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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 250 Specific Forum

Shore power connection

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AADIVER
Admiral

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USA
966 Posts

Initially Posted - 03/16/2007 : 17:35:18

My 250 doesn't have a 120 V connection, so I've been trickle charging my battery with a Guest charger connected to the 30 amp shore power via a standard exterior extension cord. WRONG! Those cords can heat up, deteriorate, and worst-case-scenario, cause a fire, a Coast Guard violation. But to retrofit and wire a 120 connection to my boat would cost almost a thousand bucks. Fortunately my local chandlery, Boater's World, sells 30 amp, 25' extension cords for around 40 bucks. Anyone else have an unwired for 120 250?

Frank Farmer
Long Beach, CA
aa.diver@verizon.net
http://mysite.verizon.net/aa.diver

PRETTY PENNY
'01 C-250 WK, Hull #558

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britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 03/16/2007 : 19:34:33

Frank, my first reaction was '$1,000' no way!
When I installed our airconditioner in JD, I also installed shore power.
I used ...

Ciruit breaker
3 switch panel
Shore connector
Multi strand marine 120V cable.
2 covers (for rear of panel and breaker)
If you search the West Marine catalog, that should come to way less than $1,000

Paul

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johnsonp
Admiral

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USA
606 Posts

Response Posted - 03/16/2007 : 20:29:07

Frank,
Have you talked to Penny about this costly purchase?
paulj

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Bubba
Admiral

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USA
542 Posts

Response Posted - 03/16/2007 : 20:38:07

I'd say you can do it yourself for about a third of that price Frank.
[url="http://mywebpages.comcast.net/frayed-knot/projects/electrical.htm"]Here are my shore power project notes[/url].

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AADIVER
Admiral

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USA
966 Posts

Response Posted - 03/17/2007 : 00:17:06

Misquote on the price; more like 600 by a local marine electronics company. If I wasn't an electronic dummy, I guess I could cut that in half by doing it myself. Still 40 bucks beats 300. My only requirement for 120 is to trickle charge my Group 24 gel battery so I can start my o.b. and occasionally turn on my fishfinder.

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bear
Admiral

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USA
909 Posts

Response Posted - 03/17/2007 : 11:57:13

Frank, I've used the standard extension cord for the six years I have had Brandy, never had an issue with the cord, never had to charge the battery but have used it for coffee maker, lamp in the evening and radio. Where I have a slip only has provisions for an extension cord. The other two C-25's that are docked next to me use the extension cord method also. 18" of snow last night sure deflated
the thoughts of spring around here.

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AADIVER
Admiral

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USA
966 Posts

Response Posted - 03/17/2007 : 12:39:04

Based on a "violation of Coast Guard regulations", our Long Beach, California marinas are going to red tag and cite any boats shore powered with non-marine, Coast Guard disapproved, extension cords. Hence, my having to either retrofit my boat or use the 30 amp cord I found at Boater's World. Location, location, location ;-)

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CaptRon400
1st Mate

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USA
90 Posts

Response Posted - 03/17/2007 : 12:44:18

Try using a Deltran "Battery Tender". They don't put out that much juice (1.25 amps for the Plus, 0.8 for the waterproof unit) and cannot possibly heat up ANY extension cord. Both are true 3 stage (bulk, absorption and float) chargers and will make the battery last almost forever. I've been using them on rarely driven antique and exotic cars for years. Some of these batteries are over 10 years old and are in perfect shape.

On the 250, I built an 8 foot low voltage charger extension cord which is permanently connected to the battery behind the aft bunk. I merely plug it into the charger 12 volt cord when needed, and run the 120 volt charger cord out of the starboard top corner of the hatch board which then plugs into a outdoor extension cord on the dock. I leave the charger on the galley worktop
.

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piseas
Former Treasurer

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USA
2017 Posts

Response Posted - 03/17/2007 : 21:15:56

Frank, my 2003 250 can with shore power. Havent had opportunity to use it yet since I got her couple of months ago. Piseas II has 2 batteries and havent needed to recharge.
I want to hook up my laptop but getting invertor to plug into cig adapter. I will probably be sleeping on board this summer so probably will need shore power then. I am sure it will come in handy.

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zebra50
Captain

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USA
408 Posts

Response Posted - 03/20/2007 : 13:42:44

That tab of $1000 sure seems high. I had my inverter and outlets instlled by the dealer at much lower cost that that. The shore power plug is on the stern below the starboard "cat seat" and I run the cable forward to the bow along the rail, held on with zip ties. Just a quick unplug, coil around and store at the bow. We had two 110 w/GFI outlets installed, one in the head and one as you can see below in the picture. Also have a power outlet taken from tech tips (cigarette style) just aft of the galley in the removeable cover. While in port this set up allows for battery charge and shore power.

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britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 03/20/2007 : 13:49:00

Jay, off topic:
The setup of your wheel steering seems wildly different from our (2005) version, was that a custom setup or is it standard for the year (WB or WK model ?)

Paul

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zebra50
Captain

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USA
408 Posts

Response Posted - 03/20/2007 : 13:53:08

Paul
You noticed eh?? That was the way the dealer had installed it and I didnt know any better until I was informed on here about it one day back in 2004. I have since had it properly installed with the long end up into the opening. I always wondered why I kept banging my head down there.

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Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 03/20/2007 : 14:36:19

Jay, I really like your setup. I am installing a Xantrex charger this weekend and will mount it inside the battery compartment the way you did. If I expand to real shore power I'll follow your technique as well. Thanks for posting the pix!

Also, our club has regular old three prong outlets (CGI) at the slips. Is there a converter so I can use a real shore power plug on the boat??

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frog0911
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1349 Posts

Response Posted - 03/20/2007 : 16:06:17

Randy, look on page 433 of the 07 WM catalog, bottom of the page. MARCO #83A $52.99.

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