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Houseboat shore power: cables, RCDs and fire risk
Short answer
On a houseboat the whole household hangs off the shore power lead,
and the connection lives outdoors in the wet.
One cable in a single length, dry connectors and an RCD you actually test each month cover most of
the risk.
On a houseboat, shore power is not an accessory, it is the mains supply of a home: heating, water heater, fridge, cooker and chargers all run from it, often around the clock and all year. At the same time the connection sits outside, in damp, movement and, on the coast, salt. That combination of continuous load and a wet environment is why the electrical installation deserves more attention on a liveaboard than on a weekend boat that only sees a berth in summer.
The faults repeat themselves. An extension reel left coiled, which cannot shed its heat under load. A thin domestic lead with household plugs in place of a proper shore power cable in one length. A connector lying in a puddle on the pontoon. A supply bollard whose lid has been hanging open for years. And an RCD nobody has pressed since it was fitted, on the assumption that a device which exists must also work. On inland waters in the United Kingdom the Boat Safety Scheme examination looks at exactly this area, and the work itself belongs to a qualified marine electrician.
What you can do yourself is short and effective. Use one shore power cable in a single length, no reel and no adaptors in the middle, with the connectors kept dry and led in a drip loop so water cannot run into them. Press the test button on the RCD once a month and watch it trip. Disconnect the shore supply before a long absence. Fit smoke alarms in the living space and the technical compartment, and keep an extinguisher within reach. Have the installation inspected every few years and keep the report: if you ever need to show what condition it was in, that paperwork is the only thing that will speak for you.
Worth remembering
1 cable, 1 length
no reel, no adaptors in the middle
12 RCD tests
one for every month of the year
Where continuous load meets damp, condition is the only thing that protects you.
Questions
What owners ask us about this
Can I use an extension reel as a shore power lead?
Better not. Coiled on the drum a cable cannot lose its heat and gets hot under continuous load. A boat needs a shore power cable in one length with the right connectors and a conductor size suited to the load you actually draw.
How often should I test the RCD?
Once a month with the test button, and it should trip immediately. If it does not trip, or will not reset afterwards, have the installation looked at before you draw power again rather than living with a device that may do nothing.
What does the Boat Safety Scheme look at?
On inland waterways in the United Kingdom the examination covers fuel, gas and the electrical installation among other things, and a valid certificate is normally required for a licence. Your navigation authority sets out what applies to your boat.
Should I unplug when I leave the boat?
Yes, where nobody is aboard and nothing has to keep running. What is not live cannot overheat. If heating or a bilge pump must stay on, make sure the installation is sound and that somebody checks the boat while you are away.
Related
Not sure whether you qualify?
Whether it is “Houseboat shore power: cables, RCDs and fire risk” or another question: send us your residence and the flag your boat flies. You will get a straight answer in one email; including a no, if that is the answer.
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