Shoreline safety issue.

[StephenA]

5 minutes ago, David Mack said:

Not only do those surface mounted inlets (with or without a flap) look incredibly ugly, they stick out in places where you might easily catch your ankle and they are vulnerable to damage. Why not fit a flush unit?

 

https://www.12voltplanet.co.uk/240v-compact-flush-mounted-inlet-plug-white.html

 

 

Needs a much bigger hole in the bulkhead. On Mintball the surface mounted inlet is tucked away in the corner out of the way of people's legs 

[IanD]

30 minutes ago, StephenA said:

 

 

Needs a much bigger hole in the bulkhead. On Mintball the surface mounted inlet is tucked away in the corner out of the way of people's legs 

Mine (32A surface-mount) is hidden away inside a stern locker (semi-trad stern), with a notch to allow the cable to escape when the lid is down.

Edited July 29 by IanD

[cuthound]

5 hours ago, StephenA said:

 

You have switching inside the boat to ensure only one 240v source can be connected at once. We do it on Mintball by having sockets outlets for the two sources and plug the internal 240v circuit into the appropriate output

 

That is how it is done on my boat. Two cables with female sockets, one from the fore shoreline input, one from the aft, which can connect to the single male socket which takes power to the combi. Both input cables are labelled and only one can be connected at any one time.

[GUMPY]

A friend's boat has two male plugs one front one back for his shoreline input.

When you plug either one in a contactor disconnects the other one, contactors are interlocked for safety so it's impossible to have both live.

Edited July 29 by GUMPY
Spooling

[IanD]

10 minutes ago, GUMPY said:

A friend's boat has two male plugs one front one back for his shoreline input.

When you plug either one in a contactor disconnects the other one, contactors are interlocked for safety so it's impossible to have both live.

Now there's a challenge... 😉 

 

What happens if you plug both in at *exactly* the same time? Both off, both on, chattering contactors, one wins at random, end of the world? 😉 

[GUMPY]

Just now, IanD said:

Now there's a challenge... 😉 

 

What happens if you plug both in at *exactly* the same time? Both off, both on, chattering contactors, one wins at random, end of the world? 😉 

To be honest I can't remember the exact wiring.

However from memory I think each contactor disconnected the other one rather than connecting the one that has been plugged in so in the event of plugging both in then neither would power up.

However you would struggle to power them both up at exactly the same time unless run from one on off switch.

[IanD]

1 minute ago, GUMPY said:

To be honest I can't remember the exact wiring.

However from memory I think each contactor disconnected the other one rather than connecting the one that has been plugged in so in the event of plugging both in then neither would power up.

However you would struggle to power them both up at exactly the same time unless run from one on off switch.

I was just having a bit of fun... 🙂 

 

I can't help thinking that a simple changeover switch to select Socket A or Socket B would be a much simpler solution.

[Eeyore]

A little thread drift.

Some years back one of the show boats at Crick had these fitted throughout; guess which one was 12 volt. 

BSS guy claimed there was nothing they could do!

 

[jonathanA]

14 minutes ago, Eeyore said:

A little thread drift.

Some years back one of the show boats at Crick had these fitted throughout; guess which one was 12 volt. 

BSS guy claimed there was nothing they could do!

 

I guess if the 12v was wired across N and E it would be pretty safe..... You can get a version with the earth pin turned thru 90 degrees, aimed at medical equipment / lifesaving equipment etc. But of course they aren't made in China and sold for a couple of quid..... 

[Tonka]

On 29/07/2026 at 08:53, MtB said:

 

 

If someone installs the male-pinned input socket in your photo above, do those male pins not become live to touch when the inverter in the boat is turned ON?

 

 

We don't have an inverter aboard but do have an engine driven 5.5kva 240v alternator. As soon as it switches on there is a relay that energises and that disconnects the shoreline socket

Edited July 30 by Tonka
Spelling

[David Mack]

5 hours ago, Tonka said:

We don't have an inventor aboard...

🙂

[Batavia]

16 hours ago, IanD said:

 

What happens if you plug both in at *exactly* the same time? Both off, both on, chattering contactors, one wins at random, end of the world? 😉 

Use contactors with a mechanical interlock, as with reversing or star/delta motor starters!

[nicknorman]

16 hours ago, IanD said:

Now there's a challenge... 😉 

 

What happens if you plug both in at *exactly* the same time?

You get a prize for having very long arms?

[blackrose]

22 hours ago, David Mack said:

Not only do those surface mounted inlets (with or without a flap) look incredibly ugly, they stick out in places where you might easily catch your ankle and they are vulnerable to damage. Why not fit a flush unit?

 

https://www.12voltplanet.co.uk/240v-compact-flush-mounted-inlet-plug-white.html

 

I have one of these. It's ok and it's over 20 years old now, but it's quite cheaply made from what looks like polypropylene or maybe polycarbonate. The hinge is pretty flimsy and it's completely discoloured. Spiders love that big cavity. I guess I just need to change it for a new one.

[IanD]

3 hours ago, Batavia said:

Use contactors with a mechanical interlock, as with reversing or star/delta motor starters!

But if the contactors are next to the sockets, at opposite ends of the boat... 😉 

(which they might or might not be...)

2 hours ago, nicknorman said:

You get a prize for having very long arms?

Or two people, each with short arms... 🙂 

[Alway Swilby]

22 hours ago, IanD said:

I was just having a bit of fun... 🙂 

 

I can't help thinking that a simple changeover switch to select Socket A or Socket B would be a much simpler solution.

This is exactly what we have on our boat. Fitted by Finesse when they built the boat. There is a little neon light that comes on if there is power applied to one outlet or the other showing you which way to turn the switch. 

[MoominPapa]

On 29/07/2026 at 15:37, IanD said:

What happens if you plug both in at *exactly* the same time? Both off, both on, chattering contactors, one wins at random, end of the world? 😉 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metastability_(electronics)

 

MP.

[IanD]

6 minutes ago, MoominPapa said:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metastability_(electronics)

 

MP.

It was a joke -- I deal with metastability daily, but with devices with switching times of picoseconds, rather faster than chattering relays... 😉 

Edited July 30 by IanD

[MoominPapa]

45 minutes ago, IanD said:

It was a joke -- I deal with metastability daily, but with devices with switching times of picoseconds, rather faster than chattering relays... 😉 

I know. I just thought the audience might enjoy a little enlightenment.

 

MP.

[cheesegas]

On 30/07/2026 at 08:27, blackrose said:

 

I have one of these. It's ok and it's over 20 years old now, but it's quite cheaply made from what looks like polypropylene or maybe polycarbonate. The hinge is pretty flimsy and it's completely discoloured. Spiders love that big cavity. I guess I just need to change it for a new one.

Yep. I've got the same one on a 30 year old boat which I suspect is original. It's crap, the catch which holds the inlet in the extended position is worn so when you push on the connector to seat it, the whole bloody thing retracts. Will be replacing it with a standard surface mount socket.

 

Basically every other one I've seen more than a few years old is the same too.

[Momac]

15 hours ago, cheesegas said:

Yep. I've got the same one on a 30 year old boat which I suspect is original. It's crap.......

Can't be that bad if it has lasted 30 years.

 

There are some very nice and probably very durable  inlets such as made by Victron but a bit pricey when you factor in the electrical connector that is also required .

Edited August 1 by Momac