mikef
regular
Reged: 16/05/2001
Posts: 8797
Loc: chesham, bucks and palma,major...
|
|
We have a 32A supply in our marina and because the marina has a weird socket design, I also have a standard 32A plug and socket in my shorepower lead to make it easier to switch to different plug types. I pulled this plug and socket apart the other day and found this
I've checked the plugs at either end of the lead and they're fine and we've never had any power trip out problems so a short seems unlikely. Also this plug and socket can't fall in the water because of where it is in the line
I did smear the socket and plug with vaseline last year to make it easier to pull them apart. Could this have caused the problem (vaseline = petroleum jelly) or is it something else?
|
Wiggo
regular
Reged: 10/09/2003
Posts: 3281
Loc: (State, Country, etc.)
|
|
I've seen this on ours as well, but no idea what causes it other than arcing as you make the shorepower connections. Having said that, it sounds like you rarely take this one apart anyway so that's no help.
--------------------
The nicest thing about not planning is that failure comes as a complete surprise, and is not preceded by a period of worry and doubt.
Nereid Charter
|
matt_lake
regular
Reged: 10/05/2002
Posts: 46
Loc: Oxfordshire
|
|
Mike,
Was your pontoon full over the winter months? Many pontoon supplies have a redundancy figure of about 85% built in, i.e. 85% of the boats can draw 32amps continuous. If you get spikes in demand (frost guards, thermostats) and exceed capacity you get low voltage and low voltage = heat = knackered plug.
I'm no spark and don't know how your marina supply is set-up so don't take this as gospel.
Good luck.
|
lw395
regular
Reged: 16/05/2007
Posts: 610
|
|
That's obviously dissipation of a lot of heat.
Two possibilities: Loss in the through path, a poor/resistive connection,
or a path from L to N. Can be caused by moisture. If there were even a minor path from L to E, the trip should have gone, so I would suspect the case is resistance in the L or N contacts. Can be the connection from contact to wire as well as between plug and socket contacts.
Replace both plug and socket.
Do not use so much vaseline that it is continuous. A smear around the perimeter on the housing perhaps, and a little on each contact. Vaseleine sshould not conduct, but it holds dirt which holds moisture....
|
mikef
regular
Reged: 16/05/2001
Posts: 8797
Loc: chesham, bucks and palma,major...
|
|
matt, this has happened over the winter when very few peeps are on their boats and there is no need for a/c so I can't see that there were any spikes in demand over this period. Thnx anyway
|
jfm
regular
Reged: 16/05/2001
Posts: 7142
Loc: London/Antibes
|
|
Quote:
low voltage = heat
I dont get that part 
|
mikef
regular
Reged: 16/05/2001
Posts: 8797
Loc: chesham, bucks and palma,major...
|
|
I've noted regularly that the plug and socket is always hotter than than the plug into the marina socket or the plug into the boat socket but then these latter items look to be a lot more substantial (ie maybe rated for 64A) but the marina says that the supply is 32A max and so I assumed that the 32A plug/socket would be OK. It's possibly water ingress as the plug/socket sits on the quay exposed to the elements but that's what they're made for. My point about vaseline was to ask whether, if the plug and socket got v hot, would the vaseline start to burn?
|
Gemini
regular
Reged: 18/09/2006
Posts: 95
Loc: Brighton
|
|
Lower the Voltage higher the Ampage resulting in heat gain across connections with high resistance
|
mikef
regular
Reged: 16/05/2001
Posts: 8797
Loc: chesham, bucks and palma,major...
|
|
Power(kw) = Volts x Amps?
Maybe if voltage drops, current goes up for same power demand, hence heat?
Could be bollox though (it usually is)
Not noticed any big voltage drops in my marina but in other, I've seen it as low as 150V
|
MapisM
regular
Reged: 11/03/2002
Posts: 2687
Loc: Italy
|
|
Not bollox at all, in the way you explained it.
I guess (based on the experience of my debate with jfm about the power requirements of a hull  ) that he's just looking at the equation exactly as reported by matt_lake.
Which obviously doesn't make sense, unless further specified as you did.
|
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
Edit
Reply
Quote
