Shore Power Connection Best Practices

[johnbenj]

The shore power socket at the marina's pedestal has no twist locking mechanism for the 30 amp plug. There have now been a couple of times when the plug has fallen out of the socket - usually after moving the cord to tidy up, etc. Friction alone doesn't seem to be enough to safely keep the connection tight. Here are some pictures of from my album:

http://www.tugnuts.com/gallery2.php?g2_itemId=76600
http://www.tugnuts.com/gallery2.php?g2_itemId=76604

Would recommendations are there for making sure this connection is safe and secure?

Thank you
John

 

[FlyMeAway]

I would notify your marina of this (in writing) and perhaps gently remind them that this is a fire hazard. They should fix it.

 

[Scuba Too]

It really looks like a twist locking style receptacle. Do you have another shore power cable to check?

https://www.westmarine.com/WestAdvisor/DIY-Shore-Power

 

[Wee Venture]

I agree with Scuba Too. I would be very surprised if that is not a twist lock receptacle. Sometimes they are tricky to get just right. Make sure you are pushing it in firmly and perpendicular to the face of the socket before twisting. If there is the slightest angle when you try to twist, it won’t work. If you still can’t make it work with your original cord or an alternate (maybe borrowed) cord, I would report it to the marina.

John

 

[knotflying]

Regardless of outlet type, I always make sure that there is no direct pulling tension on the plug.

 

[SassyRed]

You should certainly let the marina know. L6-30r connectors are intended to lock.
But I also suggest, as knotflying says, you should “strain relieve” the cableif you can so you aren’t depending entirely on the plug and recepticle. We wrap the cable to the shore pedestal with a Velcro strain relief a foot or a little more below the connection. Doesn’t have to be enormously tight, and avoid tight cable bends.

The Velcro is easy to put on and easy to take off. You can buy a whole roll of strain relief from Amazon or a local hardware story. There are any number of options. Something maybe like this

https://www.cabletiesandmore.com/velcro ... E#images-1

 

[Wee Venture]

One more idea... You generally have to twist the plug one way or the other before inserting to get the prongs to line up. You want to twist it counterclockwise, as you look at the socket, so that the residual torque that the line places on the plug is keeping the lock engaged rather than twisting it out. (This won’t help, of course, if the plug won’t twist lock in the first place.)

John

 

[johnbenj]

Thanks to everyone that replied. I wanted to update this thread to say that this was 100% user error :roll: . When the plug is inserted to the socket i am able to lock it in with a clock-wise turn. I was expecting more degrees of rotation, i guess, but now I am confident that the twist-lock works. It may be my brain that doesn't 😉

--Case closed--

 

[SassyRed]

For anyone reading this, I believe the connector is an L5-30R not an L6. My mistake