TECHNOLOGY
SMARTPLUG
SYSTEM
Steve D’Antonio
STORY BY STEVE D’ANTONIO
H
ardly a month goes by that I don’t receive an
email from a reader regarding a question about
shorepower. Typically, these inquiries involve overheating
of the shorepower inlet or the end of the shorepower
cord, as well as the consequent discoloration, melting, or
burning of the cable end.
In extreme cases, entire boats, and even multiple boats,
have been lost as a result of a single faulty shorepower
cord. Statistically, this is one of the most common causes
of onboard fires. When I review a vessel as part of a
prepurchase or systems inspection, I naturally pay close
attention to electrical systems. I also look carefully at each
shorepower receptacle and all of the cord ends (there may
be several). Often, these provide telltale clues regarding
problems lying deeper within the shorepower system or in
the connections themselves. Discoloration or burning is, of
course, immediate cause for concern and good reason to
discontinue use of the system until the faults are identified
and corrected.
What are the specific problems with shorepower
connections, and why are these connections so
trouble prone? Imagine if, instead of using the usual,
permanently connected overhead or underground
power lines, you supplied electricity to your home by
running an oversized extension cord from a receptacle
on the side of the road to another receptacle on the
side of your house. Then, imagine that your home
moved continuously, up and down and left and right,
anywhere from a few inches to a dozen feet. Throw in
rain and salt spray on the receptacles and plugs, both
when connected and disconnected. Finally, consider that
you would make and break these connections anywhere
Damaged shorepower cord connectors have become a veritable fixture at marinas and docks. Often, the damage occurs because of
poor connections resulting from a combination of operator error and a less-than-perfect design.
