The inverter I am interested in only has regular 110V outlets, not a
hardwire option. Why couldn't I make up a cord with male plugs on each
end to go from the inverter to my A/C system? This would wire up my
whole system from the inverter, right?

And what happens when I forget to unplug it and hook up to shore pwer?

Capt. Jeff

"Tamaroak" wrote in message
...
The inverter I am interested in only has regular 110V outlets, not a
hardwire option. Why couldn't I make up a cord with male plugs on each
end to go from the inverter to my A/C system? This would wire up my
whole system from the inverter, right?

Yup.

And what happens when I forget to unplug it and hook up to shore pwer?

"BANG...pooof" Then lots of smoke.

On Fri, 01 Apr 2005 07:08:07 -0600, Tamaroak
wrote:
The inverter I am interested in only has regular 110V outlets, not a
hardwire option. Why couldn't I make up a cord with male plugs on each
end to go from the inverter to my A/C system?

That's known as a suicide cord because the exposed prongs are hot with
110 AC if it becomes unplugged.

This would wire up my
whole system from the inverter, right?

It would but it is not the right way to go for safety reasons. If
there was a fire or electrocution, you would be seriously liable.

And what happens when I forget to unplug it and hook up to shore pwer?

You would fry the inverter because of the backfeed.

Inverters of that type are not designed to be hard wired. If there is
no other choice, the best option would be to have the connecting cord
terminate in a junction box, and mechanicaly secure the plug at the
inverter end to prevent removal. That is still a risky installation
however because you can inadvertantly back feed the inverter from
shore power if you forget to turn off the junction box breaker.

Similar issue to using a generator at home.
Before the electric utility (util) will allow you to connect a home
generator to your house wiring, you must install an approved gen/util
switch. That gen/util switch will connect your house wiring to EITHER the
gen or the util, never both together. You might install such a switch on
your boat to make the Inverter/ShorePower selection. Because, in this
case, the consenquences of switch failure or wrong wiring are severe, the
job is for professional electricians, not a high school grade hobbyist.
There is more involved that just "figuring out the circuit".


J





Tamaroak wrote in news:gI6dndTnPc4n2tDfRVn-
:

The inverter I am interested in only has regular 110V outlets, not a
hardwire option. Why couldn't I make up a cord with male plugs on each
end to go from the inverter to my A/C system? This would wire up my
whole system from the inverter, right?

And what happens when I forget to unplug it and hook up to shore pwer?

Capt. Jeff

On Fri, 01 Apr 2005 07:08:07 -0600, Tamaroak
wrote:

The inverter I am interested in only has regular 110V outlets, not a
hardwire option. Why couldn't I make up a cord with male plugs on each
end to go from the inverter to my A/C system? This would wire up my
whole system from the inverter, right?

And what happens when I forget to unplug it and hook up to shore pwer?

Capt. Jeff

I've heard those male-male cords called "stingers". I've only used
them for temporarily connecting a generator to a house's electrical
system.

I wouldn't wire a boat this way though...

In article ,
Slambram wrote:

I've heard those male-male cords called "stingers". I've only used
them for temporarily connecting a generator to a house's electrical
system.

I wouldn't wire a boat this way though...

I call them "Deadman Cords", cause if you don't kill yourself using them,
the local Lineman will come beat you to a pulp, when you backfeed the
grid and shock the crap out of him......Classic Darwin Award material....


Me

On Fri, 01 Apr 2005 07:08:07 -0600, Tamaroak
wrote:

The inverter I am interested in only has regular 110V outlets, not a
hardwire option. Why couldn't I make up a cord with male plugs on each
end to go from the inverter to my A/C system? This would wire up my
whole system from the inverter, right?

Nope, wont work, polarity would be reversed.

And what happens when I forget to unplug it and hook up to shore pwer?

Nothing.

Incredulous comments below:
"HaKrause" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 01 Apr 2005 07:08:07 -0600, Tamaroak
wrote:

The inverter I am interested in only has regular 110V outlets, not a
hardwire option. Why couldn't I make up a cord with male plugs on each
end to go from the inverter to my A/C system? This would wire up my
whole system from the inverter, right?

Nope, wont work, polarity would be reversed.

And what happens when I forget to unplug it and hook up to shore pwer?

Nothing.

I'm assuning HaKrause's answerr is intended as a joke (or a troll) but I'm
responding anyway, in case someone believes his response to be true. There
is no polarity to AC power in any real sense. The OP's system would provide
power throughout the boat but I wouldn't recommend it. As others have said,
the cord needed to do what the OP suggested is very dangerous. As will be
the shore power cord as it will have live prongs as well when it's connected
to the boat with the inverter on. Your inverter will probably go poof if
you forget and leave the inverter connected when you connect to shore power
though there is a slim chance the breakers or fuses in the boat may blow in
time to save it.

Why don't you just plug your shore power cord into your inverter? This
would provide power throughout the boat with no danger of exposed live
prongs and no chance of forgetting to unplug the inverter before plugging
into shore power.

--
Ken Heaton, Cape Breton Island, Canada
kenheaton AT ess wye dee DOT eastlink DOT ca

"Ken Heaton" wrote in message news:lmk3e.125730$ZO2.43212@edtnps84...

Why don't you just plug your shore power cord into your inverter? This
would provide power throughout the boat with no danger of exposed live
prongs and no chance of forgetting to unplug the inverter before plugging
into shore power.

Not advisable unless ground fault interrupts are installed on the outlets . . .

Without those, the damned inverter, if powerful enough, might go right on
its merry way electrocuting you.

CN

What I have done on my boat is to hard wire the inverter to a switch.
The switch switches the 110V plugs on the boat to either the inverter
or the shore power. The switch has to be break-before- make. It also
switches both the neutral and the hot wire. So there is no chance of
ever connectiong the inverter to the shore power. So if I want to use
the micro wave, coffee maker, TV,VCR, power tools, toaster etc while I
am anchored out, I have to switch the deep discharge house batteries
to both.( I have a separate starter battery for the engine, so there is
no danger to drain the batteries so that I can't start the engine).
Then I have to switch the inverter on, and then I have to switch the
selector switch to "inverter". When I am on shore power, I make sure
the inverter is off and the selectro switch is to "shore". This system
has worked great, and I feel it is safe, but it may be too complicated
for some.
BTW to recharge the house batteries after heavy use on the weekend, I
have a parrallel switch to chrge the house batteries from the engine
and I ahve solar cells that recharge the batteries while I am away
during the week.

Let me voice an opinion: this is a very abreviated description of what
I have, if you don't understand this, then you should leave this to an
electrician. It is too dangerous to fool around with 110V on a boat.
Rolf