fbpx
Monday, September 25, 2023
  • Login
  • Register
Southern Boating
  • Boats
    • Center Consoles
    • Dual Consoles
    • Motoryachts
    • Power Cats
    • Sport Cruisers
    • Tenders & Ribs
  • Destinations
    • Bahamas
    • Caribbean
    • Pacific
    • U.S. Atlantic
    • U.S. Gulf
  • Engines
    • Engine Buyers Guide
  • Maintenance
    • DIY
  • Electronics
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
      • Drinks
      • Appetizers
      • EntrĂ©es
      • Dessert
      • Holiday
  • Gear
  • Shop
  • Web Reader
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
No Result
View All Result
  • Boats
    • Center Consoles
    • Dual Consoles
    • Motoryachts
    • Power Cats
    • Sport Cruisers
    • Tenders & Ribs
  • Destinations
    • Bahamas
    • Caribbean
    • Pacific
    • U.S. Atlantic
    • U.S. Gulf
  • Engines
    • Engine Buyers Guide
  • Maintenance
    • DIY
  • Electronics
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
      • Drinks
      • Appetizers
      • EntrĂ©es
      • Dessert
      • Holiday
  • Gear
  • Shop
  • Web Reader
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
No Result
View All Result
Southern Boating
No Result
View All Result
Home Haul-Out Guide

The Truth About Hertz: Understanding Shore Power Safety Internationally

August 23, 2023
in Haul-Out Guide
0
A person measuring Amps with a device on shore
824
SHARES
4.6k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on LinkedInShare via Email

The Truth About Hertz

Foreign shore power and safety

It’s easy to take shore power safety for granted—almost every dock has it. Plug in, flip the breaker and your battery charger, and AC-powered appliances are up and running. What happens, however, if you head to a region where shore power isn’t quite the same as it is at home?

Shore Power 101

In North America and some other parts of the world, the most common shore power scenarios are 120 volts AC (alternating current) at 30 amps and 60 Hz (more on that in a moment), often referred to as “single phase” or 120/240 volts AC at 50 amps and 60 Hz, known as “split phase.” In some marinas, especially those in areas with older infrastructure, split phase power might be 120/208 volts AC. You might also encounter 120 volts AC at 50 amps single phase, but that’s not very typical. Outlets aboard vessels, like those in homes, are normally 120 volts, while larger appliances, such as air conditioners and ovens, often operate on 240 volts AC.

The amperage determines how much work can be done by a shore power service. Smaller vessels, up to about 40 feet, with lower power needs, are usually equipped with one or two 120 volt, 30-amp cords. Larger vessels are more power hungry, and thus, they typically utilize one or two 120/240 volt, 50-amp cords.

Shore power frequency, the 60 Hz (which stands for Hertz, sometimes called cycles) part, is the standard in North America. Among other things, frequency determines the speed at which AC-powered motors, fans, and compressors turn. 

Shore cord ends are unique to each configuration, making it impossible to plug into the wrong power source.

Also Read: Shore Power Tips

Foreign shore power, that which you might encounter in most other parts of the world, including some Caribbean islands, typically consists of 230 volts AC, 16 or 32 amps, and 50 cycles. Smaller vessels generally utilize 16-amp service, while larger vessels utilize 32-amp power supplies, and their dock pedestal outlets and cord ends are also unique to their power supplies and not interchangeable with North American cord arrangements. 

The two systems described above are often abbreviated  and referred to by boatbuilders and industry professionals as “60 Hz” and “50 Hz,” respectively.

Understanding the Basics of Shore Power: A Global Perspective

If your vessel is equipped with any of the previously mentioned North American 60 Hz shore power arrangements, can you simply use an adapter to plug your cord into a foreign 50 Hz pedestal using a cord end adapter? In short, with some exceptions which I’ll explain, the answer is no. The voltage and frequency are incompatible.

If your vessel is equipped with a shore power transformer, and one that’s designed to operate on 60 Hz or 50 Hz (not all are dual frequency), it may be possible to plug a 60 Hz vessel into 50 Hz service simply using a cord end adapter. However, transformers only convert voltage and not frequency, so any frequency-sensitive equipment aboard the vessel might not work or work improperly, or it might be damaged.

Amps being measured with device

Equipment that includes a motor or compressor, designed to operate on 60 Hz, will run slower, and often hotter, when powered by 50 Hz, which will likely shorten its life. Frequency-sensitive gear includes most galley appliances, washers and dryers, and many, but not all, air conditioning systems (some are designed to run on 50 Hz or 60 Hz). Gear that’s not frequency sensitive includes water heaters and most electronic equipment like TVs, computers, phones, most lights, tablet chargers, etc.

One solution involves using a frequency converter, which converts both voltage and frequency, allowing you to plug into almost any shore power source. It provides power that is appropriate for your vessel and its systems. These are bulky, heavy, expensive, and they generate substantial heat, but they do offer a simple means of plugging in essentially anywhere.

Another alternative involves using a battery charger that operates on 50 Hz or 60 Hz and has a wide voltage input range (these are now common) and an inverter. With this arrangement, when your 60 Hz vessel arrives in a 50 Hz port, you plug in using a shore cord adapter and energize only the battery charger, which supplies power to the battery bank and the inverter, which, in turn, supplies 60 Hz power to your vessel’s electrical consumers.

Only the size of the inverter, charger, and shore power capacity limits how much gear can be operated, and even if shore power is limited, the battery bank can act as a buffer during periods of higher demand. This approach should include specific switch gear that prevents you from inadvertently energizing the entire vessel with 50 Hz power, directing it instead only to the battery charger.   

Also Read: CHIRP Sonar Technology

Shore Power Safety

Regardless of whether you are operating in a 50 Hz or 60 Hz environment, shore power can be dangerous and even deadly, both for those aboard the vessel and in the water. First and foremost, under no circumstances should anyone swim around vessels or docks that are energized with shore power. Current leaking into the water can lead to a phenomenon known as Electric Shock Drowning (ESD).

Outlets located in the galley, head, machinery spaces, and on deck must be of the Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) variety. With a few exceptions, and for compliance with standards established by the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC), the primary shore power inlet aboard every vessel built after 2008 should be protected by an Equipment Leakage Circuit Interrupter (ELCI), which essentially operates like a GFCI for the entire vessel. Adoption of the ELCI standard has been driven mainly as a means of preventing in-water electrocution and ESD. The ELCI trips at a higher threshold, 30 milliamps, than the GFCI, which trips at 5 milliamps. Therefore, it is technically deemed a protector of equipment rather than people; however, in practice, it has saved countless lives. 

Finally, if you have any doubt about the safety of your vessel’s electrical system and wish to have it inspected, or if you are contemplating a foray into 50 Hz waters which will necessitate modifications to your shore power safety, you should only rely on the services of an ABYC-certified electrician.

-by Steve D’Antonio

Recommended

L2Fish

L2Fish

February 13, 2018
3.4k
vampire blood chili

Vampire Blood Chili

September 27, 2017
3.3k

Don't miss it

A center console turns on open water while sporting Honda's New BF350 Outboards
Engines

Introducing Honda Marine’s BF350 Outboard: V8 Power Meets Premium Performance

September 21, 2023
3.4k
Man holds stop sign covering his face
Marketgauge

Will The Fed Finally STOP?

September 20, 2023
3.3k
Highfield’s Sport 660 (21’ 4” LOA; 8’ 6” beam)
Boats

Highfield Boats Unveils New Models at Exclusive Michigan Event

September 19, 2023
3.9k
Deena Lippman Sea Bass Image
Featured

Female Anglers Rise Up: A New Trend in American Fishing

September 15, 2023
3.7k
Oil barrels in front of a graph showing increases
Marketgauge

Could Higher Oil Prices Throw The U.S. Into a Recession?

September 13, 2023
3.5k
The Ocean Alexander 28E Cuts across deep blue waters
Boats

The Ocean Alexander’s 28E: Revolutionizing Yachting with Modern Luxury

September 12, 2023
5k
Facebook Instagram TikTok Youtube LinkedIn

Navigation

  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
logo

1591 E. Atlantic Blvd, 2nd Floor
Pompano Beach, FL 33060
Office: +1 (954) 522-5515
Fax: +1 (954) 522-2260
Contact us: info@southernboating.com


Newsletter

Subscribe to our mailing list to receive the best in boating weekly direct to your inbox!

No Result
View All Result
  • Boats
    • Center Consoles
    • Dual Consoles
    • Motoryachts
    • Power Cats
    • Sport Cruisers
    • Tenders & Ribs
  • Destinations
    • Bahamas
    • Caribbean
    • Pacific
    • U.S. Atlantic
    • U.S. Gulf
  • Engines
    • Engine Buyers Guide
  • Maintenance
    • DIY
  • Electronics
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
      • Drinks
      • Appetizers
      • EntrĂ©es
      • Dessert
      • Holiday
  • Gear
  • Shop
  • Web Reader
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise

© 2023 Southern Boating Media

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
Don't Miss Out

Get weekly content updates to stay informed about the best boating and yachting news.

Don’t miss out on this Special Offer

Only 1 Dollar Per Issue!

Get Yours Here

(Billed Annually for our Digital Subscription Only)

Don’t miss out on this Special Offer

Only 1 Dollar Per Issue!

Get Yours Here

(Billed Annually for our Digital Subscription Only)

Don’t miss out on this Special Offer

Only 1 Dollar Per Issue!

Get Yours Here

(Billed Annually for our Digital Subscription Only)

Enjoying our Content?

Get it delivered weekly to your inbox! Dive into Your Fix of Adventure with the Latest in Boating, Yachting, Fishing, Gear Reviews, Exotic Travel Destinations and Lifestyle. Don't Miss Out, Sign Up Today!

Before You Go

Set Sail With Us! Dive into Your Weekly Fix of Adventure with the Latest in Boating, Yachting, Fishing, Gear Reviews, Exotic Travel Destinations and Lifestyle. Don't Miss Out, Sign Up Today!

  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy