Shore power connector & inlet
Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2021 12:26 pm
Recently assessed an imported yacht for WoEF.
Originally built in USA, so 115 V system; converted by some previous owner for 230 supply.
Basically a nice system; with galvanic isolation by on-board isolating tx.
Tx has dual windings for both primary & secondary; so can be set up in 4 different configurations:
1:1 115 V, 32A; 1:1 230 V, 16 A; step up 115 : 230; or (as used) step down 230: 115.
Shore power using HD lead rated 600V to NEMA Easy Lock connector & inlet fitting (Marinco); inlet fitting clearly labelled 230 V
From inlet 600V rated TPS, via 2P mcb , to tx primary.
Lead - being ex-USA, has black Active and white Neutral, and whoever changed the plug to IEC 60309 type got this wrong, using black for N.
But since the only thing connected is the tx, and the overcurrent protection is in all live conductors, decided polarity wasn't an issue.
Incoming PEC connected to tx core, but not to case.
Case connected to vessel earthing system.
Changed that, because "3004" requires all items required by "3000" to be earthed to be connected to incoming shore PEC.
"3004" allows foreign-built vessels to use non-standard connector & inlet.
However having discovered that shore power active was arriving via white instead of via black, I checked polarity of lead alone
- and found the "rotation" of E-A- N on the connector was anticlockwise instead of clockwise like we use.
Which made me curious; so looked up these fittings on web.
The pins on these fittings are all designed as arcs of a circle, with different widths;
and with some being folded so that they have a "L" section.
There can also be an extra contact on the side of the body.
The "easy-lock" bit is you rotate the plug after insertion into socket (or rotate connector after insertion into inlet)
From what I have now found, seems 125 V 30 A fittings have a folded earth pin with the folded part pointing towards centre of circle.
Other voltages & currents have additional "folded" pins; with some folding away from centre.
In the Marinco handbook; the only 250 V rated fittings are for 2 phase 120 V, with L1 & L2 pins folded away from centre, neutral on 3rd (non-folded) pin, and earth on the side of the body .
So I'm now wondering whether whoever converted the boat just swapped the cover of the inlet; but not the inlet itself.
Which would mean that despite the very clear markings on the inlet that it's 250 V rated; it may only be 125 V rated.
On the other hand; I found a wiring diagram for a 250 V single phase 20 A one here:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=htt ... Rx6BAgAEAc
The centre image (L6 20 P, L6 30 P) matches what the boat had
Doesn't seem right that 250 V & 125 V fittings would be interchangeable; but there could be size differences in body / pins
Anyone have experience with these things?
Is there a 3-pin 230 / 240 V A,N,E form?
Originally built in USA, so 115 V system; converted by some previous owner for 230 supply.
Basically a nice system; with galvanic isolation by on-board isolating tx.
Tx has dual windings for both primary & secondary; so can be set up in 4 different configurations:
1:1 115 V, 32A; 1:1 230 V, 16 A; step up 115 : 230; or (as used) step down 230: 115.
Shore power using HD lead rated 600V to NEMA Easy Lock connector & inlet fitting (Marinco); inlet fitting clearly labelled 230 V
From inlet 600V rated TPS, via 2P mcb , to tx primary.
Lead - being ex-USA, has black Active and white Neutral, and whoever changed the plug to IEC 60309 type got this wrong, using black for N.
But since the only thing connected is the tx, and the overcurrent protection is in all live conductors, decided polarity wasn't an issue.
Incoming PEC connected to tx core, but not to case.
Case connected to vessel earthing system.
Changed that, because "3004" requires all items required by "3000" to be earthed to be connected to incoming shore PEC.
"3004" allows foreign-built vessels to use non-standard connector & inlet.
However having discovered that shore power active was arriving via white instead of via black, I checked polarity of lead alone
- and found the "rotation" of E-A- N on the connector was anticlockwise instead of clockwise like we use.
Which made me curious; so looked up these fittings on web.
The pins on these fittings are all designed as arcs of a circle, with different widths;
and with some being folded so that they have a "L" section.
There can also be an extra contact on the side of the body.
The "easy-lock" bit is you rotate the plug after insertion into socket (or rotate connector after insertion into inlet)
From what I have now found, seems 125 V 30 A fittings have a folded earth pin with the folded part pointing towards centre of circle.
Other voltages & currents have additional "folded" pins; with some folding away from centre.
In the Marinco handbook; the only 250 V rated fittings are for 2 phase 120 V, with L1 & L2 pins folded away from centre, neutral on 3rd (non-folded) pin, and earth on the side of the body .
So I'm now wondering whether whoever converted the boat just swapped the cover of the inlet; but not the inlet itself.
Which would mean that despite the very clear markings on the inlet that it's 250 V rated; it may only be 125 V rated.
On the other hand; I found a wiring diagram for a 250 V single phase 20 A one here:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=htt ... Rx6BAgAEAc
The centre image (L6 20 P, L6 30 P) matches what the boat had
Doesn't seem right that 250 V & 125 V fittings would be interchangeable; but there could be size differences in body / pins
Anyone have experience with these things?
Is there a 3-pin 230 / 240 V A,N,E form?