Shore power

[cruisepilot]

I have a Carver 3007 with 30amp. Using shore power I connect my cord to the 30amp post on the dock, and my cord has a "Y" connection that plugs into the boat.
Is this normal, for the Carver 3007 to have a "Y" connection, or should I be using a single end plugged into the dock, and single end also into the boat ?
I have just recieved a letter from the marina stating the "Y" cord is against their policy.

Thx Mitch

 

[FatPaulyAtSea]

Sounds like you need to get a straight 30amp cable and choose which AC input you feed. If your marina provides you with a second 30amp service, then you need a second cable. Your Y-connection does not sound good, since you are effectively taking 30 amps from the dock and splitting them into 15 amps at the boat. However, the boat wants 30 amps for each input.

I have a 30' Santego with two 30Amp inputs on the stern. One powers the air conditioning and one powers the rest of my AC appliances (frig, battery charger, range, outlets, etc.). My marine supplies either 30- or 50-amp service, so I run two 30-amp cables to the pedestal, then use a 30-to-50amp splitter to connect to the shore power. If I don't want to run the A/C, then I just hook a singe 30amp connection.

Hope this makes sense. It should be pretty clear from the layout of your breaker panel what each side of your AC connection is servicing. Good luck.

 

[JimPend]

First of all simple Y connectors do not have 2 male plugs on them, they are female plugs that plug into male plugs on the boat.
The Y connector at the boat is fine, problem is if your boat needs more than 30 amps you will blow the breaker on the dock. I would think the panel on the boat would have a switch that would switch from one cord feed or two, unless someone added a seperate box for A/C or something. I assume you have main breakers in the boat, they will also protect the Y connector. You can't but if you could pull more than 30 amps thru one leg of the Y connector it's no big problem as long as the Y connector is in free air, amp ratings for wire assume it's in a wall in dead air no cooling available.

 

[gratcho]

It would be best to use two 30 amp shore cables. Our Carver uses Shore Power 1 to power every thing but the air conditioning. Shore Power 2 is the air conditioner. Our dock power pedistal has two 30 amp twist lock recepticals we plug our cables into. The Y cable set up you have works, but has the potential to draw more than 30 amps, the marina is probably cautious due to thier insurance policy.

 

[Gregory S]

If they have a policy against "Y" connectors, then you'll have to use two cords or move to a different marina. You should be plugging one male end into your existing cord and two female ends into the boat if you are using a "Y".

 

[cruisepilot]

I was never using air conditioning anytime it was swiching the CB on & off. In fact all I was ever using was 1 light and TV. I tried other posts on the same dock and everything was normal, even when using air, from another post. I just was cruising for a week using other shore power, without any problem. I've never had this problem before. I reported the problem to the dock master many times. I mentioned the bad odor of burning smell from the shore power box. The marina wouldn't fix the box. I left the marina, since they won't replace the shorepower breaker. We love the new marina I found, and will use 2 cords when under heavy loads if it ever happens again.

Thx fellas