120 Volt Outlets in Engine Rooms

[JonHupp]

My 1983 53' ED has a 120 volt AC outlet in the port engine room, but none in starboard engine room or generator space. Is there any good reason not to add these? It certainly would be convenient and I could run them all from the AC panel in the port engine room (that powers the ACs).

 

[SEVEN]

I have one in my starboard engine room and only wish I had one in both.

 

[oscarvan]

Nope there's no reason not to run more circuits into areas where they may come in handy. Just know the power source and manage the load........

 

[MikeP]

Absolutely install them; they are very handy. I have three dual outlet boxes in each eng room in different locations and two in the Genny room. I hate extension cords!

 

[Tim Powell]

Absolutely install them; they are very handy. I have three dual outlet boxes in each eng room in different locations and two in the Genny room. I hate extension cords!

Mike i hate them also catching on something just get in the way. My engine room is not the same as the MY. I got a flash lite or should i say a lite that plugs in always charged and puts out a good lite... Of course outlets do more than run a lite. Hello put then in just two more things to keep up. ( be sure to put those never cussed ones with the ground falte braker)

 

[Boatsb]

I think it's worth a day of not boating to put them in too. It's not like using the boat without them is an option .

Just think how much easier it will be to maintain with all the upgrades to the er and almost 0 hours runtime.

 

[saltshaker]

I've always had or added them in the ER of all my boats. Ihave a box in front of each engine, one at the bottom of the stairs at the art bulkhead and one outboard of each engine just below the overhead. When I added block heaters I installed another outlet above each engine for the heaters. Over the course of the year everyone of them will get used.

 

[Walter P]

I agree about 120 V. outlets in the ER. It was one of the first things we did when I acquired my 48MY years ago. While we were at it we installed a bunch of 120 V florescent (vapor proof) lights in the ER as well. My engine room is like working in the daylight. Love it.

Walt

 

[Hseaton]

To use newly installed 120v outlets, I just installed 2 - LED light fixtures, with 2 - 48" long bulbs each, which I bought from Lowe's for $29 each. No transformers/powered by circuit boards.

 

[JonHupp]

I did obtain proper 15 amp breakers from Sam's and now have outlets in each engine room and I can't believe I waited this long to do this. Very handy. No longer do I need to leave the generator hatch off (which is dangerous) or run cords all over the place when I'm working in an engine room.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

I did obtain proper 15 amp breakers from Sam's and now have outlets in each engine room and I can't believe I waited this long to do this. Very handy. No longer do I need to leave the generator hatch off (which is dangerous) or run cords all over the place when I'm working in an engine room.

One of the best upgrades on my 53ED was hinging the generator hatch and adding gas struts.

 

[Hatteras58]

Sky, forgive the diversion from the thread topic, but what size gas struts did you install on the generator hatch?
Thanks,
Michael Ewing
Southern Comfort
Portsmouth, VA

 

[DCMY #92]

I've added 120 VAC receptacles and additional lights (LED) to my engine room. As in a previous post, per sure to daisy chain the engine room receptacles to a GFI. If older boats don't have GFI for engine room, head, galley, and aft-deck receptacles its a good and cheap idea to retrofit them.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

Sky, forgive the diversion from the thread topic, but what size gas struts did you install on the generator hatch?
Thanks,
Michael Ewing
Southern Comfort
Portsmouth, VA

I can't remember what size they are. I just went to Napa and bought some to try and they worked. I could measure the length the next time I get to the boat.