My boat that has separate 2 120V inputs (1 for A/C and 1 for everything
else). I have only 1 plug in at my dock forcing me to switch between
A/C and power.

1) Why are those Y-adapters so expensive? They are around $250 which
seems like a lot of money considering there are no electronics.

2) I have 3 extra power cables. Can I cut off the plugs and splice them
together to make a y adapter? What would you use to splice and contain
it all?

"Mike C" wrote in message
ups.com...
My boat that has separate 2 120V inputs (1 for A/C and 1 for everything
else). I have only 1 plug in at my dock forcing me to switch between
A/C and power.

1) Why are those Y-adapters so expensive? They are around $250 which
seems like a lot of money considering there are no electronics.

2) I have 3 extra power cables. Can I cut off the plugs and splice them
together to make a y adapter? What would you use to splice and contain
it all?


Go to a construction supply and see if they have a Y adapter to fit.

"Mike C" wrote in message
ups.com...
My boat that has separate 2 120V inputs (1 for A/C and 1 for everything
else). I have only 1 plug in at my dock forcing me to switch between
A/C and power.

1) Why are those Y-adapters so expensive? They are around $250 which
seems like a lot of money considering there are no electronics.

2) I have 3 extra power cables. Can I cut off the plugs and splice them
together to make a y adapter? What would you use to splice and contain
it all?

How about a weather resistant box to accommodate a weather resistant duplex
receptacle. Then a power cord with the appropriate plug wired to the duplex
receptacle.

Should be able to get all you need at Home Depot, Lowes, etc.

Maybe I'm missing something. Do the shore power plugs have some special
configuration?

Don't do it that way....

get a new switch with SP1 (jumpers both together) SP1&SP2 (Separate
cables) and GEN.

I put one of these on mine old boat and it works awesome.... if you
NEVER need two cables, just connect them together in boat and DISCONNECT
the unused inlet (or it will be HOT... not a good situation)

Don't use the home depot versions.... no waterproof covers etc.


ACP wrote:
"Mike C" wrote in message
ups.com...

My boat that has separate 2 120V inputs (1 for A/C and 1 for everything
else). I have only 1 plug in at my dock forcing me to switch between
A/C and power.

1) Why are those Y-adapters so expensive? They are around $250 which
seems like a lot of money considering there are no electronics.

2) I have 3 extra power cables. Can I cut off the plugs and splice them
together to make a y adapter? What would you use to splice and contain
it all?


How about a weather resistant box to accommodate a weather resistant duplex
receptacle. Then a power cord with the appropriate plug wired to the duplex
receptacle.

Should be able to get all you need at Home Depot, Lowes, etc.

Maybe I'm missing something. Do the shore power plugs have some special
configuration?

My service is 120V 30AMP. If I internally connect them, what does that
do to the safety? It seems to me that there must have been a reason
Maxum put 2 inlets. It would have been cheaper for them to put 1, so I
think it must be for safety reasons.


Ed wrote:
Don't do it that way....

get a new switch with SP1 (jumpers both together) SP1&SP2 (Separate
cables) and GEN.

I put one of these on mine old boat and it works awesome.... if you
NEVER need two cables, just connect them together in boat and DISCONNECT
the unused inlet (or it will be HOT... not a good situation)

Don't use the home depot versions.... no waterproof covers etc.


ACP wrote:
"Mike C" wrote in message
ups.com...

My boat that has separate 2 120V inputs (1 for A/C and 1 for everything
else). I have only 1 plug in at my dock forcing me to switch between
A/C and power.

1) Why are those Y-adapters so expensive? They are around $250 which
seems like a lot of money considering there are no electronics.

2) I have 3 extra power cables. Can I cut off the plugs and splice them
together to make a y adapter? What would you use to splice and contain
it all?


How about a weather resistant box to accommodate a weather resistant duplex
receptacle. Then a power cord with the appropriate plug wired to the duplex
receptacle.

Should be able to get all you need at Home Depot, Lowes, etc.

Maybe I'm missing something. Do the shore power plugs have some special
configuration?

Not safety.... amount of power....
You can't run AC plus everything else without blowing the breaker. IF
you connect them both with a Y adapter to a 30 amp connector on the dock
you are doing the SAME thing...And you are protected with a 30 amp
breaker. if you connect them through a 50 Amp Y connector you are
LESS Safe than the way I suggested because you now have a 50 amp breaker
for each leg (100 AMPS total...I know the math doesn't seem right but 50
AMP shore power has 2 50Amp 110V connections)

If you do it right, you can connect them so there is a 30 amp breaker in
the boat as well as the one on the dock. If this is beyond your
abilities, get a marine electrician to do it for you... probably an
hours worth of work. I prefer the SP1 / SP1-SP2 / Gen switches
because when you DO need LOTS of power (Sleeping on the boat with your
wife/girlfriend and they want AC and a blowdryer and to cook you eggs in
the AM, you can run on 2 cables to 2 30 amp connectors... when you are
home, you can turn to SP1 and just be carefull to not overload and blow
your breaker.




Mike C wrote:
My service is 120V 30AMP. If I internally connect them, what does that
do to the safety? It seems to me that there must have been a reason
Maxum put 2 inlets. It would have been cheaper for them to put 1, so I
think it must be for safety reasons.


Ed wrote:

Don't do it that way....

get a new switch with SP1 (jumpers both together) SP1&SP2 (Separate
cables) and GEN.

I put one of these on mine old boat and it works awesome.... if you
NEVER need two cables, just connect them together in boat and DISCONNECT
the unused inlet (or it will be HOT... not a good situation)

Don't use the home depot versions.... no waterproof covers etc.


ACP wrote:

"Mike C" wrote in message
groups.com...


My boat that has separate 2 120V inputs (1 for A/C and 1 for everything
else). I have only 1 plug in at my dock forcing me to switch between
A/C and power.

1) Why are those Y-adapters so expensive? They are around $250 which
seems like a lot of money considering there are no electronics.

2) I have 3 extra power cables. Can I cut off the plugs and splice them
together to make a y adapter? What would you use to splice and contain
it all?


How about a weather resistant box to accommodate a weather resistant duplex
receptacle. Then a power cord with the appropriate plug wired to the duplex
receptacle.

Should be able to get all you need at Home Depot, Lowes, etc.

Maybe I'm missing something. Do the shore power plugs have some special
configuration?

"Mike C" wrote in message
ups.com...
My boat that has separate 2 120V inputs (1 for A/C and 1 for everything
else). I have only 1 plug in at my dock forcing me to switch between
A/C and power.

1) Why are those Y-adapters so expensive? They are around $250 which
seems like a lot of money considering there are no electronics.

2) I have 3 extra power cables. Can I cut off the plugs and splice them
together to make a y adapter? What would you use to splice and contain
it all?


$151, brand new, delivered right to your door.

http://tinyurl.com/pezh3

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/SHORE...spagenameZWDVW

So, you are saying that even with a Y adapter, because I have only 1
deck outlet of 30 amp service, I cannot run my a/c and other thigns at
the same time?

Ed wrote:
Not safety.... amount of power....
You can't run AC plus everything else without blowing the breaker. IF
you connect them both with a Y adapter to a 30 amp connector on the dock
you are doing the SAME thing...And you are protected with a 30 amp
breaker. if you connect them through a 50 Amp Y connector you are
LESS Safe than the way I suggested because you now have a 50 amp breaker
for each leg (100 AMPS total...I know the math doesn't seem right but 50
AMP shore power has 2 50Amp 110V connections)

If you do it right, you can connect them so there is a 30 amp breaker in
the boat as well as the one on the dock. If this is beyond your
abilities, get a marine electrician to do it for you... probably an
hours worth of work. I prefer the SP1 / SP1-SP2 / Gen switches
because when you DO need LOTS of power (Sleeping on the boat with your
wife/girlfriend and they want AC and a blowdryer and to cook you eggs in
the AM, you can run on 2 cables to 2 30 amp connectors... when you are
home, you can turn to SP1 and just be carefull to not overload and blow
your breaker.




Mike C wrote:
My service is 120V 30AMP. If I internally connect them, what does that
do to the safety? It seems to me that there must have been a reason
Maxum put 2 inlets. It would have been cheaper for them to put 1, so I
think it must be for safety reasons.


Ed wrote:

Don't do it that way....

get a new switch with SP1 (jumpers both together) SP1&SP2 (Separate
cables) and GEN.

I put one of these on mine old boat and it works awesome.... if you
NEVER need two cables, just connect them together in boat and DISCONNECT
the unused inlet (or it will be HOT... not a good situation)

Don't use the home depot versions.... no waterproof covers etc.


ACP wrote:

"Mike C" wrote in message
groups.com...


My boat that has separate 2 120V inputs (1 for A/C and 1 for everything
else). I have only 1 plug in at my dock forcing me to switch between
A/C and power.

1) Why are those Y-adapters so expensive? They are around $250 which
seems like a lot of money considering there are no electronics.

2) I have 3 extra power cables. Can I cut off the plugs and splice them
together to make a y adapter? What would you use to splice and contain
it all?


How about a weather resistant box to accommodate a weather resistant duplex
receptacle. Then a power cord with the appropriate plug wired to the duplex
receptacle.

Should be able to get all you need at Home Depot, Lowes, etc.

Maybe I'm missing something. Do the shore power plugs have some special
configuration?

Mike C wrote:
So, you are saying that even with a Y adapter, because I have only 1
deck outlet of 30 amp service, I cannot run my a/c and other thigns at
the same time?


When we were at a transient slip with only one 30 amp connection
available I never had a problem using our 30 amp Y adapter to run the
AC, fridge, ice maker, Vacu-flush and other cabin outlets.

You should be good to go also if you use one.

I guess then I don't see the difference of the power being split
outside the boat or inside the boat.

JimH wrote:
Mike C wrote:
So, you are saying that even with a Y adapter, because I have only 1
deck outlet of 30 amp service, I cannot run my a/c and other thigns at
the same time?


When we were at a transient slip with only one 30 amp connection
available I never had a problem using our 30 amp Y adapter to run the
AC, fridge, ice maker, Vacu-flush and other cabin outlets.

You should be good to go also if you use one.