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by davil

==========================================

Clear Power 50 ft Heavy Duty Outdoor Extension Cord 12/3 SJTW, Water & Weather Resistant, Flame Retardant, Yellow, 3 Prong Grounded Plug, CP10145
Visit the Clear Power Store
4.9 out of 5 stars 1,041 ratings
Amazon's
Choice
for "heavy duty extension cord"
Price: $43.99 & FREE Returns

It won't fit the marina's power pedestal and it won't fit your boat's power inlet.

[davil]

No will not
43 bucks will buy the 25 ft of cable, you need to cut both ends.
If the old cable has the end fittings removable you are fine just remove and connect to new cable, if the old cable uses sealed, welded terminals then just cut both ends about 1 foot long or more and splice them on the new cable, use crimper, proper sized butt to butt fittings, use heat tubes to proper seal the crimped areas, voilà, you have a brand new electric extension about 100 dollars cheaper, have done this several times.
The reason I cut both ends at least a foot is to give me enough cable to pull out of the receptacles without straining the spliced area.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by davil

No will not
43 bucks will buy the 25 ft of cable, you need to cut both ends.
If the old cable has the end fittings removable you are fine just remove and connect to new cable, if the old cable uses sealed, welded terminals then just cut both ends about 1 foot long or more and splice them on the new cable, use crimper, proper sized butt to butt fittings, use heat tubes to proper seal the crimped areas, voilà, you have a brand new electric extension about 100 dollars cheaper, have done this several times.
The reason I cut both ends at least a foot is to give me enough cable to pull out of the receptacles without straining the spliced area.

Or this..

[JRO]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

5 min with a $0.50 magic eraser while washing the boat once a year vs 1 hour to head up to west marine and spend $60-80 once a year
Hmmm....

Amazon and West Marine will deliver it to your boat. $.50 and 60 minutes… You’re only fooling yourself. And if the value of an hour of your time is less than $100… A dirty cord is not the problem unless you enjoy cleaning.

[sailortype]

"Amazon and West Marine will deliver it to your boat. $.50 and 60 minutes… You’re only fooling yourself. And if the value of an hour of your time is less than $100… A dirty cord is not the problem unless you enjoy cleaning."
this... is just a perfect example of why the world is in a death spiral. Can't waste our time cleaning a dirty cord... our time is SO important. Just throw it in the landfill and buy another one.
Consumerism at it's worst.

like... why not just use the dirty cord ffs..?

[JRO]

Originally Posted by sailortype

"Amazon and West Marine will deliver it to your boat. $.50 and 60 minutes… You’re only fooling yourself. And if the value of an hour of your time is less than $100… A dirty cord is not the problem unless you enjoy cleaning."
this... is just a perfect example of why the world is in a death spiral. Can't waste our time cleaning a dirty cord... our time is SO important. Just throw it in the landfill and buy another one.
Consumerism at it's worst.
like... why not just use the dirty cord ffs..?

Yeah… Life sucks. Owning a yacht is insane. Some people go so far as to have air conditioners and
three or four big screen televisions on their yachts. Can you believe how terrible humans are? No one’s ever thought of giving away things that they no longer want or take them to a secondhand store. Wouldn’t it be in great if someone opened up a secondhand boat parts store? What a brilliant idea. Well that’s likely never to happen.

[sailortype]

life may or may not suck. Rampant consumerism does, as does self-entitled shiny new cords every year. Tks for reinforcing the point.

[JRO]

Originally Posted by sailortype

life may or may not suck. Rampant consumerism does, as does self-entitled shiny new cords every year. Tks for reinforcing the point.

You don’t have a point. You’re just hiding the fact that you’re broke or stupid or both… You own a boat so being stupid is confirmed.

[nightowle]

https://www.amazon.com/Star-brite-Po.../dp/B001444RTQ

Our power cord looked really nasty. Took a bit of time to work this stuff over 50' of cord, but it cleaned it all very nicely and has stayed looking good for over a year now.

I think I'll follow some of the previous advice and give it some 303 protection.

[sailortype]

"You don’t have a point. You’re just hiding the fact that you’re broke or stupid or both… You own a boat so being stupid is confirmed."
that... was just beyond stupid.

[AKA-None]

So help me understand we are talking about tossing a functioning power cord because it’s dirty?
Sigh

[sailortype]

apparently. They are ONLY $100.00

and our time is way more valuable than that...........

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by davil

No will not
......... if the old cable uses sealed, welded terminals then just cut both ends about 1 foot long or more and splice them on the new cable, use crimper, proper sized butt to butt fittings, use heat tubes to proper seal the crimped areas, voilà, you have a brand new electric extension about 100 dollars cheaper, have done this several times.

Surely you can't be serious!

I would much rather have a dirty cable than that cobbled up mess. And you've got no strain relief at your splices so as soon as someone puts some tension on them, your splices will come apart.

If you really want to make your own shorepower cords, buy the appropriate ends and whatever proper cable you need and go at it. Cutting the ends off an extension cord to get the cable you need is just dumb.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by JRO

Yeah… Life sucks. Owning a yacht is insane. Some people go so far as to have air conditioners and
three or four big screen televisions on their yachts. Can you believe how terrible humans are? No one’s ever thought of giving away things that they no longer want or take them to a secondhand store. Wouldn’t it be in great if someone opened up a secondhand boat parts store? What a brilliant idea. Well that’s likely never to happen.

Many marinas have a formal or informal place where boaters put stuff they don't want and other boaters can take it for themselves.