Power Cords - 2004 420

MI 420Sundancer

MI 420Sundancer

Member
Dec 9, 2017
38
Grand Haven MI
Boat Info
2004 SeaRay Sundancer
Engines
Cummings
Hello
I recently have switched marinas and the new Marina only has one hookup for power. I have two 30amps coming out of my boat and not sure the best way to hookup this summer...any suggestions would be greatly appreciated and advice to maximize my battery usage.
 
Do you know the capacity of the single hookup? 30 amps or 50 amps? It its 50 amps, you can buy a "splitter" to hook to the 50 and then use your 30 amp power cord to the boat. The connectors for 30 amp and 50 amp pedestals are different.

If it is a single 30 amp, I would just hookup to Line #1 (the left side of the breaker panel) as the stove and water heater are on the right side of the panel. You will "give up" the Forward AC, but you get all your battery chargers and Salon AC.

Jaybeaux
 
Is it 50 or 30 amp?

I have two 30 amp hookups on my dock but I only use one. I use a Y cord in the transom locker to connect he boat. The only time I need to run the second cord is if we need to use the cockpit AC/Heat. I did this to keep the clutter off the dock. Works fine for us
 
upload_2019-5-21_9-29-32.jpeg
upload_2019-5-21_9-29-32.jpeg
You need a splitter by Marinco. Maybe shop on ebay.
 
In Grand Haven I'd be shocked if you don't have a single 50A. Grab the above mentioned 50A to (2) 30A's and live happily ever after.

I'd be uber bummed if I had to live off a single 30A. Your hot water heater and forward AC units are likely both on the "Line 2" side of your boat. Neither of these would be considered optional for the way my family and I use our boat. I'd have to be some kind of amperage ninja to avoid tripping the breaker 18 times every weekend :)
 
THANKS FOR ALL COMMENTS!!!

OK, it is a 50amp at dock and I have 2 30amp in boat....so run both cords out of boat to dock, buy the y splitter (Pigtail) and hook the 50amp to dock and then the two to the 30amp cords coming out of boat.

Anyone have a good source for cords longer than 50ft? Or I need to reverse into dock.
 
MI 420Sundancer said:
THANKS FOR ALL COMMENTS!!!

OK, it is a 50amp at dock and I have 2 30amp in boat....so run both cords out of boat to dock, buy the y splitter (Pigtail) and hook the 50amp to dock and then the two to the 30amp cords coming out of boat.

Anyone have a good source for cords longer than 50ft? Or I need to reverse into dock.
Click to expand...
What I did in a similar situation is go to your local Electrical supply house.. you can buy all the components to make your own extension cord. I made it 50A both ends, then I used the pig tail to plug the two 30A plugs into the boat and then the 50A extension cord into the other end of the pig tail. When I left the dock I just had to disconnect the extension cord and put the end on the dock. It was about half the price and very convenient. Measure everything out I needed about 75'....it adds up... The supply house will help you with wire size based on length
 
I've been able to run one 30 amp cord to the boat with a splitter to two 30's, powering both line one and two. I've not tripped any breakers at any marinas I've been to so far. It's nice not having to drag out double the cords all the time.
 
Woody said:
I've been able to run one 30 amp cord to the boat with a splitter to two 30's, powering both line one and two. I've not tripped any breakers at any marinas I've been to so far. It's nice not having to drag out double the cords all the time.
Click to expand...

You must be an energy miser :)
 
Woody said:
I've been able to run one 30 amp cord to the boat with a splitter to two 30's, powering both line one and two. I've not tripped any breakers at any marinas I've been to so far. It's nice not having to drag out double the cords all the time.
Click to expand...
Woody...and you have full access to water heater and both AC units?
 
4Schrecks said:
Woody...and you have full access to water heater and both AC units?
Click to expand...
Yes. The first year I had the boat I used both cords. At one marina I only had access to one 30amp on the pedestal, I was able to borrow a spitter to hook up in the trunk. It worked fine, I bought my own splitter and have been running it that way ever since. I carry 2 less 50' cords now.

This past weekend was very cold. I didn't turn on the HW but both AC's were cranking steady along with a 1,500 watt elec heater, battery charger, light, microwave, curling iron and vacuum cleaner separately for a while.

It's worth giving a try.
 
Woody said:
Do you trip pedestal breakers?
Click to expand...

In my day I've had occasion to trip both the pedestal breaker and the boat breakers. Just last weekend my wife started drying her hair without turning off the water heater and pop - the line 2 breaker tripped.

I can't even begin to imagine being able to get the kind of use you're getting. Not a chance on my boat...my water heater alone draws nearly 10 amps when it's running according to the gauge on the panel...
 
At the time I added up all the wattage and determined the amps for each side...I don't remember what the numbers were right now but I was surprised I never had a problem. Now you make me wonder if the line breakers are OK.
 
Stee6043 said:
I'd be uber bummed if I had to live off a single 30A. Your hot water heater and forward AC units are likely both on the "Line 2" side of your boat. Neither of these would be considered optional for the way my family and I use our boat. I'd have to be some kind of amperage ninja to avoid tripping the breaker 18 times every weekend :)
Click to expand...

That would be tough for me too! I can get away with a single 30 in nice weather for short periods, but both AC units and the water heater will trip the circuit.

As a winter live-aboard, two 30's weren't enough. I wasn't wiling to chance an overload, so I'd run a heavy-gauge 15A extension cord to run a space heater, and even then, I only set it to high for short periods when I was there to watch it.
 
Woody said:
At the time I added up all the wattage and determined the amps for each side...I don't remember what the numbers were right now but I was surprised I never had a problem. Now you make me wonder if the line breakers are OK.
Click to expand...

Does your shore power cord ever get warm?
 
Blueone said:
What I did in a similar situation is go to your local Electrical supply house.. you can buy all the components to make your own extension cord. I made it 50A both ends, then I used the pig tail to plug the two 30A plugs into the boat and then the 50A extension cord into the other end of the pig tail. When I left the dock I just had to disconnect the extension cord and put the end on the dock. It was about half the price and very convenient. Measure everything out I needed about 75'....it adds up... The supply house will help you with wire size based on length
Click to expand...
Many marinas will not let you use a home made cord. They must be marine grade.
 
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