The boat owner is urged not to forget to check their shore power cable for wet wires before plugging it in.
How often do check the shore power before plugging into your boat?
Keith Lovett shares an example to highlight that water and electricity do not mix.
He said: “With many hooking up to shore power specifically for heaters, oil radiators and dehumidifiers extra care should be taken to ensure that wiring is placed where it will remain dry, that marine grade installations are used and regular checks made.
“Water can easily run along cables, exactly what has happened in the case of one of our clients. Water shorted out the entire unit, with only the plugs, and the circuit breaker being damaged. Thankfully, the unit was located in a safe location. The intense heat produced was enough to melt any plugs that were fitted.
Check your shore power cable
“Corrosion in a saltwater environment can and does affect all systems on board.
“When unattended in a marina, systems are generally shut down, batteries are turned off which isolates the onboard wiring and then a live power cable is brought on board, hence the need to regularly check the condition of everything that’s connected.
“The routing of all cables, avoiding sharp bends and pinch points should be considered and fused or protected circuits utilised. A fused circuit will blow twice if it has a problem. You should identify the source. Loose connections must be avoided, and all must be kept clean, well-fitted and dry.”
He continued: “Shore power cable plugs on pontoons are particularly prone to corrosion and, as sealed units, are often something that may be overlooked. If the worst does occur, even generated heat or smoke – let alone fire – can cause catastrophic damage.
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“Your insurers will be eager to identify the ultimate cause so as much information as possible should be provided and photographs can be hugely valuable immediately after such damage is discovered.”
PBO’s gear tester Rupert Holmes added: “Keith makes some very important points, especially given many shore power cables I’ve seen are the same age as the boat, yet operate in an extremely harsh environment, especially over winter.
“At the same time most only have IPX4 waterproofing (protection from splashes) although there are some (such as this Victron model) that have an IPX6 rating giving protection against powerful water jets.
“It also highlights the importance of fitting smoke alarms, and the benefits of switching off any high-power devices when leaving the boat, even if it’s only for a short period ashore.”
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