50 amp power cords

[Fanfare]

Last spring I met a guy who had a new Marlow MY with an electrical problem. I loaned him my new-in-the-box spare 50 ft Marinco 125/250v 50 amp power cord. Rather than pay the shipping he just sent me a check for it. So I need a new one, and I can get whatever I want.

When we went to plug in my new line to his boat the Marinco would not fit into the Hubbell dockside fitting because the plastic screw-in sealing ring was too close to the end of the plug. With the ring the male plugs could not reach the female holes. I had to cut the ring off the end to make it fit. I sort of remember having this problem before, perhaps over replacing burned up ends.

In the past I have mostly bought Hubbell fittings and covers and made my own cords from commercial wire. But it was awfully easy buying the ready-made Marinco. Which was also cheaper. But it seemed to be molded in one piece, probably not repairable, and felt sort of light. Hubbell stuff seems heavier and can be unscrewed for cleaning and a squirt of WD-40 to prevent corrosion and subsequent upburning.

I know we had a thread on sales on power cords, but there are so many I can't find it. So--looking for opinions and cost savings.

[stormchaser]

In for the replies because I need a second cord too. Wondering about options and where to buy.

[SeaEric]

I have an almost new 50'er, carried aboard for travel, and a 10' "shorty" that I had made up custom for use at my home dock. I don't recall the brand of either, but I think they're Marinco. The inlet on my Matthews was in the toe rail, on the horizontal. I was always worried about getting water in there, so I always used the ring to snug the cord in tightly to the inlet. With that much amperage going through that connection, I think a good tight fit is key.

Since I no longer own the boat, I guess I should list these spare cords here on the forum and sell them.

[Brian Degulis]

Any 50A cord should work. Are you sure you didn't just need to pull the boot or the ring back a little?

Brian

[bobk]

It probably doesn't need saying on this forum, but there are two 50 amp connectors, the more common 50 amp, 125/250 volt, and the somewhat out dated 50 amp, 125 volt. The latter is considerably lighter, and has a different plyg.

Bob

[ThirdHatt]

Marinco is cheaply made compared to Hubbel. You don't have to build your own Hubbel if you don't want to, they make them all made up in 25' or 50' just like Marinco does but they are a little more expensive and worth it IMHO.

[Trojan]

It probably doesn't need saying on this forum, but there are two 50 amp connectors, the more common 50 amp, 125/250 volt, and the somewhat out dated 50 amp, 125 volt. The latter is considerably lighter, and has a different plyg.

Bob


The 125v 50amp plug will plug into the 50 amp 250volt receptacle. Very bad.... Be careful what you plug into at a strange dock. Don't ask me how I know.

BILL

[stormchaser]

Can you still get the 125v 50amp cords? That's what the 125v inlet on my baot takes. Or can I use a 125/250v cord on the 125 250-amp inlet and use a 30-amp to 50 amp adapter? Just trying to figure out how to actually use the old 125v 50a connecter on her when 125v 30a is all that's available at the dock (transient marinas)...

[mike]

Our 53 MY is set up to use a 30A cord from the dock to 30A/ 50A adapter, plugged to a 50A 125/250 Y adapter, then plugged into the two 50A/125 receptacles on the boat. This way both legs of power is available to the panel, you just have to watch the amp draw so you don't over load the 30A cord/dock circuit. Also when setting up the Y connector you need to remove one hot leg from each connector. Been using this setup for 5 years with no problems.

[Trojan]

I used a 50 amp plug at the dock end and split it using a Y and fed each plug on the boat 50/30 amps. We didn't have two 30 amp plugs at the dock. I don't have 240 volts on the boat 120volts AC only.


BILL