Strange boat electrics

[pen]

We've acquired a secondhand cabin cruiser, about 12 years old, which has rather weird electrics. Although the supply is 220-240v, the actual sockets are american ones! So far we've made do with the adaptors sold at airports, and nothing particularly heavy duty gets plugged in apart from the kettle and my hairdryer (!), but I do have a niggling worry that the sockets themselves may not be really up to having european electricity passed through them. The previous owners are both alive and kicking and obviously didn't manage to fry themselves, but still.....

Pen

[Brian Reay]

See if the sockets have a rating stamped on them- usually on the back.

Seem an usual arrangement- where did they get all the sockets from and why? Are you sure that the sockets aren't the similar looking 12V socket system used in caravans. If so, then I would worry!

--

73 Brian

[Nigel Molesworth]

When you say "supply" you mean shore power, yes? So it's an American boat plugged into the European mains. Assuming the appliances are all

230V, then it's not a problem. The yacht next to mine* in Greece has exactly this arrangement, but the owner has fitted American plugs.

Hmmm! If it can cope with a kettle (don't you have gas?) and a hairdryer, it can cope with anything.

• My yacht in Greece

[meow2222]

American mains electrics are of lower standard than our stuff, though quite serviceable. Plugs are rated 10A continuous IIRC. A kettle would be ok since its only on for 3 mins. US plugs can occasionally sit half in half out, running hot is just accepted etc... not ideal but it works. (so I'm told anyway)

NT

[Glenn Booth]

Hi,

So at 110v, 10A, does that mean our 'merkin cousins can only draw

1.1 kW from a wall socket? Seems a bit stingey, considering how much of the world's energy they manage to consume.

Regards,

Glenn.

[Brian Sharrock]

While watching US sourced TV programmes ... ; notice how many times the actors 'make a cup of tea' using a kettle off a hob! You never (well almost never) see them use an electric kettle. US 'lectrickery supplies 220V off a pole to each house where it's transformer centre-tapped to two antiphase

110-0-110 (AC) circuits. For something like a table-saw and/or cooker (including microwaves) they utilise ,what they call two-phase, 220V.

[Peter Parry]

Are you sure they are American and not Shuko or one of the other 23 variations on a plug and socket favoured by European countries? Where did the boat come from?

[manatbandq]

Presumably he knows because of the type of adapters he had to buy. Seemed simple enough to me.

MBQ

[David Hansen]

On 7 Apr 2006 04:37:24 -0700 someone who may be [e-mail] wrote this:-

Many/most two pin plugs and sockets are physically compatible.

An expert is someone who knows how little they know about something. A non-expert thinks they know everything.

[Andy Dingley]

This 1 and a mumble kW limit is why you can't get a proper cup of tea in the whole country,

They also have many sorts of wall socket because all too many things need more power. So the chances are that you simply can't use the MIG welder in the bedroom, as is so easily done on the UK system. No wonder they're falling technically behind so rapidly.

[Owain]

I think that must be the definition of a really understanding Mrs. :-)

Or a quite amazing sex life ;-)

Owain

[Huge]

Partly because they are virtually unobtainable. My parents (who live in Pennsylvania) had to buy one in Canada.

[pen]

They look like standard US sockets as observed by me on various trips over the pond. Can't be sure, I suppose.

The boat is a tarquin trader which was bought new in GB by the previous owners. I think I have been told that traders are made in Taiwan and then have a final fitting out in the country of purchase.

Pen

[Peter Parry]

You can find a "spot the plug" guide at

you can get visibility of the supply cabling you may also be able to find the voltage rating printed at intervals along its length.

American sockets are quite safe at 220V (or at least as safe as their construction inherently allows - its easy to get your finger across the pins while plugging then in/out).

[Andrew Gabriel]

BT looked into getting type approval for US mains plugs. The maxmimum rating they would be permitted in the EU was

50V 2.5A.

[David Hansen]

On Sun, 09 Apr 2006 11:47:25 +0100 someone who may be Peter Parry wrote this:-

However, it spoils it with the following assertion, "The reason why we are now stuck with no less than 13 different styles of plugs and wall outlets, is because many countries preferred to develop a plug of their own, instead of adopting the US standard."

[John Cartmell]

Written by someone trained by Microsoft? ;-)

[Andy Hall]

It's also spoiled with inaccuracies.

I spotted a few:

- The Schuko plug does become polarised if used in a France/Belgium socket with projecting pin

- The Danish socket illustrated normally has a round earth pin nowadays

- The Swiss one normally does not have the shroud around the socket since this prevents Schuko plugs from being plugged into it.

- The Israeli ones that I've seen have a rounded and not a flat earth pin.

[pen]

Definitely US Type "B" from the guide.

Pen

[Andrew Gabriel]

Schuko is only the German plug, not the France/Belgium plug nor the one which fits both sockets.

France/Belgium plug is not polarised anyway. True, you can't plug it in either way round, but it is not defined which is the live or neutral pin. Actually, in just about every double socket or two-way adaptor, you'll find the two sockets hard- wired the opposite way around.