The beauty of twist lock connectors...

[ayates]

Symptoms of intermittent power when wiggling the connector, and socket heating up... Caught before it went up in smoke!

Will be replaced by pin & sleeve...

Also need to upgrade to tinned wire...


Allan.

[wrwakefield]

This happens to many vessels.

We replaced our 1939 designed twistlock with a Smartplug. No issues since then...

If you are interested, there are many more details and links to other reference materials on our post about changing to a Smartplug...

Best wishes with your project.

Cheers! Bill

[ayates]

Originally Posted by wrwakefield

...We replaced our 1939 designed twistlock with a Smartplug....

Thx. I am aware of the SmartPlug, and it is reportedly high quality, and is designed for simple retrofit. However, it is proprietary, while my preference is for a standards based connector; in this case the industry standard IEC 60309.


Allan.

[jrambo316]

+1 on Smart Plug. Replaced inlet and connectors on two power cords myself no problem.

[Bill O]

Alan,
We have a new 30A/125v smartplug socket and 50' cord for sale that we never installed.

PM me if interested.

Bill O.

[Dockhead]

Your Marinco plug did what they do -- pop, fizzle, blow. This diabolical device should be banned. You're lucky your boat didn't burn down.


IEC 60309, the blue plug, is fine; I had that for a while. 1000x if not 10,000x better than Marinco, cheap, universally available. But I'm using SmartPlug now, and in my opinion that's yet another level better.

[Capt.Don]

Originally Posted by Bill O

Alan,
We have a new 30A/125v smartplug socket and 50' cord for sale that we never installed.

PM me if interested.

Bill O.

Bill, if Alan is not interested in your smart plug, I would be.
Don

[ronstory]

... and another +1 for smartplug. Get two plug ends so you can leave cord at the home slip and other on brand new Marinco cord that I cut off the evil end before it was every used.

[boom23]

Originally Posted by ayates

Thx. I am aware of the SmartPlug, and it is reportedly high quality, and is designed for simple retrofit. However, it is proprietary, while my preference is for a standards based connector; in this case the industry standard IEC 60309.


Allan.

I've had two (new) boats that had the same plug problem. I've switched to the SmartPlug since then. It's very easy to do and gives you peace of mind.

[tanglewood]

Originally Posted by ayates

Thx. I am aware of the SmartPlug, and it is reportedly high quality, and is designed for simple retrofit. However, it is proprietary, while my preference is for a standards based connector; in this case the industry standard IEC 60309.


Allan.

I really like the IEC plugs for the same reason. High quality, and standardized.

[DenisHeinrichs]

You might want to check with your insurance company. Mine gives me a discount for using a SmartPlug.

[leftbrainstuff]

The legacy shorepower connectors are truly horrible. These designs would barely achieve a 2 out of 10 in a first year engineering design assesment.

With over 1kW of solar and carbon foam batteries we have little need for shorepower.

In our next battery upgrade, say in 5 years, we'll remove all the shorepower systems. And good riddance to all that junk.

We have always run a short 'disposable' cord from the shorepower box to our marine shorepower cords. They often get burnt by junk connections. This keeps failures off the boat.

I also ensure all our connections have seen the corrosionx spray can at some point.

[Pete7]

Out of curiosity what sort of plug do US pontoons have on them to connect to?

The blue plug (16A) is pretty universal in the marine and caravan (RV) world in the UK and France.

Pete

[MarkSF]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Out of curiosity what sort of plug do US pontoons have on them to connect to?

The blue plug (16A) is pretty universal in the marine and caravan (RV) world in the UK and France.

Pete

They usually have a twistlock. At least if you upgrade the boat end to Smartplug, you only have evil at the dock side!

[JON REISWIG]

Hey Denali Rose I could not access your post on the smart plug