[C320-list] Shore power

[Joe Barrett]

Rod, my Hull # 689 has a similar failure in Key West 3 years ago. Very warm
in May, no A/C so I had to go to West Marine and replace the shore power
connector to be able to sleep that night. It didn't fit the existing hole in
the stern but was still able to get power and A/C going.
Joe Barrett 


------------------------------------
Dolphin Commercial Capital
Joseph T. Barrett jr.
President
joe at dolphinmortgage.com
9010 Strada Stell Court
Suite 209
Naples, Florida 34109

In The Vanderbilt Galleria 
tel: 239-597-2266
tel2:1-800-264-4119
fax: 239-597-7276
mobile: 239-777-1880
www.dolphinmortgage.com
------------------------------------

-----Original Message-----
From: c320-list-bounces at catalina320.com
[mailto:c320-list-bounces at catalina320.com] On Behalf Of Stanley Rogacevicz
Sent: Tuesday, January 15, 2008 7:28 AM
To: 320 List
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Shore power

Rod,
   My receptacle on '99 hull # 656 failed in a similar fashion 4 or 5  years
ago. A friend with a ('99 I think) c36 also had a similar failure with his
last summer.
Stan
(formerly) Christy Leigh


>>> "Rod Boer" <rod.boer1 at verizon.net> 1/14/2008 6:24 PM >>>
All,

Lee and I arrived at the boat one evening in the late summer or fall and
turned on the A/C because it was pretty warm.  We thought we smelled hot
wires, like insulation burning, so I shut the A/C off and checked all of the
A/C wiring in the aft compartment and the port lazerette and everything
appeared to be okay.  So I turned the A/C back on and everything seemed to
work properly and there was no longer any smell of hot wires.  I continued
to use Odyssey through the fall with no additional problems.

After haul out, I removed the shore power cable and discovered that one of
the receptacles on the cable was very charred.  I normally plug the shore
power cable into Odyssey in the spring and don't remove it until the fall at
haul out since I take the cable when sailing.

This weekend I disassembled the receptacle on the back of the boat and
determined that the failure was where the black (hot) wire attached to the
receptacle and the wire itsself was burnt for two or three inches.
Examination of the wires yielded that the both the white and green wires had
tin plating on them as marine wire is supposed to have, but there was no
evidence of tin plating on the black wire.  All three wires had printing on
the insulation indicating they were 10 AWG 600V marine wire.  If that
particular wire didn't have tin plating on it from the factory, that could
explain the problem that occurred in that the copper could have started
corroding which eventually increased the resistance of the contact and
caused the generation of the heat.  The contact screw that the wire attached
to has evidence of severe corrosion while the other two appear okay.  If it
did have tin plating then it is possible that the excess heat vaporized it
but the wires didn't apppear to have ever had the plating.  I will
investigate further the next time I visit the boat by stripping a portion of
the jacket further away from the initial contact.

I just want to alert those who have a hull number near mine, #688, to be
aware of this potential problem.  If the wire wasn't tin plated when it was
produced then there was probably at least whole roll used during the 2000
model year.

Also, the connector on the back of Odyssey, was manufactured by Hubbell.  I
spent sometime on the internet looking for a similar connector but there
isn't much information from Hubbell.  I understand that the C320's are
manufactured in Florida now and I only have the California parts department
number.  Does anyone have the phone for the Florida parts department?
Thanks.

Rod Boer,
Odyssey, #688