Have you checked your shore power system lately?
How often are we asked this exact question either by our local boat dealer, harbor master or even our neighbors as they are repeatedly replacing burnt plugs? How is this OK? Shouldn’t we be calling for a change and demanding a safer option? I started doing some research and dug up some information this week on causes of marine electrical fires and thought I would share what I’ve found….
My research originated from a question I considered some might be asking after hearing about a new shore power option:
What makes SmartPlugs think they can change a standard and how can we guarantee that marinas and boat makers will cut over to this new shore power system?
That is a valid question and we had to ask ourselves the same thing when this project began in 2007. Let’s be sure to note: Just because something has been around for 70 years and no one has challenged it, doesn’t mean it’s the best option. The problem is that it was our only option for far too long. In fact, from our initial research in 2007 we found that the current shore power system was even more dangerous than our initial thought. Here are some key points I found which have contributed in why we have created the SmartPlug:
- In the last 7 years damages from boat electrical fires in the US is estimated at 1 Billion dollars! (That is a statistic from 2007, I can’t imagine how much more money has been spent to replace plugs or in the worst case marina’s since then!)
- 48 deaths over the last several years from electrocution were directly attributed to failing shore power components.
- Over the years, several attempts have been made to pass legislation enforcing safeguards for the problem. These efforts have failed, partly since there is no existing product available to challenge the outdated and problematic twist lock standard in use today. Until now!
In addition, I’ve come across some statistics from Boat US Insurance that sums up the direct cause of marine electrical fires. Decide for yourself, do you feel 100% secure in the current twist lock shore power option? Click here to read the blog.
As you can see the current shore power system is not only failing but jeopardizing our safety when the plug is in use. 55% in our opinion is way too high for this to be ignored and is screaming out as a hazard. That hazard is our responsibility as boaters to address and help change, which is yet another reason why we have created a better option. We at SmartPlugs have seen the dangers that the current standard brings to the marine industry and feel that it’s time to start recognizing it. Not to mention, the twist lock option is not only difficult to use but expensive to replace every time the connection fails or corrodes! If there were a better more reliable product available that you wouldn’t have to worry about replacing due to corrosion or burning would you buy it? We are here as another option in the marine shore power product listing. We are here plain and simple to offer all of you a choice the next time you walk in your local boat store to replace yet another burnt or corroded plug. It only seems right that we at least have that choice!
SmartPlug Systems’ Grand Opening party on 8/28 was a huge success. Over 200 people in attendance got to see our new offices, watch a prototype being printed out, eat great food and enjoy a beautiful evening at the Salmon Bay Marine Center. If you weren’t able to make it by for the party, we’d still love for you to stop by and say hi. Feel free to give us a call via any of the means on the contact us page.
Congrats to our VP of Manufacturing, Matt Smith and to his new bride Tricia! Cheers to a long happy life together!!
In April of 2009, the much anticipated SmartPlug 30 amp Boatside Shore Power Inlet and Connector hit the shelves! The first shipments of the new shore power product were to Fisheries Supply in Seattle,WA, US Distributing in Portland, OR, and Svendsen’s Marine Distributing in Oakland, CA. Thank you to all of them for their support! As I am sure you can imagine, after a solid year of planning, designing, and developing you can say that we were and still are very excited to announce that our first product is available! Since April we have developed more traction throughout the US and are continuing to increase our relationships worldwide. Just within the last week River Marine Supply in Florida and Harbor Marine in WA have joined the SmartPlug craze and you will soon be able to purchase from them directly.
Now, on to the plug!
The 30 Amp 125 Volt SmartPlug Retrofit Plug is easily adaptable to the boatside end of existing shore power cord. The SmartPlug Inlet simply installs into the standard 2½” inlet cutout on the boatside of a marine vessel. It offers a more reliable and safer option for shore power!
Product Features:
- Weather Proof
- Tested to meet performance requirements of UL Marine tests as certified by IMANNA Laboratory
- Pushes Straight in
- NO MORE TWISTING REQUIRED
- Built in thermostat
- Cuts power before overheating
- Trips at 200 degrees Fahrenheit and re-sets at 100 degrees Fahrenheit
- Straight Nickel Plated Brass Electrical Contacts-
- Provides 20 times more blade contact means less heat build-up and no arching
- Multi-Point Locking System
- Two side levers and a two point locking cap securely fastens plug to inlet.
At the core of the patented SmartPlug concept is its signature intuitive shape and straight-in sleeve design, rendering the problems with blind connections and electrical shorts (due to tension and corrosion) a thing of the past. The triple weatherproof seals keep the internal electronics free from moisture, and the multi-point locking system provided by the side “paddle” clamps and locking cap make the plug virtually impervious to the most extreme of environments. These features combine to eliminate all of the major causes of overheating and burning found in the current standard today.
As of July, SmartPlugs 30 Amp Boatside Shore Power Inlet and 30 Amp Boatside Shore Power Connector are now sold separately. Contact your local dealer or buy online today!
Watch for more 30 amp products to hit the shelves at the end of this year. Products such as our 30 Amp Legacy Shore Power Cordset and our 30 Amp Legacy Shore Power Adapter along with our 50 amp line in spring 2010.
Finally a better option!
We at SmartPlugs know that our success is directly related to our customers and distributors and we want to hear your experiences! This is a way for us to make our products and offerings the best they can be. What better way to learn then from all of you who have the knowledge to share!
So…we created this short survey to learn more about your experiences with shore power so we can be sure we’re offering you the highest quality products to meet your needs. It’s so important to us that once a week we’re drawing a survey respondent’s name and giving away a $50 off coupon to be used at the SmartPlug Store. If that wasn’t enough, every month we’re giving away one free 30 Amp Boatside Shore Power Inlet and Connector combo!
Take the SmartPlug Survey!
We greatly appreciate all your feedback as we grow and make the marine industry safer!
Why are we blogging? Our number one goal as a company and as individuals within the company is that we produce a quality product which helps to make the marine industry safer and as we are finding out much sooner than expected, safer for other industries too! More on that soon! Our CEO Ken Smith has been in the marine industry for 38 years and the last 8 years of that were rebuilding yachts that have been damaged due to fire, most which were originated from the current shore power system. How often are we reminded as boat owners to check our shore power system and in unfortunate but common cases do we find our shore power plugs melted or burnt? What if we could stop those issues all together? It’s time for a new option! Our blog is here as a resource for information on shore power safety and usage and on the SmartPlug itself. We want to be available to you for any questions or curiosity you may have.
Let me introduce myself, my name is Sandra. My goal for our blog is to pass on our extended knowledge and to keep you updated with all things SmartPlug. We have an amazing team here that comes with a diversity of talents ranging from our CEO representing many years in the marine industry to our designer who had a hand in designing Perlage System. Also representing us is an amazing in house web/graphic designer, an enthusiastic marketing and sales team, and our awesome research and development team. We all look forward to being in contact and would love to hear from you about your thoughts on the current shore power system. What do you like most about the current shore power option/what do you like least? Do you feel that the current shore power design is safe for use in a marine environment?
Our company is growing and growing fast! We are excited to be reaching out to you and looking forward to hearing from you. Stay tuned for future blogs where we plan to let you know about all of the fun successful stories thus far and to come! We have a lot of exciting news to share with you along with contests, surveys and promotions and even ways that you can win a FREE SmartPlug for your boat!!
Blog with you soon!
SmartPlug Systems
SmartPlug Systems will be manning booth #3816 at the MAATS show in Orlando, Fl beginning Wednesday. Stop by and check out our current and new product offerings! We’ll be featuring prototypes for our dockside outlet and molded cordets which will be available for purchase in the next few months. Stop by, grab a pamphlet and chat with our very knowledgeable team!
Not only have we met the performance requirements of UL and UL Marine tests, we’ve now achieved the American Boat and Yacht Council’s ABYC E-11 compliance for our boatside retrofit kit as tested by IMANNA laboratory! This is a very important step and one more level of assurance as to the safety and quality of the SmartPlug retrofit product!
Today SmartPlug received its official letter of patent from the US Patent Office!!! 23 points of patent describe various features and characteristics of the SmartPlug concept.
SmartPlug Systems hand delivered the first order of the SmartPlug 30 Amp Retrofit Plug and Inlet Combination packages to Fisheries Supply of Seattle, WA on April 19, 2009. That delivery was subsequently followed by a shipment of plugs and inlets to US Distributing in Portland, OR and Svendsen’s Marine Distributing in Oakland, CA. After months of modifications and perfecting the revolutionary design, SmartPlug is excited to finally be able to provide quality shorepower systems to boating enthusiasts.
The SmartPlug team has been busy in these first few days fulfilling orders that have been growing for months in anticipation of this new shorepower system. The marketing and sales teams only expect demand to increase as the features and benefits of the SmartPlug become known among the marine community. SmartPlug is gearing up to double or triple shipping as the remaining product in the 30 Amp line are released and the full 50 Amp line soon becomes available.
The initial and limited product run is only being shipped regionally to various marine distributers in the Northwest. Distribution will expand in the coming months to other areas of the United States. Product should be available in Canada, US territories and Australia by the end of year.
To find a SmartPlug dealer near you, please visit the Purchase page.
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