Can you connect 30 amp and 50 amp service at the same time?

[tiltrider1]

New to boating… I have a Glen-Denni 65 foot 50 amp. Will I still need a 30 amp cord cruising the Gulf Islands, BC?

On a 53’ boat you most likely have a 50a 125/250v cord that feeds two separate buses. A 30a adapter will feed both buses but here is where things get interesting. 50a 125/250 is actually 100amps split between two buses with each bus being out of phase with the other. By using a 30a adapter you have gone from 100 amps to only 30 amps. Both buses will now be on the same phase, this means any 220 appliances will not work and some boats have sensing equipment that won’t allow connection if they don’t see out of phase power.

You might be better off to carry a Y adapter that goes from 2 30a to 1 50a 125/250v. This will give you 60a but you will still need to find two 30a sockets out of phase.

Now just to confuse everyone, there are boats that take 125v and convert it to 250v onboard. These boats can run 220 appliances off a 30a supply but they need to shed all other loads to do it.

 

[afwagner]

I had a Gulfstar for ages . . . . mine was wired so that it was either 50 or 30 . . . . not both at the same time.