Shore power

M

Marty

New member
Hello C-Brats from a novice,

We just purchased and older C-Dory last summer and are needing some info. My husband keeps wanting to spend the night on it but I say it's too cold. I would like to surprise him with a shore power hook up. Is there some kind of attachment that I can get that will allow us to hook up to an extension cord at a dock or marina so we can have a heater on board for the night? What would be the configuration of such an adapter? Are all docks set up with the same configuration or are there several different types? Is there a kit available with several types of adapters so we could use them at any dock? Would it be better to buy a whole cord? What should I expect to pay for such an item? We will eventually put in an outlet, but this is a temporary situation (I know how you guys are about putting holes in your boats).

Thanks so much for your help in this matter. We are supposed to have good weather here on Thurs and Friday of next week but 37 at night (brrr). We are on vacation then so I'd like to get this taken care of asap.

Jan of "Nakiska" 1988, 22 ft.
 
Your dock electrical pedestal will have a 15 or 30 amp bayonet socket. The plug you will need is pushed in and twisted to the right a bit in order to assure that boat movement won't pull the plug out. You can indeed buy a whole cable that is marine certified. They are usually a bright yellow for visibility when walking the dock. The other end of the cable can simply be a standard three prong plug like you use on your house outlets. HOWEVER, without a shore power hook up in your boat, you must make sure that the 3 prong end that will be in the boat for you to plug your heater in is secured to GUARANTEE that it won't accidentally fall in the water, thereby putting electrical current into the water of the marina.

Your best bet is to go to your local marine store and tell them what you are trying to do WITHOUT yet drilling holes in the boat.

But, you have the general idea. Typically a 15 amp setup is all that you will need to power a typical 750 to 1500 watt small electric heater.

Are you sure there is no shore power on the boat? Most of these boats have on board battery chargers that have to be plugged into shore power to keep the batteries up when at the dock.
 
Since we're talking novice here, maybe a good time to ask some additional questions. Our marina (TN river) has what appears to be standard outdoor (meaning a little plastic cover) 110 volt outlets at each slip. They are generally used to power the boat lifts. I also use it for my battery tender with a standard 16 guage extension cord. You guys are always talking 30 amp or 50 amp shore power with a special plug. So how is what I have different from the standard setup you are always talking about?

Thanks,

Jake
 
Hi Jan,

Welcome. We look forward to seeing you on the water. Most people here spend nights on the boat. Patti and I have been on ours for five weeks at a time. Your profile does not say if your boat is a cruiser or an angler. If it is a cruiser it probably has a heating system installed. Look in the galley area behind the drivers seat for a cooking surface with a lift up top, usually it is a "wallas" combination stove and furnace. If your boat has one it will safely keep the boat comfortably warm. It uses kerosene for fuel. Many people here have one and can advise you about the units. Alternatively, you can run an extension cord from the shore power to the boat and plug in an electric heater. A small heater will quickly warm the boat. The standard at almost all marinas in this area is 30 amp service using a three prong locking plug. The prongs are slightly curved and one of them also has a bit of an "L" shape. You can buy an adapter to go from that plug to a standard good quality extension cord. I would get a 12 gauge cord 50' long. That will allow you to easily reach the boat and put the cord through the door or a window. There is a marine grade "shore power" cord, yellow and in 25 or 50' lengths that is used when the boat has a built in shore power system. It has the special locking plugs on both ends and is designed to connect to that built in shore power system. If you get that you will still need the adapter to connect to the heater. The simplest and least expensive answer would be to get an adapter and extension cord. You should be able to do that for less than $100. A couple of points. Do not go cheap on the components. Get good quality stuff. Be sure the cord, of any type is in excellent condition, intended for outdoor use, and does not fall in the water. Many people use something like a ziploc bag with zipties around the connection between the adapter and extension cord. That protects it from moisture. You can buy an adapter at a marine supply store, just tell them what you are doing and that you need to adapt to a 15 amp plug.

Good luck.
 
Since it sounds like you just need a temporary solution another option is one of the Mr. Heater portable propane heaters.
http://www.mrheater.com/ProductFamily.aspx?catid=41

These can be used inside a cabin. They make a few different sizes so I'm not sure which model you want to heat the 22 cabin. I have one of the single bottle versions for backup to my Wallas stove.
37 degrees ? That sounds like summer here.
 
Mr Buddy's are great short term. I've used them both, at deer camp, and on the boat. however using the smaller propane tanks can be a pain when you have to swap it out 2 or 3 times a night for a fresh one.
 
First I strongly suggest against a Mr. Buddy type of heater. They are not made for boat cabins. You are using propane gas in an enclosed space. Moisture, a small amount of CO and CO2 will be produced and oxygen will be utilized.

I would suggest that you check the power pedestal most are 30 amp, a few are round 20 amp (not often) I am not aware of any round lock 15 amp (Harry could you comment on that?). Most 15 amp are like the wall plug. You will probably want a 30 round to 15 amp spade. I would get at least a 12 gauge extension cord--and if you can find a 10 gauge probably better. The extension cord can be run under the gunnel on the starboard side and into the cabin under the galley. Then you can plug the heater directly into the extension cord. We find that one of the ceramic heaters run at half power will do well most of the time--full power (1200 to 1500 watts) should be plenty.

Later you will want to put i a proper 110 V system. These are 15 or 30 amp on the 22. (I only have 15 amp, because I never use more than that. This will include a proper fuse and on and off switch as well as a proper plug in the side of the boat, and a marine cord. There are a number of threads on this subject.

Have fun on the boat!
 
Thanks so much for all your quick responses. The previous owner took out the stove, put in a propane one and put solid drawers underneath so we don't have an existing plug. From what you're saying we just need a 30amp adapter and we can use an outdoor extension cord, being careful that they don't come apart. I like the idea of wrapping the connection with a ziplock and ties. I truly appreciate your help in this and since we are beginners, I'm sure we'll be back with more questions. My husband already spends hours looking over your pictures and modifications. Thanks again.

Jan
 
The fact that you don't have a stove does not necessarily mean that you don't have a dedicated shore-power receptacle wired in somewhere, but if you did you would probably have found it by now. Some C-Dorys have the receptacle placed on the cabin bulkhead, outside, up under the recessed storage compartments in the cockpit, an inconvenient and difficult to see location. Mine is on the starboard side in this location.
 
Jake":76fyvpoe said:
Since we're talking novice here, maybe a good time to ask some additional questions. Our marina (TN river) has what appears to be standard outdoor (meaning a little plastic cover) 110 volt outlets at each slip. They are generally used to power the boat lifts. I also use it for my battery tender with a standard 16 guage extension cord. You guys are always talking 30 amp or 50 amp shore power with a special plug. So how is what I have different from the standard setup you are always talking about? Thanks, Jake
Click to expand...

Hi Jake,
If you google "The West Advisor Shore Power" you will see a 6 1/2 minute video prepared by West Marine that will give you tremendous insight as to what we are talking about.
Hope this helps.....of course you could always drag your boat over to the Pacific Northwest and we could show you first hand. :lol:
 
thataway":24ty2s1q said:
First I strongly suggest against a Mr. Buddy type of heater.
Click to expand...

Not trying be contentious Bob, you always provide sound advice. However, in this case I'd be more concerned about someone not familiar with marine electrical systems trying to jury rig an electric heater than I would be about using a big buddy for a night or two. Everyone has different levels of accepted risk of course. I should have mentioned cracking a window when using one, but I would do that no matter what the heater. Up here lots of folk use them on small boats as you can see in this recent forum thread:
http://forums.outdoorsdirectory.com/showthread.php/52524-Mounting-a-big-buddy-in-a-220-hewes
 
Yes, I guess you are right about the twist lock plugs being for 30 amp. All I know is that I'd be careful about using anything that doesn't positively lock the shore power cable to the dock pedestal. It wouldn't matter if that end dropped in the water, but then you'd have a heater that didn't heat while you went to dinner or a battery that would possibly discharge while you were away and so on. So, standard 15 amp house type extension cords and plugs would be very low on my list of how to handle shore power. They are okay and I do use them in some campgrounds for my RV. But there are no winds and waves to move the RV around enough to cause something to come unplugged...although, there were two badly misbehaving little brats in and RV nex.......well, I'll just quit right there.

Good advice from everyone so far. Still surprised there isn't a shore power connector somewhere on that boat, at least for a battery charger.
 
I will also put in a plug for a little buddy heater or a similar unit. As long as you have a window, vent or door open a crack you will be fine. They all have thermal couples ( device that turns off the gas if the flame goes out) so the chance of a gas leak is small. A hose or a valve could leak but daily inspection should eliminate that risk. If you run a little buddy in a small cabin of a c-dory you will need the widow open because of the heat. I doubt you will need to run it more then a hour before bed and then in the morning before you get out of bed. The problem is deciding who gets up to light it The little buddies are more appealing to me because it allows you to NOT stay at the dock. Anchoring out is the most appealing things to me about a cdory. I always sleep better on anchor then at a dock.

When we got rid of of the wallas I went with a diesel heater for just that reason. I want heat when we are running and when we are on anchor. :wink:
 
This was not "wiring" a boat, but plugging in an extension cord to a standard ceramic heater. I do suggest duct taping the connection between an extension cord if it is rainy or wet. Zip tie to the pedestal is also a good idea--and being sure it is of adequate size.

Sure you can find any number of people who use the Buddy heaters on boats.

But here are some of the precautions from the Mr. Buddy Manual:

Do not store or use gasoline or other flammable vapors and liquids in the vicinity of this or any other appliance.
— An LP cylinder not connected for use shall not be stored in the vicinity of this or any other appliance.
warning:
Every time hose or tank is connected to unit, connection must be checked for leaks in one or more ways: Apply soapy water to connection, look for bubbles, listen for hiss of escaping gas, feel for extreme cold, smell for rotten egg odor. Do not use if leaking!
warning:
Any changes to this heater or its controls can be dangerous.
warning:
Early signs of carbon monoxide poisoning resemble the flu, with headache, dizziness and/or nausea. If you have these signs, heater may not be working properly. Get fresh air at once! Have heater serviced.
warning:
If the recreational or commercial enclosure does not have a window or roof vent, DO NOT USE THIS HEATER INSIDE.

warning
asphyxiation Hazard
• Do not use in unventilated areas.
• The flow of combustion and ventilation air must
not be obstructed.
• Proper ventilation air must be provided to
support the combustion air requirements of the
heater being used.
• Refer to the specification section of the heater’s
manual, heater dataplate, or contact the factory to determine combustion air ventilation requirements of the heater.
• Lack of proper ventilation air will lead to improper combustion.
• Improper combustion can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning leading to serious injury or death. Symptom of carbon monoxide poisoning can include headaches, dizziness and difficulty in breathing.

Also not mentioned is the potential of a leaking cylinder seal and I have seen a serious injury due to this. Propane can be a safe fuel in a boat, but there are a lot of precautions.

Why am I opposed to the use of these propane heaters on boats? I have had to pronounce several people dead who have died from Carbon Monoxide poisoning. It is not worth the risk!
 
Welcome aboard and enjoy. Washington is not cold by the way it's wet. Arizona is cold! The new Heater Buddy is a really slick unit. We have used one for warm up in the morning and evening while it's gone below freezing outside. I crack both side windows an inch and leave the door ajar. The 22 has 2 round openings thru the bulkhead so lots of air comes thru. Don't sleep with it on ok just to be sure. The 9000 btu setting is needed for 2 minutes. The bunk is super easy to sleep in well below zero outside. Extra mattress for insulation Extra blankies. Polyester and Dacron , extra pillows. And snuggle up. Throw in a dog if you have one.or two if small furry guys. Maybe a cat as some here do. We use 2 hot water bottles one at the feet and one for Carolyn to hug. One does't need to heat the boat when you're in the sack. First thing I do when up is fire the stove for coffee and mr buddy for heat. 5 minutes later it is good for Carolyn to emerge. Coldest we have seen this trip is 16F, plenty cool when on the lake We have not noticed much if any condensation off the heater. We also use a massive home style oil radiator heater or small cube heater when power is available. I have used for 2 years now the heaviest GFI power bar I could find and mounted it under the galley with the cord out thru the hole under starboard gunwale. This hooks to a 10 gauge shore power cord, not marine as too bulky. I then plug the heater into the power bar. It has surge and GFI protection. I figured for a really simple boat with a really simple power requirement this would be good. It has been excellent and with the 30 amp 20 amp and rv 30 adapters aboard, we are set for whatever marina or rv place we find. We have 4 stoves ,1 BBQ ,2 heater buddy's and 2 electric heaters with us Like Bill and El we're big fans of Thoreau. Simplify simplify. Oh yeah. Please let spring come soon George and Carolyn :D
 
We use a 12gauge extension cord attached to a 30amp fitting that plugs into the shore side pedestal. Then we use zip ties to attach the cord to the boats rails and at the pedestal.Just cut them when leaving.Never have to worry about cord falling in the water.
 
As long as you have a window, vent or door open a crack you will be fine. They all have thermal couples ( device that turns off the gas if the flame goes out) so the chance of a gas leak is small. A hose or a valve could leak but daily inspection should eliminate that risk.
Click to expand...

thats what I said. Take precautions.

Most boat fires are caused by what? bad shore cords. We read about it all the time. You have to take precautions no matter the heat source.
 
http://www.boatus.com/seaworthy/fire/default.asp

in the details
Only one fire was started by propane; a portable stove fell off a counter and ignited a cushion.
Click to expand...

on edit: I have discovered that all Mr heater ( little buddies and big buddy lines) since 2000 (13 years, yeah I know its going fast) have been equipped with a low oxygen/tilt sensor. This system automatically shuts off if oxygen falls below a safe level, or if the heater tips over. That should cover both low co and propane.
 
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