Smart Plug Electrical Pedestals

[Leonard Atkins]

We boat mostly the Hudson River, Lake Champlain and the NYS Canal System and have not seen any pedestals for the new smart plug connectors. Would be very interested hearing from anyone with local knowledge.


I have (2) old style Marinco 30 amp power cords, one new in the box. If there actually is a change in progress I would probably change the connector on the used cordset. Have not seen an adapter that could be used between the power point and the old style twist lock plug. I would prefer a plug & play adapter that I could just add to my adapter bag.



Appreciate any information.


Leonard

 

[Bacchus]

I have not heard of any locations or companies adopting smart plug for pedestals. That switch would be huge. Boat inlet and boat end of cord set is their target market AFAIK. That is typically the problem area with boat motion and proximity to do some real damage in case of fire. Not much movement at the pedestals and fire hazard not nearly as big of an issue.

 

[Comodave]

No, Smart Plug is only on the boat end. That is where I would be concerned about a fire. If the dock end catches fire it is bad but not as bad as on the boat end.

 

[kchace]

Not only that but a change on the dock end would require all boaters to change their cords or at least have an adapter which would of course defeat the purpose.

 

[Comodave]

The L5-30 plug isn't a very good design but I don’t ever see all the docks in the US moving to something better.

 

[C lectric]

To change to the Smart plugs we can do our boat one at a time and as long as the plug has approvals we have a good setup.

FOr the marinas to do it would entail hundreds of new receptacles for each marina plus the wiring changes. Maybe it can come when a marina does an electrical overhaul.

As suggested there is not the movement at the pedestals that there is on the boat.

I secure the dock end of my cord by a slight backwards twist so when I insert the plug and release it the cord is still trying to turn the plug in the locking direction. FOr winter connection I tie the cord into place with small stuff and also secure the cord body even before that. Now someone can accidentally kick or brush against it and it will not come undone.

My previous marina , a yacht club insisted that the cord plug be secured into the receptacle by tying or bungees as long as it was secured. There were still problems but it definitely reduced them.

 

[Helmsman]

I have not heard of any locations or companies adopting smart plug for pedestals. That switch would be huge. Boat inlet and boat end of cord set is their target market AFAIK. That is typically the problem area with boat motion and proximity to do some real damage in case of fire. Not much movement at the pedestals and fire hazard not nearly as big of an issue.

I agree with your assessment.

At last year’s Miami boat show I stopped by the Smart Plug desk. They do have shore side connections now. They told me that three or four marinas had made the switch.

It will be slow going if it ever does become mainstream.

 

[Comodave]

And if marinas start to adopt it, it will be a pain for transient boats.

 

[FF]

Marinas will not change over very readily , big expense , customer resistance and little gain .

Most likely will be an adapter setup for the few marinas that might change.

 

[psneeld]

Till boat manufactures switch over....not sure why marinas would...


They will just piss off the majority of boat owners if the vast majority of boats still have the older style lugs.


Look at the ethanol transition.

 

[Porgy]

Over the decades marinas have switched from 15 to 30 to 50 to 100 amp outlets. And they did so whenever technology and consumer demand were available. It’s not like every pedestal only has one kind and many marinas provide various adapters now. Why would one more type necessarily be a problem. Other than general resistance to change. Dadgumit! If a L5-30 was good enough for Commodore Barry, it’s good enough for me.

 

[psneeld]

Over the decades marinas have switched from 15 to 30 to 50 to 100 amp outlets. And they did so whenever technology and consumer demand were available. It’s not like every pedestal only has one kind and many marinas provide various adapters now. Why would one more type necessarily be a problem. Other than general resistance to change. Dadgumit! If a L5-30 was good enough for Commodore Barry, it’s good enough for me.

The outlets on boats demanded it...


The standard plug types chnaged in popularity and more amperage need aboard vessels, the boat manufacturers installed them and the marinas followed...I doubt the other way around.


So until the majority and the momentum is towards smart plugs...I doubt the marinas will switch...unless it becomes "code" or mandated by some governing authority.

 

[Helmsman]

Marinas will not change over very readily , big expense , customer resistance and little gain .

Most likely will be an adapter setup for the few marinas that might change.

Smart Plug makes an adaptor to carry with you. Of course, everything they make is expensive.

 

[CaptTom]

...a change on the dock end would require all boaters to change their cords or at least have an adapter which would of course defeat the purpose.

Actually, making everyone go out and buy new cords IS the purpose.

Smart Plug makes an adaptor to carry with you. Of course, everything they make is expensive.

My point exactly.

 

[tiltrider1]

In colder climates the L5-30 is dangerous. If you use it anywhere near full capacity for an extended time it will fail. I would say that 15% of the boats in my marina have made the change to Smartplug. Only recently has the marina been willing to change the socket in the pedestal to Smartplug. So far I have not seen anyone make that change but give it time.

 

[FF]

"If you use it anywhere near full capacity for an extended time it will fail."

More likely the marina will install metered electric .

 

[Ruffryder]

You can order a pedestal receptacle kit to replace it yourself, if your existing pedestal is Eaton Cutler Hammer light house series.

 

[Helmsman]

We boat mostly the Hudson River, Lake Champlain and the NYS Canal System and have not seen any pedestals for the new smart plug connectors. Would be very interested hearing from anyone with local knowledge.


I have (2) old style Marinco 30 amp power cords, one new in the box. If there actually is a change in progress I would probably change the connector on the used cordset. Have not seen an adapter that could be used between the power point and the old style twist lock plug. I would prefer a plug & play adapter that I could just add to my adapter bag.



Appreciate any information.


Leonard

Leonard, I wouldn’t wait to make decisions. The primary improvement they have for electrical safety is on the boat end. Short of regulatory change, I don’t see any major shift for a few years. Even with regulatory change, I think you would see a gradual requirement over 5 to 10 years. During that time people would use adapters, but the major players would come up with their own cord solutions. My next boat will be boat end Smart Plug, with traditional at the other end.

 

[Nepidae]

Smart Plug pedestals

What you are missing and has been said, IT is unlikely there will be Smart Plug pedestals.

The Smart Plug is for the BOAT SIDE. The dockside is still a Marinco plug.

An expense that is well worth the cost.

Here (https://www.defender.com/product.jsp?id=3472833) is a picture of the cord.

Here, (https://www.defender.com/product.jsp?id=3472949) is the combination of receptacle & cord, the best way to buy the package.

It is an easy DIY project to swap the receptacle out.

They make ends but my suggestion, don't risk water, moisture intrusion, buy the sealed cord.

BTW, they have great support as well.

Any questions, let me know.

 

[Helmsman]

What you are missing and has been said, IT is unlikely there will be Smart Plug pedestals.

The Smart Plug is for the BOAT SIDE. The dockside is still a Marinco plug.

An expense that is well worth the cost.

Here (https://www.defender.com/product.jsp?id=3472833) is a picture of the cord.

Here, (https://www.defender.com/product.jsp?id=3472949) is the combination of receptacle & cord, the best way to buy the package.

It is an easy DIY project to swap the receptacle out.

They make ends but my suggestion, don't risk water, moisture intrusion, buy the sealed cord.

BTW, they have great support as well.

Any questions, let me know.

Actually, as I stated earlier in the thread, Smart Plug does make dock side connections. They stated to me that they “have 2 or 3 marinas that have made the switch” to the dock side Smart Plug receptacles. So, it is for both sides, though in practical application today and for the greatest safety improvement, the boat end is what is overwhelmingly where their market is.

The reason I am reinforcing this, is that if one wishes to improve the safety of their home port, then the capability is there to upgrade both ends of the cord. In my case, it would make sense. Changing out the pedestal connection at the dock behind my home would make sense, because I leave the home port plugs on the dock when I leave, and have spares on board. Others may want to do the same.

 

[Nepidae]

Smart Plug Dockside receptacle

I see that Smart Plug, on the Smart Plug site, has made the step into the pedestal side, (a relatively new step) BUT I see also that you are talking about a home dockside setup. That would mean you would need to carry 2 $300+ cords to make connections as you travel, until the world changes over.

Since the majority of the dockside connections will be Marinco, 2 or 3 marinas aren't enough for me to make the investment.

Those cords, where would you buy them? The picture of the cord, available at Defender, that was in my previous post, shows a Marinco plug on 1 end & a Smart Plug on the other. West Marine, here, (https://www.westmarine.com/search?Ntt=smart+plug+shore+power) shows the same. So the boat to dock cord sets aren't on the open market yet.

You'd need to go to Smart Plug to purchase them.

When the 2 largest marine retailers start to carry the cord you are mentioning, there will have been greater acceptance.

What will make sense to most is that when the acceptance level is high enough, and maybe for you to save a couple of $$$, the CM30043L530R | 30 AMP FEMALE TWIST-TYPE CONNECTOR TO 30 AMP SMARTPLUG MALE CONNECTOR (https://smartplug.com/portfolio-ite...connector-to-30-amp-smartplug-male-connector/) would/will be the solution.

I'm glad to see that they have made that step, we went to Smart Plug back in '11 and have them for both our house & AC connections.

That said, in the interim, it is best to put a Smart Plug on your boat. That is where most of the fires start.

Thanks for pointing that out.

 

[Cartouche]

We boat mostly the Hudson River, Lake Champlain and the NYS Canal System and have not seen any pedestals for the new smart plug connectors. Would be very interested hearing from anyone with local knowledge.


I have (2) old style Marinco 30 amp power cords, one new in the box. If there actually is a change in progress I would probably change the connector on the used cordset. Have not seen an adapter that could be used between the power point and the old style twist lock plug. I would prefer a plug & play adapter that I could just add to my adapter bag.



Appreciate any information.


Leonard

Its Just the Boat inlet that changes, Pedestals are Twist Lock Nema L5 30AMP

 

[Comodave]

Agree it is an L5-30 plug not a Marinco. Marinco is one of the companies that make power cords, but the plug isn’t a Marinco plug.

 

[Nepidae]

Smart Plug Dockside receptacle

To Leonard,

IF you look at the price of the 30 & 50A receptacles you see the uphill slog that Smart Plug will need to endure for Smart Plug to be on many docks. A 30A SmartPlug receptacle is over $100. Got a couple hundred slips, big money.

I did SmartPlug on the boat side for both of my 30A sockets. Since the dock ends are Marinco to fit the predominant connection, I also carry a 50' double-ended Marinco cord for reaching a distant receptacle.

SmartPlug will make their entry in new or some rebuilds. I don't think most marinas will go to the expense to retrofit.

Yes, SmartPlug does offer a replacement cord connector, but I would offer that the replacement will not be as watertight as the factory-made and it is corrosion that contributes to the boat fires due to electricity.

SmartPlug does offer the adapter you are looking for, check out the SmartPlug web site.

 

[NowhereHome]

We have smartplug on our RV, we carry two 50 Amp smart plug cables (smart plug connector on both sides), have a 50 Amp smart plug connector, and then just use their dogbones - converted to RV plugs on the male side, to tap into whatever I happen to find in the campground (50/30/15a). This means I can extend the cable to reach further, with a waterproof connection. At home we just had a smartplug 50A outlet wired next to the welder plug.

 

[FF]

The problem for smart plug is for $9.00 there are already older established better concepts.

https://www.zoro.com/leviton-electr...receptacle-279-s00/i/G5695673/#specifications

 

[Opterman]

The sockets and jacks should be careful not to get wet by water, and also to prevent moisture.

 

[Nepidae]

IF one would consider that a bare 50A SHLW RECEPTACLE is a better product than a Smart Plug, then I'll pass on a ride on the boat set up with them.

The Smart Plug is a complete product from the receptacle to the cord to the dock. The receptacle & cord are designed, when joined, to keep moisture out.

IF you aren't willing to go with the best, then spend your time & money trying to do better and hopefully you won't be sorry for your decision.

Really, good luck, you'll need it.