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

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

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

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On 2005-04-01 said:
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 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.
I always called them suicide cords and tried to avoid having them
anywhere near my kit especially when doing live sound provider stuff
because I don't want some moron using them.

ON a related note I worked with a guy who wanted to borrow his heavy
yellow extension cables to do the job of speaker cabling so he rigged
up connectors to go from quarter inch male to the usual Edison male.
HE had one lying around connected to an amp rack and I had to stop a
drummer from plugging it into a wall socket. tHen I went to the guy
whose rig it was and told him I ought to kick his behind for being so
stupid.



Richard Webb, amateur radio callsign nf5b
active on the Maritime Mobile service network, 14.300 mhz
REplace anything before the @ symbol with elspider for real email

--



Engineering is the art of making what you want from things you can get

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.