Shore power cables and sockets

Take great care of shore power or generator cables and sockets - people's lives could depend upon it.

Shore power cables - is the cable safe to use?

Only use shore power cables designed and sold for use with boats,

They should have the 'CE' marking on them or on their packaging/instruction sheet etc.

Check the cable condition prior to each use and replace if it shows signs of damage; never repair it.

If any cable strands are exposed, do not use the cable.

If the inner wire coloured insulation is showing at any point, have the shore power cable repaired or replace it.

Plug, socket and connector grips should always be tightened onto the outer insulation and not the inner wires - this can lead to the core breaking and the cable overheating.

Are you using the cable safely?

Always connect the boat end of the shore power cable first and then the shore supply end.

Always disconnect the shore cable at the shore end first and the boat end last.

Use shore power cables fully uncoiled to avoid the cable overheating.

If the cable connection feels loose when you plug in to the boat's shore power inlet, have a competent person replace the cable and/or inlet, as necessary.

Make sure the connected cable can't fall or hang in the water.  This could risk injury or death to nearby swimmers and wildlife.

After use, stow shore power and any generator cables in a dry and safe place with care, and protect from sharp edges, rough surfaces, heavy objects or wet equipment.

Shore power sockets and connectors

Shore power sockets must be in good condition.  If one is cracked, heat damaged have it replaced.

Any socket designed to be fixed in place, should not be loose or have missing screws or bolts.

If it is designed to work with a cover or protector, this too should be in good condition with all catches, hinges and pins in place and working well.

The water risk - Shore power connectors inserted in the boat's shore power inlet in the cockpit must establish a splash-proof connection or be located so that they are protected from the weather.

Splash-proof means located in IP 55 enclosures, in accordance with IEC 60529, as a minimum.  Any connector or inlet that gets soaked from time to time must be in an IP 67 enclosure, as a minimum.

Live Pins? -Check your shore power and/or generator cable has a female connector that you plug into the inlet at the boat...

...with the cable already plugged in shore side or generator, at the other end you will be holding, exposed live pins with 'mains power' voltage.

With live pins exposed, you could electrocute yourself or others, so replace both the cable and socket.

If your boat has two or more 230 V electrical shore power inlets (e.g. fore and aft, or port and starboard), make sure that they are independently wired.

If they are not independent of each other, the connected shore supply cable on one socket will make live, the exposed pins on the other end.