Taking a momentary break from our usual SmartPlug marine news we are excited to let you know that we have recently entered into the Emergency Vehicle market. In the past few weeks we shipped out several units to an ambulance company in Virginia who have converted their entire emergency vehicle fleet with 30 Amp SmartPlug inlet and connectors. We also have units on ambulances in Antioch, IL, on fire boats in Anderson Island, WA and in the Miami-Dade department as well as requests for our 50 Amp SmartPlug from the Seattle Harbor Patrol.
Emergency Vehicles are subjected to harsh environments similar to boats. They are exposed to all different types of weather, vibration, contamination by various chemicals such as oil and fuel as a boat would be while plugged in. Since they are currently using the same twist lock plug to supply electricity as the marine industry uses they are susceptible to the same dangers such as burning and melting. Those who have contacted us from Virginia, Illinois, Seattle and Miami have expressed their frustrations and concerns of finding their plugs in this condition and were looking for an alternative with a similar cost.
Once the ambulance company in Virginia received a SmartPlug to test on one of their emergency vehicles they realized there was no better choice. Not only has the SmartPlug offered them a much more dependable and safer option but it has also saved them a large amount of money too!
Come April our product will have been on the market for one year. There have been three specific misconceptions about the SmartPlug throughout the past year and we want to clear those up today! First, the SmartPlug shore power system is available for immediate use and you can upgrade and Protect Your Boat Today! There have been several questions about having to wait because the marina hasn’t yet upgraded. We want to be very clear about this, the marina DOES NOT need to be converted to the SmartPlug for you to be able to get the benefits of the new system. The SmartPlug Inlet and Connector (B30ASSY) kit gives you everything you need. Just replace the boatside end of your existing shore power cord, install the new inlet on your boat and your end of the shore power problem is taken care of.
This brings us to our second misconception, adapters. There are no adapters needed to be able to use the SmartPlug system. As we said above, you just need to replace the boatside end of your existing cord and your old inlet and you’re all set! Once all of our boatside products are available we will be begin releasing dockside products so the marina can also benefit from the protection provided by the SmartPlug System. When the dockside products are available we will be offering adapters that the marina can use for those who have not yet converted to the SmartPlug system.
Finally, because the dockside end of your cord will remain the old-style, you will be able to visit any marina or dock equipped with the old standard while still protecting your boat. Simply bring your converted cord (or one of the upcoming SmartPlug Dual Configuration Cordsets!) with you wherever you cruise.
Happy safe boating!
I just visited one of our local marine stores in town and it always amazes me that we see signs like this. The store is absolutely doing their part to keep their customers aware and safe but it’s the fact that they feel they need to which never ceases to blow my mind. In fact, I just had a discussion with a safety and security marine officer who said he has literally been asked to leave marinas when he asked questions about how fires were related to shore power. With that said, we do encourage everyone to check their shore power! Here are the four major signs that your shore power is failing.
- Corrosion-Pitting on the blades (which looks like little green or black dots).
- Discoloration around the female connector on the face of the plug.
- Deformation of the holes on the connector.
- Any sort of melting, black color or burning plastic on either the inlet or the connector.
Remember next time you have to replace your shore power there is finally a better option, think SmartPlug!
Stay safe.
With the Seattle Boat Show and Miami International Boat Show being back to back you can say we stayed very busy this past month and came home with a lot to report! To begin with, we’ve added 6 new dealers; Port Townsend Rigging, Par Yacht Charters, High Seas Electric, Seabrook Yacht Services, Lapwing Marine and AYS. Com-Cor Technical Services joined us as a distributor and has converted 4 ambulances to the 30 Amp SmartPlug. Furthermore, two Fire departments one in Washington and the other in Miami, Florida agreed to test out the SmartPlug on their fire boats and if it performs as they expect, they will be converting all their boats to the SmartPlug system. One of those departments is Anderson Island who is moored at Bremerton Yacht Club in the state of Washington. Just a couple days ago we received a phone call from them telling us how impressed and enthusiastic they are with the SmartPlug and that it has gained a lot of interest from other members. We’re glad to hear it’s living up to its expectations (but not surprised)!
Coming home from the boat shows we are happy to report that we are continually gaining support in the marine industry and now also with first response vehicles. We also had a lot of opportunity to talk in depth with people in the industry about the continued problems caused by the current standard and the need for a change. In addition we had a visit from Bob Bitchin at Lats & Atts that you can check out here! Thanks to all that came by to speak with us. We look forward to keeping in touch!
If you’re a Northwest boater or live near Seattle and have ever strolled along the water’s edge downtown at sunset, chances are you’ve probably seen Sailing Seattle’s world-class racing sailboats “Obsession” or “Neptune’s Car” sailing around the Puget Sound. If you are looking to take a sunset sail in one of the most beautiful cities in the US, chances are you’ll end up on one of these sailboats and it won’t be disappointing! Due to their size and incredible stability, they offer one of the most enjoyable sails you can take in Seattle without purchasing your own sailboat. Recently, both sailboats have been upgraded with the SmartPlug shore power system, and Obsession has even added a new “Powered by SmartPlug” logo to their boom. Look for it next time you see it sail by!
If there is any time to talk about shore power safety it is now! Tuesday morning (12/8/09) three powerboats at Sundance Yacht sales in Seattle burned beyond repair, causing $2 million in damages. Read the article at Three Sheets Northwest. Thankfully no one was hurt, but this could have been prevented! In the article, Dana Vander Houwen said that it “appears to have been caused by faulty wiring on the 110-volt power supply to the boat.” Later we found out it was absolutely due to shore power failure. In my earlier blog we talked about how 55% of all marine fires are caused by electrical issues, many of which are shore power related. So when we heard about this fire we knew the chances would be good that shore power was the culprit. I had also mentioned in the blog that in the past 7 years, damages from boat electrical fires in the US are estimated at 1 billion dollars. Well now we have 2 million more to add to that.
Let’s talk about preventing this from happening to you. Of course, we recommend switching over to the SmartPlug due to its number of fire prevention features but we also understand that many of you are waiting for the 50 Amp versions to hit the market. So until then there are several actions you can take to help prevent this from happening to you. ALWAYS check your shore power on a daily basis, this is so important. The marine environment is harsh and the current twist lock standard has proven themselves not to hold up in these conditions. If you see any corrosion, loose wiring, or any signs of overheating please contact your local marine electrician to have it inspected. If there is any doubt about your shore power contact them anyway, our Mom always said it but it’s true. It’s better to be safe than sorry!
Recently here at SmartPlugs we thought an installation video might be a good idea if any of you out there had questions about how to make our system work on your boat. Coming from an installer’s background (that’s what I did for 15 years before this) I was the obvious choice for the starring role. During the video shoot I discovered something that really suprised me. I had always thought that a molded cord-set would be impervious to corrosion…… but NO!!! Take a look at the pictures posted below and tell me what you think. It should be fairly obvious which picture was the old molded cordset (less then 2 years old) and which one we went out and purchased on the day of this video shoot.
Just another reminder how important tinned wire is in this harsh marine environment. ABYC recommends the use of tinned wiring throughout the boat. Here at SmartPlugs we are determined to use only high quality materials to surpass your expectations. Our new molded shorepower cord coming out the first of next year will include tinned wire, giving you more than just a year or two of trouble-free operation.
Check your shorepower!!!
It’s that time of year again. As the temperature drops and the rain sets in, we must not forget to winterize our boats. Just a few last chores to do before you can button your boat up for the winter and switch your attention to cold weather sports. Here are a few tips and tricks to help you make it though the winter and hopefully avoid costly repairs.
1. Check you dock lines. Too many people take for granted that just because your boat’s securely tied up today, it will still be secure tomorrow. All too many times have I seen dock lines break when the winter storms roll through.
2. For you sailors out there, make sure your sails are secure. Just last week at Elliott Bay Marina there were 4 boats that lost foresails because they weren’t secured well enough. That can be a very costly fix.
3. Check your bilge pumps and float switches. Some preventative maintenance done before the weather gets bad can really help you sleep at night. Nobody likes to worry about their boats.
4. CHECK YOUR SHOREPOWER CONNECTIONS!!! With the weather intensifying, your boat will be moving around at the dock much more so than usual. Also with the increase in precipitation/snow, you really need to keep an eye out for signs of failure. You should check each end of the cord for discoloration or scorching. If you see any signs of failure, you need to replace your cord-end immediately. There could be larger issues inside the cord that you can’t see.
One last thing to think about. As you do button up your boat for the winter, there seems to be a universal train of thought that you should leave a couple of space heaters on inside the boat to keep the chill off. Remember, depending on which space heaters you use and how they’re set, you could be maxing out your shorepower capacity. When you stack that electrical draw on top of precipitation and boat movement, that could spell disaster for your shorepower connection not to mention your entire boat.
Next week I’ll talk about the upcoming SmartPlug installation video we just shot and what I found inside a fairly good looking shorepower cord.
Check your shorepower plug!!!!!
My name is Aaron Smith and I work in the Research and Development Division of SmartPlug Systems. When I was asked to write this blog, I found myself wondering, “what would people want to read about??” “What do I have to offer that would be interesting?” I figured I should start out this first entry as an introduction to who I am and what I’ve done.
For the last 15 years I have spent countless hours troubleshooting marine electrical and electronic issues of all kinds. I have worked on some of the finest boats ever built and some not-so-nice-ones too. I have been fortunate enough to travel, through work, to some very unique places on the planet. Now, I have settled here for the long haul, to make a difference in what SmartPlug Systems is out there doing.
About a year ago, I shut down my own marine outfitting business and started here with SmartPlug Systems because I believe in the product…not just because it’s a better idea, but also because it’s truly making a difference in the marine industry. I hope that between our short-term goals of providing better shore power connections to the marine market and our long-term goals of being a part of the growing infrastructure in automotive and trucking industries worldwide, I will have much to share from the technical side of SmartPlug.
Next week I’ll concentrate more on shore power safety and winterization for boats. The temperature is dropping and the electrical load on your boat is climbing!
Check you shore power plug!!
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