50 amp boat, 30 amp shore power

[Hampton]

Can I go out and buy a 2008 SR with a single, 50 amp shore power cord and connect it to 2 30 amp shore power sources? From what I have seen, some 44 DB's have 2 30 amp cords and some have 1 50. Do I have to add this to my criteria for which boat to buy? I'm not leaving my marina, and all we have is 30's. Are these boats actually wired differently? Do the boat's systems perform differently?

This ad shows that you have to have a certain type of 30 amp power to use the "Y." If it helps, I have had my 340 connected to this shore power for 4 years - 2 30 amp receptacles coming out of the same tower at my dock.

http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/show_product.do?pid=9672&SHOPPING

If not, can I have the boat modified within reason?

Can I modify my shore power within reason?

 

[Hampton]

Doing extensive research, I found this:

"As an additional comment, reverse Y connectors to take two 120v/30amp services to a
220v/50amp service only work if the 120v/30amp source plugs are out of phase, and have 220v between them.

Mikey in Florida - 1998 450 Dancer - 3216 Cats."

Is this the standard configuration at docks, or, is it unique? How do I test for this? Do any boats with 2 X 30 Amp cords have 240V systems?

This is what the ad says for the splitter:

"The Marinco Reverse Y Adapter 167RYN) is used on boats with 50A 125V/250 volt inlets in instances where only 30A 125 volt receptacles are available on the dock.

The two 30A 125 volt dockside receptacles must be supplied from a single power source which provides from 208 volts to 250 volts between them, otherwise the Reverse Y will not operate.

Boats with 50A 125 volt inlets cannot use the Reverse Y."

 

[Southpaw II]

Youneed to know the voltage required for the boat. Is it 120 or 240. Some boats have internal transformers that step down the voltage to 120 for use inside the boat.

Don

 

[Four Suns]

There is no step down transformer in my boat... I have 120v and 240v systems. There are two 120v panels and each one is wired with a single hot leg (120v each) off the 240 power. The AC units are all 240v... and the HW heater... and the stove...

I can plug into two 120v/30A circuits with the reverse Y and I believe it handles the phase issue. That item is something like $300 if I recall (bought it years ago) but it works in marinas that don't have 240v/50A power. They are popular items to get stolen off the dock.

 

[Hampton]

I saw the inside of the boat's electrical panel. It has a 240V section.

Edit: Just read Gary's input... Sounds like I should be ok if my dock is wired in the standard manner.

 

[Carver370]

The splitter should take care of you 99% of the time. We use it all the time on the 460 DA that I run for friends of mine at their home dock and when we take the boat somewhere else.

 

[Kreole Kid]

I saw the inside of the boat's electrical panel. It has a 240V section.

Edit: Just read Gary's input... Sounds like I should be ok if my dock is wired in the standard manner.

Alright John, spill the beans, what did you find:huh:? Year, Model? ETC.

 

[jpk33]

John, are you downsizing or picking up a second one for the other coast?

 

[HUMPH]

John, you can get a splurged and they even make "smart splitters" that handle phase issues for you. My boat has (2) 30 amp cords so when I am somewhere that has only one 30 amp receptacle I can only have one side of the panel on but will be buying (or making) a splitter to go from one 30 amp feed to serve both 30 amp cords. I just will have to limit the load and not run the A/C or if it is run, everything else needs to be off.

Good luck in your search!


[/B]

Can I go out and buy a 2008 SR with a single, 50 amp shore power cord and connect it to 2 30 amp shore power sources? From what I have seen, some 44 DB's have 2 30 amp cords and some have 1 50. Do I have to add this to my criteria for which boat to buy? I'm not leaving my marina, and all we have is 30's. Are these boats actually wired differently? Do the boat's systems perform differently?

This ad shows that you have to have a certain type of 30 amp power to use the "Y." If it helps, I have had my 340 connected to this shore power for 4 years - 2 30 amp receptacles coming out of the same tower at my dock.

http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/show[B][/B]_product.do?pid=9672&SHOPPING

If not, can I have the boat modified within reason?

Can I modify my shore power within reason?

 

[JimG]

I saw the inside of the boat's electrical panel. It has a 240V section.

Edit: Just read Gary's input... Sounds like I should be ok if my dock is wired in the standard manner.

I don't have experience with boats with two 30A circuits, but I do know electricity. In order to run any 240V system (A/C, stove, dryer) you can't simply connect two 120V 30A circuits at random and get 240V, they have to come from opposite sides of the transformer in the parking lot. :smt001 I'm sure that the docks 30A circuits come from a 240V source. It would be simple to check with a meter... look for 240V measured at the hot side of two separate outlets. Here again not knowing the way your docks are wired, you may have to go from one side of the dock to the other. :huh:

As Gary said... I can't imagine having a transformer on a boat to obtain 240V.

 

[Hampton]

Thank you all. Our new dinghy may be a 2005 340 until she sells. We are trying to successfully acquire a 2008 44DB. There are a couple in our cross hairs. There are some beautiful boats out there. None of them are perfect, but some will do. One will become part of the family. I´m about to have more boats than kids.

 

[JimG]

Thank you all. Our new dinghy may be a 2005 340 until she sells. We are trying to successfully acquire a 2008 44DB. There are a couple in our cross hairs. There are some beautiful boats out there. None of them are perfect, but some will do. One will become part of the family. I´m about to have more boats than kids.

Good luck with your search and subsequent acquisition! :thumbsup:

 

[Greg]

... you can't simply connect two 120V 30A circuits at random and get 240V, they have to come from opposite sides of the transformer in the parking lot. ...

+1, Do the simple test that Jim mentions. The reverse Y, doesn't really handle any phase issues, it just combines the two legs to give you the 240(250), and it has a safety to shut off the output if you lose one of the inputs.

 

[Alex F]

...In order to run any 240V system (A/C, stove, dryer) you can't simply connect two 120V 30A circuits at random and get 240V, they have to come from opposite sides of the transformer in the parking lot.....

May be I'm not reading your eplanation correctly, but 240v is simply taking power (positive side) from two different phases. I'd guess that 99% of the time all double 30amp outlets are meant to provide 240v when Y is used.

 

[HUMPH]

May be I'm not reading your eplanation correctly, but 240v is simply taking power (positive side) from two different phases. I'd guess that 99% of the time all double 30amp outlets are meant to provide 240v when Y is used.

Very confusing since Y will give you 208 volts and delta will give you 240 volts. It is all based on the transformer configuration. 99% of the marinas will have 240 volt delta configurations otherwise boats that require 240 volts will not operate properly. This all stems from how a transformer is tapped and blah, blah, blah.

John I hope you find your next dream boat (to join the one you already have in your wife) and all the success in selling your 340!

 

[JimG]

May be I'm not reading your eplanation correctly, but 240v is simply taking power (positive side) from two different phases. I'd guess that 99% of the time all double 30amp outlets are meant to provide 240v when Y is used.

All 240V systems that provide 120V are single phase with neutral.

It would make since to me if the power pedestals are wired as you say.

 

[JimG]

Very confusing since Y will give you 208 volts and delta will give you 240 volts. It is all based on the transformer configuration. 99% of the marinas will have 240 volt delta configurations otherwise boats that require 240 volts will not operate properly. This all stems from how a transformer is tapped and blah, blah, blah.

John I hope you find your next dream boat (to join the one you already have in your wife) and all the success in selling your 340!

Y and delta transformers are used to provide 3 phase power. Neither is required to provide 240V single phase power like you have in your home (or at your marina).

 

[Daniel P Thomas]

When we boated with our friends on a 44 Gulfstar Motor Yacht with a single 50 amp inlet we carried the Marinco Smart Y. Many marinas back then on the upper Great Lakes did not have 50 amp set ups on slips less than 50 ft.

You just need to draw off of two separate legs on a double pedestal or draw from the next one down.

http://www.westmarine.com/1/1/9446--50a-smart-y-adapter.html

Dan

 

[floriduramax1]

On our 50a 120/240v buses, we use the "y". If the two 30's are "in phase" then only the appliances that require 120/240v "out of phase" will not work. Everything else works fine. If they find two 30 amp recepts "out of phase" then everything is fine...at least that's how I understand it.

 

[Greg]

On our 50a 120/240v buses, we use the "y". If the two 30's are "in phase" then only the appliances that require 120/240v "out of phase" will not work. Everything else works fine. If they find two 30 amp recepts "out of phase" then everything is fine...at least that's how I understand it.

That may work for some boats, but mine has an isolation transformer on the input that needs to 'see' 240/250 volts. So if I can't find two outlets on opposite phases, I am out of luck and have to run the genny. The transformer also has an automatic boost function, so if the input is a little low, it will step up the voltage by about 15%.