Boat eWOF with incorrect polarity on GPO's

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GeoffC
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Boat eWOF with incorrect polarity on GPO's

Post by GeoffC »

I have an eWOF to issue on a Leopard 51 Power Cat which is now in NZ indefinitely. Built by Robertson & Caine in South African and wired to the IEC 60092 standards.

We have checked over the installation and found a few issues of the common issues like incorrect RCD type, incorrect current limiting for shore power lead(s), no inverter ac isolating on main board etc...

The concerning issue that we are seeking additional advise on please.

The owner is using plug in travel socket adaptors (see attached photos) for NZ appliances, after checking the polarity of the GPO's out we found they are all wired in reverse to our standard, phase and neutral swapped over. They can't be easy swap around as the ship builder has used boot lace ferrules and the tool-less terminals won't release the ferrules.

Sparky is trying to push that the boat was wired to the IEC standard so is ok to stay incorrect. I disagree. What do others think? Do the sockets need changing to NZ flat pin type?
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AlecK
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Re: Boat eWOF with incorrect polarity on GPO's

Post by AlecK »

The use of travel adaptors is not generally a good idea, as some of them are electrically unsafe.
However there is NO requirement to change sockets for issue of a WoEF for use of a boat's connectable installation in NZ.
GPOs on boats that have been imported, and in which NZ appliances are intended to be used, should be changed to "3112" type sockets.
Foreign boats here just visiting will generally have their own appliances with plugs that match the boat's sockets; so forcing a change would be a lot of effort & cost for no safety gain.

The sockets fitted appear to be standard European type; and I would have expected sockets of that config to have same polarity as "3112" & "3123", & 60309 types (earth, active, neutral; clockwise, looking at face of socket)
However I can't be certain, as polarity is generally specified in the relevant product standard, and i don't have that one.

It cannot be assumed that installations installed i.a.w. foreign Standards are automatically OK for use in NZ.
Even IEC 60364 series, which are closely related to our installation Standards, have differences;
partly because they allow for use of different earthing systems compared with our "MEN "system.

IEC 60092 is for electrical installations in ships
Part 507 is for small vessels (up to 50 m); so broadly equivalent to our 3004.2, and the vessel is most likely to have built to this Part.
Part 507 doesn't specify the type of socket to be used for GPOs, let alone their polarity.

The requirement for connection to an NZ shore power supply is having a current WoEF.
Issue of a WoEF does not require full compliance with current edition of "3004.2".
It does require full compliance with those aspects listed in App C; several of which then refer to relevant clauses in main body of the Standard.
One of those is that sockets for flat-pin plugs have correct polarity.
True the installed sockets are not for "flat pin" plugs, but the intent is clear - as is the safety issue.
So the issue cannot just be left, and must be dealt with before a WoEF can be issued.

There's a good chance that the plug on shore end of shore power lead has been changed to match the "60309" socket type used in NZ marinas; and if this has been done incorrectly the polarity of the entire vessel may well have been reversed.
There's also the possibility that polarity of these sockets has been incorrect since it was built; we can't assume that just because it was intended to comply with a particular standard it actually did comply.
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