Click for Abeking Click for Cross Click for JetForums Click for Northern Lights Click for Glendinning

Need a crash course on 100 amp US shorepower

Discussion in 'Technical Discussion' started by Pascal, Sep 10, 2021.

You need to be registered and signed in to view this content.
Page 3 of 3
  1. olderboater, Sep 11, 2021
    #41
    olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2013
    Messages:
    7,132
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    And the answer which you discovered to your original question is the Atlas can not handle two different voltages but with the 480 you should be more than covered. Now you just have to figure out all the spare connectors and parts you have sitting around while getting what you need.

    As we're currently in Europe, we suddenly seem to have every connector known to man as we have all those needed here plus the ones we'll use in the US. I don't know what half of them are. Glad I have people smarter than me aboard.
  2. Capt Ralph, Sep 11, 2021
    #42
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2004
    Messages:
    12,726
    Location:
    Satsuma, FL
    I had to re-read all a few times. Finally I realized, you do have a separate 480Vac outlet on your power pole along with a bunch of other outlets.
    You had figured it out also, long ago in your post #4.
    Also, your post #27 finally made sense also.
    Please scratch my 480 comments.
    Your marina must had planned on lots of different customers in that slip. Those out-lets and connects are pretty expensive.
  3. Pascal, Sep 11, 2021
    #43
    Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 29, 2008
    Messages:
    8,149
    Location:
    Miami, FL
    Yeah. What is weird is that I don’t have any 4 pins 480VAC adapters on board. I have the two odd ones I first posted but not the one I need... will check with Ward on Monday
  4. Capt Ralph, Sep 11, 2021
    #44
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2004
    Messages:
    12,726
    Location:
    Satsuma, FL
    I wonder if your pig-tails you have are for international (Non - U S) dock services.
    Your Atlas system seems to be able to digest near anything fed to it.

    My Auntie always told me, When in doubt, look at the pictures;

    https://www.marine.com/store/c/755-Shorepower-100-AMP.html
    https://www.fisheriessupply.com/marine-shore-power/plugs-and-outlets?startIndex=45
    https://www.fisheriessupply.com/hubbell?loc=3244005569 534315259
    https://www.wmjmarine.com/electrica...00-amp-connectors--plugs--covers---rings.html
    https://marinco.com/en/products/Shore-Power/Plugs-and-Connectors/100-Amp

    I think these pretty much covers the connects that would be found in the states.
  5. Capt Ralph, Sep 11, 2021
    #45
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2004
    Messages:
    12,726
    Location:
    Satsuma, FL
    Kind of supports, 480Vac not commonly found here and your ship is ready for foreign ports.
    Take those pig-tails to Wards also.
  6. rtrafford, Sep 11, 2021
    #46
    rtrafford

    rtrafford Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 13, 2019
    Messages:
    1,584
    Location:
    Vero Beach
    Both of my cords are 5 pin. I carry two 5 to 4 adapter pigtails. I also carry two or three smart Y double 50's for the ability to pick up 100 amps from parallel phase 50 amp outlets in smaller facilities. The Hubbell Smart Y will allow you to have 50 amps if the two 50's are on the same phase by just opening one portal for power.

    When I find 3 phase power at the marinas, it's always a 5 pin. When I find single phase service at marinas, they are feeding a four pin plug, giving you multiple legs of 208-240v.

    But many facilities have transformers that convert the local grid three phase service at high voltage with 208v outputs. So while you're getting 208v, you aren't getting 3 phase to the dock. They're simply set up to provide the four pin plug for 100 amps in order to provide the larger service.

    I have disconnects on each cord within the boat. I always plug in with those breakers off, so that no power gets to the Atlas or beyond. Both of these boxes are plumbed with power meters at my helm. I can see the voltage, phasing when I plug in so that I am certain what it is that I'm dealing with. Of course at that point I'm seeing no-load voltage.

    And there's more 208v single phase out there than you'd imagine.
  7. Pascal, Sep 11, 2021
    #47
    Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 29, 2008
    Messages:
    8,149
    Location:
    Miami, FL
    The two cords are 5 pins 5 wires three phase capable of supporting either 208vac or 480VAC. The main breakers on the boat where the cords come in are rated for up to 480VAC. We have two cords at the stern with a cable master and another pair in the bow locker. Hard wired but no cable master. We have selector switch to use either.

    I always turn off the Atlas Smart Panel cord selector before connecting. Then the system does its thing detecting what it s connected to and whether the two sources are compatible.

    the slip we were at for a few months had two 208 3 phase so I just connected to that. I ve had a long list to handle that dealing with shorepower wasn’t a priority. It worked ok... occasionally tripping. Now that we re at our permanent slip, I discovered it only had a single 208 vac, a single 100amp single phase and two 50 amps. That’s why I had to look into this issue.

    the marina has just been rebuilt following all the damage caused by Irma 3 years ago.

    in the process, instead of upgrading services they actually downgraded electrical. My personal 53 hatt is in a 50” slip just inside the Tee head where the 116 is. I used to have 2 120/240-50 outlets... no more. Now I have one plus a 30 amp! Totally stupid. No 50 footer is going to use a 30 amp cord...
  8. menkes, Sep 12, 2021
    #48
    menkes

    menkes Member

    Joined:
    Mar 13, 2007
    Messages:
    109
    Location:
    Aretsou, greece
    Dear Pascal
    Being an electrical engineer for more then 50 years and reading the post three times I lost my way with your problems.
    Since all the problems mentioned in the post directly connected to safety, personal and equipment, I advise to get a qualified electrical engineer that will check the system and advise you.
    To give you my way with shore power, my yacht has one type of connection and one voltage system.
    All the adjustments to the various shore power systems I make outside of the yacht systems.
  9. Pascal, Sep 12, 2021
    #49
    Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 29, 2008
    Messages:
    8,149
    Location:
    Miami, FL
    Well this boat has an Atlas system which is designed to accept various voltages, nr of phases and frequency and automatically output the 240v 60hz needed on board. If the system detects anything outside what it can handle, it simple doesn’t connect. Pretty foolproof

    I get the safety concern but in this case there are none thanks to the on board system.

    so far I have safely connected the boat to a single 208, twin 208, single 240-100 single phase and even to two 240-50. I m just missing the 4 pin 480VAC adapted.

    I was curious about the purpose of the two other adapters I posted pictures of... I don’t think I need to hire an electrical engineer to find out. I was hoping someone here would know.
  10. mapism, Sep 12, 2021
    #50
    mapism

    mapism Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 9, 2008
    Messages:
    2,115
    Location:
    Sardinia
    +1.
    I was also somewhat scared by some of the posts in this thread, but I refrained to comment for two reasons:
    First, I'm more familiar with european electrical systems.
    Second - and most important - I would look for a professional advise regardless.
    In a sense, even more so if I should deal with a boat whose electrical system (AIUI) works its magic as a sort of black box - no matter how foolproof.
    leeky likes this.
  11. Pascal, Sep 14, 2021
    #51
    Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 29, 2008
    Messages:
    8,149
    Location:
    Miami, FL
    Problem solved.

    I got a 4 pin 100 amps 480VAC male connector from Wards (excellent service as usual) and installed on one of my cords removing the 208V connector

    getting 480VAC into the Atlas which happily converts it to 240.

    Since this is our home slip I decided to replace the 208v connector instead of using an adapter. For traveling, even though we rarely dock, I m going to make a pigtail to allow connecting the 480VAC cord in a 208vac receptacle

    thank you to all who helped.

    F1310399-2E75-4568-AAF2-D19733AA8961.jpeg A5AE1B5F-9A9E-441A-92B3-E9A91892BB36.jpeg 7D55179E-193D-4816-8F9A-69A857B66D46.jpeg
  12. Capt Ralph, Sep 14, 2021
    #52
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2004
    Messages:
    12,726
    Location:
    Satsuma, FL
    Did Wards identify the other 4 pin connects?
  13. Pascal, Sep 14, 2021
    #53
    Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 29, 2008
    Messages:
    8,149
    Location:
    Miami, FL
    nope.
Page 3 of 3