AC outlet for cockpit...

[CliffA]

we like to watch movies on a 20" LCD monitor when we camp...i mount the monitor on the cockpit table and run the DVD from a laptop...we sit on the rear seat that goes all the way across the boat while watching the movie...i have a 1500 watt inverter permanently installed under the sink in the galley...currently we run an extension cord from the inverter to the monitor to power both the monitor and the laptop...it works well but i don't like the extension cord draped across the deck floor...i was thinking about installing an AC outlet beside the cockpit table in the wall just above the side storage cavity and just below the gunwale....the outlet would be connected to the inverter in the galley via 12/3 or 14/3 wire...this would allow me to plug in the monitor and laptop power cords beside the table and eliminate the tripping hazard the extension cord presents...my question for the forum is what type of AC outlet would you recommend for this?...ideally i would like an outlet that can be recessed and flush mount with the side of the cockpit...i am thinking it would need to be weatherproof as well as GFI capable...since the storage cavity is behind the cockpit wall the mounting depth of the outlet is not a concern....thanks..

 

[Bucit]

(i am thinking it would need to be weatherproof as well as GFI capable)

I think you're on the right track. It's defiantly doable.

 

[Trucky]

Something like this might work... you could use a GFI duplex outlet inside:

http://tinyurl.com/6ksn8qs

 

[CliffA]

Something like this might work... you could use a GFI duplex outlet inside:

http://tinyurl.com/6ksn8qs

thanks for the link Trucky....that just may be the box i need to consider....i could install GFI AC plugs into that weatherproof box...

 

[Trucky]

So... how much battery does that arrangement use up? Can you get a double feature out of it? I assume you have at least a dual battery setup.

 

[CliffA]

So... how much battery does that arrangement use up? Can you get a double feature out of it? I assume you have at least a dual battery setup.

i do have dual deep cell #24 batteries...i use the 'house' battery for the movies and anything else used for camping such as the radio, cabin lights, fresh water pump, etc....both the laptop and monitor are energy star rated for low power consumption....at full screen brightness the monitor only pulls about 25 Watts...it also has the option to reduce the screen brightness by two lower notches, but i don't know what reduced power load each level pulls....i don't know for sure but i think the laptop pulls around 30 watts with just the DVD player running (internet search results)....i can (and have) run both the monitor and the laptop from a small 150 Watt inverter that plugs into a 12V outlet without any issues....i always make sure both batteries are fully charged before we hit the water... i have an on-board charger that stays plugged into 120V all the time while the boat is on the trailer and at home...usually each battery will have around 13.3 volts when fully charged...when i get up in the morning after camping i usually check the charge of the house battery, especially if we leave a 12V fan on all night...usually the charge is still well above 12V....we have not watched more than 1 movie in the same night but i would feel very comfortable doing so with little concern about power draw on a fully charged battery...

 

[CliffA]

actually i think my batteries are group 27, not group 24....by using the power calculator at this web site http://www.donrowe.com/inverters/inverter_faq.html#how_long and by assuming the combined power draw for the monitor and the DVD player is 50 Watts a fully charged group 27 battery should last 10 hrs before it drains down to around 10.5V where the safeguards in the inverter would shut things down...