If it's on a boat DON'T use use twin + earth, use multi-stranded conductors to cope with vibration, soldered cable ends make for a more secure connection in screw clamps.
Merlin. We have a connection in the cockpit for shore power. This at present feeds one double socket in the cabin. I want to add more sockets, and thought it best to put them through a consumer unit. A friend on the marina feeds six sockets through a consumer unit. Just wondered if there was any special sort of stuff I needed to be aware of. His set up seems pretty simple.
Merlin. We have a connection in the cockpit for shore power. This at present feeds one double socket in the cabin. I want to add more sockets, and thought it best to put them through a consumer unit. A friend on the marina feeds six sockets through a consumer unit. Just wondered if there was any special sort of stuff I needed to be aware of. His set up seems pretty simple.
Hi Merlin. Was thinking of adding another one or two. Maybe one in the cockpit and one at the other end of the cabin from the existing double socket.
Mark Atkinson.
Relax..... Buy a boat!
Hi Mark as an Electrical Inspector I will try and not get to technical on this type of installation
Firstly a consumer unit with an RCD is a must you want one with an RCD rated at 30MA 40a if possible but you may have to settle for a higher current rating say 80 or 100a but it must still be 30MA (fault current)
next Circuit protection I would suggest for each socket (if wired on there own for ease of installation) a 10A MCB for each circuit However you can loop two sockets together as a radial circuit from a 10A MCB
use 2.5 flex through out from the shore supply socket to the consumer unit RCD (main switch)
then wire the socket circuits from the 10A MCBs Make sure the earths are all securely tightened
Keep the install tidy, clip cables that can be seen the BSS guys are getting more up to speed with mains electrics I must admit some of the stuff that's out there is abysmal
don't crunch the numbers it doesn't work common sense prevails on what you can use say 2.5Kw remember the shore supply may be 16A or less
Once you are all connected test the RCD with the power on making sure it disconnects the power on the boat
at the end of the day if you are unsure have it checked by a sparky before you power it up
32A is pretty good if there is one outlet on the pillar there are plenty of 16A with four outlets on them so if everybody puts the kettle on at the same time the lights go out
a 2.5mm shore cable is only good for just over 20Amps and has to be no more than 25mtrs long
Mains consumer unit
Posted - 28 Feb 2014 : 11:35:15
