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Inverter question
The inverter I am interested in only has regular 110V outlets, not a
hardwire option. Why couldn't I make up a cord with male plugs on each end to go from the inverter to my A/C system? This would wire up my whole system from the inverter, right? And what happens when I forget to unplug it and hook up to shore pwer? Capt. Jeff |
"Tamaroak" wrote in message ... The inverter I am interested in only has regular 110V outlets, not a hardwire option. Why couldn't I make up a cord with male plugs on each end to go from the inverter to my A/C system? This would wire up my whole system from the inverter, right? Yup. And what happens when I forget to unplug it and hook up to shore pwer? "BANG...pooof" Then lots of smoke. |
On Fri, 01 Apr 2005 07:08:07 -0600, Tamaroak
wrote: The inverter I am interested in only has regular 110V outlets, not a hardwire option. Why couldn't I make up a cord with male plugs on each end to go from the inverter to my A/C system? That's known as a suicide cord because the exposed prongs are hot with 110 AC if it becomes unplugged. This would wire up my whole system from the inverter, right? It would but it is not the right way to go for safety reasons. If there was a fire or electrocution, you would be seriously liable. And what happens when I forget to unplug it and hook up to shore pwer? You would fry the inverter because of the backfeed. Inverters of that type are not designed to be hard wired. If there is no other choice, the best option would be to have the connecting cord terminate in a junction box, and mechanicaly secure the plug at the inverter end to prevent removal. That is still a risky installation however because you can inadvertantly back feed the inverter from shore power if you forget to turn off the junction box breaker. |
Similar issue to using a generator at home.
Before the electric utility (util) will allow you to connect a home generator to your house wiring, you must install an approved gen/util switch. That gen/util switch will connect your house wiring to EITHER the gen or the util, never both together. You might install such a switch on your boat to make the Inverter/ShorePower selection. Because, in this case, the consenquences of switch failure or wrong wiring are severe, the job is for professional electricians, not a high school grade hobbyist. There is more involved that just "figuring out the circuit". J Tamaroak wrote in news:gI6dndTnPc4n2tDfRVn- : The inverter I am interested in only has regular 110V outlets, not a hardwire option. Why couldn't I make up a cord with male plugs on each end to go from the inverter to my A/C system? This would wire up my whole system from the inverter, right? And what happens when I forget to unplug it and hook up to shore pwer? Capt. Jeff |
On Fri, 01 Apr 2005 07:08:07 -0600, Tamaroak
wrote: The inverter I am interested in only has regular 110V outlets, not a hardwire option. Why couldn't I make up a cord with male plugs on each end to go from the inverter to my A/C system? This would wire up my whole system from the inverter, right? And what happens when I forget to unplug it and hook up to shore pwer? Capt. Jeff I've heard those male-male cords called "stingers". I've only used them for temporarily connecting a generator to a house's electrical system. I wouldn't wire a boat this way though... |
In article ,
Slambram wrote: I've heard those male-male cords called "stingers". I've only used them for temporarily connecting a generator to a house's electrical system. I wouldn't wire a boat this way though... I call them "Deadman Cords", cause if you don't kill yourself using them, the local Lineman will come beat you to a pulp, when you backfeed the grid and shock the crap out of him......Classic Darwin Award material.... Me |
On Fri, 01 Apr 2005 07:08:07 -0600, Tamaroak
wrote: The inverter I am interested in only has regular 110V outlets, not a hardwire option. Why couldn't I make up a cord with male plugs on each end to go from the inverter to my A/C system? This would wire up my whole system from the inverter, right? Nope, wont work, polarity would be reversed. And what happens when I forget to unplug it and hook up to shore pwer? Nothing. |
Incredulous comments below:
"HaKrause" wrote in message ... On Fri, 01 Apr 2005 07:08:07 -0600, Tamaroak wrote: The inverter I am interested in only has regular 110V outlets, not a hardwire option. Why couldn't I make up a cord with male plugs on each end to go from the inverter to my A/C system? This would wire up my whole system from the inverter, right? Nope, wont work, polarity would be reversed. And what happens when I forget to unplug it and hook up to shore pwer? Nothing. I'm assuning HaKrause's answerr is intended as a joke (or a troll) but I'm responding anyway, in case someone believes his response to be true. There is no polarity to AC power in any real sense. The OP's system would provide power throughout the boat but I wouldn't recommend it. As others have said, the cord needed to do what the OP suggested is very dangerous. As will be the shore power cord as it will have live prongs as well when it's connected to the boat with the inverter on. Your inverter will probably go poof if you forget and leave the inverter connected when you connect to shore power though there is a slim chance the breakers or fuses in the boat may blow in time to save it. Why don't you just plug your shore power cord into your inverter? This would provide power throughout the boat with no danger of exposed live prongs and no chance of forgetting to unplug the inverter before plugging into shore power. -- Ken Heaton, Cape Breton Island, Canada kenheaton AT ess wye dee DOT eastlink DOT ca |
"Ken Heaton" wrote in message news:lmk3e.125730$ZO2.43212@edtnps84... Why don't you just plug your shore power cord into your inverter? This would provide power throughout the boat with no danger of exposed live prongs and no chance of forgetting to unplug the inverter before plugging into shore power. Not advisable unless ground fault interrupts are installed on the outlets . . . Without those, the damned inverter, if powerful enough, might go right on its merry way electrocuting you. CN |
What I have done on my boat is to hard wire the inverter to a switch.
The switch switches the 110V plugs on the boat to either the inverter or the shore power. The switch has to be break-before- make. It also switches both the neutral and the hot wire. So there is no chance of ever connectiong the inverter to the shore power. So if I want to use the micro wave, coffee maker, TV,VCR, power tools, toaster etc while I am anchored out, I have to switch the deep discharge house batteries to both.( I have a separate starter battery for the engine, so there is no danger to drain the batteries so that I can't start the engine). Then I have to switch the inverter on, and then I have to switch the selector switch to "inverter". When I am on shore power, I make sure the inverter is off and the selectro switch is to "shore". This system has worked great, and I feel it is safe, but it may be too complicated for some. BTW to recharge the house batteries after heavy use on the weekend, I have a parrallel switch to chrge the house batteries from the engine and I ahve solar cells that recharge the batteries while I am away during the week. Let me voice an opinion: this is a very abreviated description of what I have, if you don't understand this, then you should leave this to an electrician. It is too dangerous to fool around with 110V on a boat. Rolf |
Comments below:
"Capt. Neal®" wrote in message ... "Ken Heaton" wrote in message news:lmk3e.125730$ZO2.43212@edtnps84... Why don't you just plug your shore power cord into your inverter? This would provide power throughout the boat with no danger of exposed live prongs and no chance of forgetting to unplug the inverter before plugging into shore power. Not advisable unless ground fault interrupts are installed on the outlets .. . . Without those, the damned inverter, if powerful enough, might go right on its merry way electrocuting you. CN This is good advice. Actually, as you will find marinas don't have ground faults on their shore power feeds, this is good advice for shore power use as well. Ground fault outlets are inexpensive, easy to install and as only the first outlet on any one circuit has to be ground fault (the others can be fed through the first, see the instructions that come with the outlet) there is no excuse for not having them on your boat. -- Ken Heaton & Anne Tobin Cape Breton Island, Canada kenheaton AT ess wye dee DOT eastlink DOT ca |
"Ken Heaton" wrote in
news:96v3e.158120$fc4.3505@edtnps89: This is good advice. Actually, as you will find marinas don't have ground faults on their shore power feeds, this is good advice for shore power use as well. Ground fault outlets are inexpensive, easy to install and as only the first outlet on any one circuit has to be ground fault (the others can be fed through the first, see the instructions that come with the outlet) there is no excuse for not having them on your boat. -- I doubt many boats would ever have power if the marinas used ground fault interrupters. They'd trip every time the boat was plugged in. Most GFIs are set to something like 6-10ma of leakage. Same is true for washing machines at home. A little corrosion from the humidity around the motor....click, no power..... |
Aside from screwing up which leads go where, once it's connected a transfer
switch is idiot-proof - one or the other source, but not both. The biggest problem is size, though Cooper (recently was Eagle) makes a 30 A AC DPDT toggle switch, #3036V, that is commonly used to double-feed water heaters or deep wells. Though that would be overrated for your app, it could handle shore power faults. Padeen "J" wrote in message ... Similar issue to using a generator at home. Before the electric utility (util) will allow you to connect a home generator to your house wiring, you must install an approved gen/util switch. That gen/util switch will connect your house wiring to EITHER the gen or the util, never both together. You might install such a switch on your boat to make the Inverter/ShorePower selection. Because, in this case, the consenquences of switch failure or wrong wiring are severe, the job is for professional electricians, not a high school grade hobbyist. There is more involved that just "figuring out the circuit". J Tamaroak wrote in news:gI6dndTnPc4n2tDfRVn- : The inverter I am interested in only has regular 110V outlets, not a hardwire option. Why couldn't I make up a cord with male plugs on each end to go from the inverter to my A/C system? This would wire up my whole system from the inverter, right? And what happens when I forget to unplug it and hook up to shore pwer? Capt. Jeff |
On Sat, 02 Apr 2005 21:54:56 GMT, "Padeen"
wrote: Aside from screwing up which leads go where, once it's connected a transfer switch is idiot-proof - one or the other source, but not both. The biggest problem is size, though Cooper (recently was Eagle) makes a 30 A AC DPDT toggle switch, #3036V, that is commonly used to double-feed water heaters or deep wells. Though that would be overrated for your app, it could handle shore power faults. ============================================== What you really want is a rotary cam selector switch. For example: http://www.cmsquick.com/prod_17_Ele.html |
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