Regular readers already know that I’ve got a 30-amp SmartPlug on my boat, and I continue to be very happy with it.

So I spoke with the guys from SmartPlug at the Seattle Boat Show the other day, hoping to see samples at the new 50-amp product.

Would you believe that they are waiting for one single part? Once they’ve got everything in-house, they can begin packaging and shipping 50-amp plugs and cord conversion kits. Like this:

Here’s the press release:

After much success and accolades for its 30 amp products, SmartPlug Systems now offers its unique product in 50 amps.  Designed for larger boats, the new Connector and Inlet incorporate the same revolutionary features as the original 30 amp version.

The SmartPlug’s straight-in, sleeved design enables the body of the plug to bear weight, instead of the electrical pins.  This keeps the points of electrical contact secure and makes sure the pins don’t work themselves loose.

Intuitive to use, owners simply push the plug straight in until the side levers click and then snap the locking cap down on top to finish the job.  The unique shape of the plug makes it easy to orient, since it can only be plugged in one way.  No twisting is required.

Featuring three weatherproof seals, the SmartPlug eliminates the possibility of water and moisture intrusion.  Employing two locking side levers and two points of contact on the locking cap, its Multi-Point Locking System ensures a rock solid connection at all times.  When the inlet is not in use, the cap can remain closed and serve as a weatherproof seal.

The SmartPlug is easy to install.  Owners remove the legacy twist-type round inlet from the vessel, connect the wiring to the SmartPlug inlet and reinstall using the same screw-hole footprint.  On the plug end, the old plug end needs to be cut off and new wires need to be attached to the new SmartPlug.

Utilizing only the finest materials available, SmartPlug incorporates marine-grade 316 stainless steel for its external metal parts and nickel-plated brass for its electrical pins.  All plastics used are UV- and heat-resistant Valox 553U resins made in the US.

Why don’t I have a spotlight aboard Two Lucky Fish? Because I haven’t encountered one with all of the features I require:

• Forward-facing mount for moorage approaches at night.
• Handheld for spotting objects in the water regardless of their relative bearing; docks, mooring buoys, persons-in-water, etc.
• Removable for stowage inside the cabin or use in another vehicle.
• 12V cigarette lighter plug.

Until now! Seriously, this might be just the thing. Although I’m kind of fond of the new LED technology, which this doesn’t use. Plus it ain’t cheap. Still, I’m interested. Here’s the press release…

Among indispensible safety items for boating at night is a searchlight.  Whether used for emergencies or simply to find dropped items, the light should be powerful yet easy to control. Perko offers its Fig. 0440 Removable Hand Held Deck Control Searchlight to quickly shed light when, and where, it’s needed.

Various models feature 4-1/2" or 7" sealed beam bulbs powered through 12V or 32V cigarette lighter-style plugs.  The head and base are constructed from corrosion-resistant, chrome-plated brass.  A watertight deck connection helps keep the light securely in place for stationary use.  Added mobility for handheld operation comes from a push-button switch in the lamp’s head and an 8′ coiled cord.

This versatile searchlight is easy to pick up quickly to help locate a person or object in the water, scan the shoreline or even signal others.  The powerful beam penetrates fog, smoke, rain and haze.

Perko’s extensive line of searchlights range from handheld models such as the Fig. 0440 to commercial-use fixed units up to 19" with either incandescent or xenon bulbs.  Suggested retail prices of the CE-approved Removable Hand Held Deck Control Searchlight start around $260.

[Hey, just like the headlights in the original Mazda Miata! It’s a press release, folks…enjoy. —Tim]

Navigational lights are essential to see other craft and discern their direction. Accon Marine offers a full line of sleek stainless steel lights, including the 205 series Pop-Up Port Lights, 206 Starboard and 207 Side Lights.

Accon’s unobtrusive lights fold down flush when not in use, keeping the deck free of hazardous protruding lights. All three models are US Coast Guard-approved for one nautical mile, are NMMA-accepted and meet 72 Colregs.

Made of marine grade 316 stainless steel, they are illuminated with a #78 bulb. A plastic waterproofing cup prevents water runoff below deck.

For easy and exact installation, each light comes with a cut-out template and fastens with three #10 screws.

[Here’s the instruction video. —Tim]

Accon Marine’s 205 Pop-Up Port and 206 Starboard Lights cost $156.49 each, while the 207 Pop-Up Side Lights are $312.98.

Al Felker has this item at his blog. And let me just add that I’m shocked…SHOCKED…to see such distorted “sine-waves” from the inverter and generator he tested. OK, I’m not that shocked. Still, it’s disappointing.

In our search for improving our life aboard, I have discovered that charging our laptop computers can be a time consuming chore depending on your charging method.   During a recent trip to West Sound in Orcas Island, I discovered it takes longer to charge our laptops using our generator than when using shore power.  I did an experiment and tried charging using our (modified sine wave) inverter and found it takes yet even longer to charge our laptops!

I decided to find out what was causing these charge times discrepancies.  Upon our return from Orcas Island, I borrowed an oscilloscope from a fellow blogger, Steve Roberts.  The oscilloscope revealed a difference in the sine wave outputs from the three different sources of AC.

Shore Power = perfect sine wave

As can be seen in the photo, the shore power appears to be a perfect sine wave of 60 cycles per second (Hertz).  Now I tested the inverter, Xantrex XM 1800, (modified sine wave) on the oscilloscope.  Results below.

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Marty McOmber over at Three Sheets Northwest has just posted an article documenting his SmartPlug installation:

One of the most annoying and potentially dangerous things on any boat is shore power.

Sure, the traditional 30-amp system with its twisting three-prong plug has been with us now for many decades and is a nearly universal fitting in any Northwest marina. But does that mean there is no room for improvement?

Of course not. Many a boat fire has started from a faulty shore power connection. And we’ve all struggled and cussed trying to line up the prongs of the goofy twisting plug, often in the dark and rain, only to then face the daunting task of screwing on the locking ring to make sure it is secure.

And how many times has that dumb plastic ring broken on you? Grrrrr.

For those reasons I’ve been intrigued for some time with the new SmartPlug — an attempt by a Seattle-based company to design a better and safer shore power system. It promises to live up to its “smart” name by basically being idiot-proof. Even a 2-year-old posseses the skills necessary to line up the plug into the receptacle and click it securely in place. And there is no dumb black ring to break and then spin uselessly! 

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The picture hardly does it justice, but this new Super Safe 4-Outlet Power Strip from Wet Circuits is running strong during one of the worst rain events of the season here in Seattle.

I’ve got the Christmas lights on my boat, running off an inverter stuck in one of the aft lockers. The inverter must remain out of the weather, but the only way for me to get the AC power to the rope-lights on the boat is with this power strip and an extension cord (the tan-colored cord in the photo).

How will it stand up after a few seasons? Hard to say, but the unit does genuinely work in the rain, even after sitting out in the rain for several days. I haven’t been babying this test unit; I set it up as you see and left it. During today’s visit to the boat, I just opened the locker and turned on the inverter. Instant holiday cheer!

This $70 power strip made overseas, but Taiwan is a country I can support: an actual democracy with a developed tech sector and an increasingly affluent and demanding set of consumers internally. Still, for $70, it better last several seasons.

[A side note before we get to the press release: I used my new SmartPlug cordset on my little getaway last weekend, connecting it to the power outlet at the Kirkland public dock just as darkness was falling. WOW, that little blue LED “bug” on the boatside plug end is bright! I used it as a flashlight while I made the boatside connection. Very handy. —Tim]

The SmartPlug 30 Amp Inlet and Connector have passed all required testing for product safety certification by Intertek Testing Services and are now listed as ETL-certified products.  Intertek is the leading international provider of independent inspection, testing, and certification services.  The ETL Listed Mark is proof of a product’s compliance to meet US and Canadian safety standards.

A common misconception among manufacturers in the United States is that their choice for compliance testing is limited to the UL Listed Mark.  UL is only one of several Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories (NRTL) which test to North American safety standards set by ANSI/UL, CSS and NFPA.  Like UL, Intertek is an OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health Administration) recognized NRTL and is accredited as a Testing Organization and Certification Body by the Standards Council of Canada.

And similar to the UL Mark, the ETL Listed Mark is recognized and accepted by manufacturers, retailers, distributors and local authorities.  SmartPlug Systems feels Intertek is the right choice for the testing of its products with its international recognition and global network of laboratories and resources.

The 30 Amp Inlet and Connector represent just the tip of the iceberg with SmartPlug Systems’ roll-out of power products.  The 30 Amp Dual Configuration Cordsets and a protective Weatherproof Cover, which fits securely over SmartPlug boatside connectors, were just released in September.  The line of 50 Amp power products will begin hitting the shelves early 2011.

The SmartPlug is a revolutionary new power system designed to replace the outdated and problematic twist-type connectors in use today.  It’s intuitive to use and provides greater protection against loose connections and corrosion, the leading causes of shore power failure and fires.  It’s not just that it’s a better safety product, but it’s also the only safety product in existence which combats the common problems of the 72-year-old, twist-type design.

SmartPlug Systems is poised for rapid growth with a strong dealer and distributor network in the US, Canada and US Virgin Islands.  Customers can refer to the company’s website for a complete updated listing.

I never thought I’d say this, but Smartplug’s new 30-amp cordsets are kinda sexy.

Maybe “sexy” isn’t the right word. “Distinctive”? “Attractive”? Something along those lines, anyway.

And why? Because they combine great engineering with plain old good looks. That’s my opinion, anyway. I’ve been using a 30-amp Smartplug and receptacle aboard Two Lucky Fish for about a year now, and I couldn’t be happier with it. Here’s a link to my article on that upgrade/retrofit:

But notice the cable? That’s my old Marinco cable with a Smartplug retrofitted on the end. It works great. But you couldn’t call it SEXY, could you? It’s actually a little bit beastly.

So if that’s the Beast, here’s Beauty:

Especially when you include the cool blue LED on the boatside plug, indicating whether or not the cord is live:

I visited Smartplug headquarters the other day and spoke with Sales VP Mike Miller.

Got to see a little behind-the-scenes activity. Like raw cable on spools. And pallets of 50-foot, 30-amp cordsets ready for market.

And a cool plug-cap that locks onto the plug body and engages with the plug’s built-in seal gasket to keep water out if you leave the cable on the dock like I do:

Even the shrink-wrapping is lovingly hand-crafted in the United States using traditional olde-worlde craftsmanship:

I’m laying it on a bit thick, aren’t I?

But back to business. I’m hearing a lot of independent buzz about the Smartplug product line. Folks who have spent any time trying to figure out “What’s up with those funny orange plugs?” get it. Boat brokers get it. Boat manufacturers get it. Emergency and public service responders REALLY get it.

And the next question they ask is “When will the [product I need for my vessel] be released?”

So I asked Mike, and he sent me a preliminary schedule. Of course, please remember that this schedule is subject to change without notice. Nevertheless, here are his best guesses as of September 2010:

• 30A GFCI – Winter 2010
• 50A GFCI – Winter 2010
• 50A Retrofit Products – Kit, Inlet, Boat side connector – Spring 2011
• 50A Cordset – Summer 2011
• 30A Dockside Products – Outlet, Adapters, ETC.  – Fall/Winter 2011
• 50A Dockside Products – Spring 2012

Oh, and speaking of sexy? Check out the company car:

Sandra has this item at the SmartPlug blog. Somehow, I feel confident she won’t mind me republishing it in its entirety here at Navagear!

Let me “add value” a bit by saying that I’ve been using my SmartPlug for a few months now, and I LOVE IT! Because of the fires it’s prevented? Um…not really. I never had a fire with the old plug, so who’s to say? No, my satisfaction with the SmartPlug design is based on pure everyday ergonomics. I’ve written about this before, so suffice to say I have not been disappointed.

On with Sandra’s post:

The SmartPlug Dual Configuration 30 Amp Cordsets [C30503 & C30253] are arriving soon (July 2010) and are packed full of new features to protect your boat and provide you with that extra piece of mind!  Anticipated to hit the shelves in July 2010, the SmartPlug cordset offers a new solution to the problems of marine shore power.  It’s safer, easier to use and much more reliable than any marine cordset available today.  We’ve put a lot of time and thought into how best to improve upon the existing problematic standard and make a product that you can feel good about purchasing.  Here are some of the key features:

• No Adapters Needed
  • The SmartPlug Dual Configuration cordset was designed to protect the boatside end of the shore power connection first, while allowing for integration with older twist-type connections on the marina end.   Simply install a SmartPlug 30 Amp Inlet on your boat and plug the SmartPlug end of the cordset into it.  The dockside end of the cord connects directly to the older twist-type marina connections.

SmartPlug 30A Dual Configuration cordset with SmartPlug Inlet

• It’s Weatherproof
  • Water intrusion leads to corrosion, and corrosion leads to electrical arcing and overheating.  SmartPlug’s fully molded cordset – along with its weatherproof face seal on the boatside end – eliminates moisture intrusion.

Weatherproof face seal

• Tinned Copper Wire
  • SmartPlug Cordsets are the first to use tinned copper wire (10/3) for the ultimate in corrosion resistance and durability.  Tinned wire is considered the premium choice for the marine environment as it lasts up to 10 times longer than non-tinned wire.  In fact, marine industry experts recommend the use of tinned wiring throughout the boat for these same reasons.

SmartPlug cord with tinned copper wire

• Sleeved Design
  • One of the primary causes of failure in the old twist-type design is that the electrical pins bear any weight or tension on the cord.  This is of greatest concern on the boatside end of the shore power cable where most of the movement occurs.  The SmartPlug’s sleeve design means that the body of the connector bears that tension, rather than the electrical pins, keeping those points of electrical contact secure.

Sleeved Design

• Multi-Point Locking System
  • Locking side levers on the connector – along with the SmartPlug Inlet’s locking cap – ensure a rock solid connection on the boatside end.

Multi-Point Locking System

This must-read roundup of electrical instruments by Dan Corcoran appears over at Panbo:

In the fall there were a lot of magazine articles on tools everyone should have on their boat including favorite tools, tools distance cruises should have, unusual tools, multi purpose tools, and so forth. In this article I bring some focus to tools of the battery operated kind I use on my boat.

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