There are some days when you come in to work and the energy is just high…and today is one of those days. A couple of weeks ago, Tim from Navagear stopped by SmartPlug HQ to meet us and learn more about the SmartPlug. After holding one of the demo units in his hand and having that famous “Aha!” moment, he ended up taking a SmartPlug Inlet and Connector home to install on his own boat. Well last night he posted a fantastic article on Mad Mariner about his installation experience. What a great review…thanks again to both Mad Mariner and Navagear!
In addition, I opened my mailbox this morning to find notification of a new Twitter friend: “FirstMateYC is now following you.” As always, I checked out our new follower’s Twitter page and then looked to see if they have a website. To my surprise, First Mate Yacht Care posted an article about the SmartPlug as well! What a great way to start the day!
Thanks to all of them for their support!
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!!!
SmartPlug staff attended the Seattle Auto Show this past week to speak with electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers and Plug-in Conversion companies on display. Much like we have seen in the marine market, the response was overwhelmingly positive. Representatives from each company spoke to the need for a better option for plugging their vehicles in and were excited about the design and features of the SmartPlug. In fact, after seeing the SmartPlug we brought with us to the show, one manufacturer summed it up by saying, “that’s a lot better than what we have.”
SmartPlug Systems will be following up with these contacts in the coming days to see about meaningful partnerships within the EV market. As with marine shore power applications, the SmartPlug provides many benefits to EV users including several easy-of-use and important safety features. One additional consideration for this market would be OEM and consumer cost as many of the plug options under review for standardization are both cumbersome and expensive. SmartPlug staff intends to work closely with those in the EV industry to meet the needs of the end users and provide a superior alternative to what is currently available.
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!!!!!
Western Marine Company of Vancouver B.C. Canada has just picked up SmartPlug for distribution in Canada! Additionally Transat Marine (a division of Western Marine Company) in Barrie, Ontario, Canada has also signed on to distribute SmartPlug products! See the SmartPlug Distributors page for location and contact information.
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!!
Ken Smith will be giving an in-person demo of the SmartPlug at the West Marine Superstore in Fort Lauderdale on October 30th. If you’re in the area, stop by and take a look!
Address:
2300 S Federal Hwy
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
Tel: 954-527-5540
SmartPlug’s showing at the IBEX, US Distributing, Western Marine Distributors (CA), and Annapolis shows of late have met with great success. The show of support and level of interest from our new friends and partners has been amazing to say the least. Thanks for your support!
Did you know that October is fire safety month? That’s right! There are thousands of activities and campaigns going on nationwide teaching people ways to improve their safety at home and at work. For many of us, our boats are also our homes and so we wanted to share our top five tips on how to prevent boat fires.
- Check and maintain all of your shore power components: Worn or overloaded cordsets and damaged shore power connections are a common cause of fires. Make certain to check all cable and adapter ends as well as receptacles on both boatside and dockside. Check for:
- Loose connections
- Corroded pins
- Any signs of blackening/scorching
- Any heat detected
- Have a U.S.C.G. approved fire extinguisher onboard and know how to use it!
- Here is a great read from Boat US on fire extinguishers, [read article]
- Talk with your marina to make sure they are educating their tenants and taking all the proper steps to help prevent fires.
- Regularly inspect electrical and fuel systems.
- Have a smoke alarm installed! If you already have one, it’s recommended to test them on a monthly basis.
A fire on a boat is extremely dangerous due to how fast fiberglass burns and the fact that it can spread so quickly to our neighbors’ boats. Let’s all dedicate this month to checking that all proper precautions are in place at our boats, homes and work places to help prevent fires.
And remember, it’s important to review this information regularly…not just in October! We must always be taking the proper steps to ensuring the safety of our families and neighbors all year around, and it’s our responsibility as boat owners to help prevent boat and marina fires!
Pass this on to a friend in honor of fire safety month!
Comments Off 
Themocracy