110v AC re-wire. planning stage

[Rudderly Confused]

Hi all,

I'm planning on re-wiring my 110V AC system in the near future, mostly because of its age and poor condition.  Initially I just planned to swap out the shore power inlet/plug with the Smart Plug connections, but when I did I found the wire in the boat was not tinned, and was showing signs of corrosion.  I found the wires connected to my water heater in the same poor condition.  In addition, the survey noted no main AC panel at all, no breakers, and recommended a complete AC system upgrade.  After 40+ years, I agree it is needed.

To concentrate on just one step in this process, how are the AC outlets to be wired in a boat?  Are boat outlets any different than house outlets?  I know stranded wire (not solid) must be used, wire nuts must not be used, and using fork terminals, or connecting stranded wire directly to the outlet terminal screws is frowned upon.  If the outlet has captive terminal screws for the hot and neutral wires that can't be removed to install a ring terminal, what is the "right" way to make the connection?  Also, if I run a circuit of just one outlet, I have the same issue of a captive screw for the green ground wire.  It gets worse if I want to run a circuit of 3 outlets, how do I create a pigtail (as I would in house wiring) to connect the 2 green wires to 1 ground screw on each outlet?

Chuck

[Della and Dave]

On the smart plug, you may want to check this site out.  https://marinehowto.com/shore-power-cords-smartplug-vs-1938/  Used to be known as compass marine but now has a better web site.  Lots of info on electrical wiring on boats that follows the ABYC standards.  The hall of shame stuff helps you know what might seem like a good way to doo it, but isn't right.  I would also advise labeling wiring.  I forget easily what that wire went to and labeling it saves a lot of time.  He shows a quick way of doing it on that site, or just use a sharpy.  .

There are a couple of good books out on marine wiring too.  I would read up before you dig into it, grounding and bonding especially are not the same and making connections is different.  I like to use the environmental connections with a crimping tool and a shrink wrap style Plastic insulator over the crimp.   Need to get the correct tool and know how to use it correctly. 

[Rudderly Confused]

Thanks Della and Dave,

I've read much of Mainesail's posts, but couldn't find anything specific on making connections to the AC outlets.  He also has a forum (Musings with Mainesail) on Sailboat Owner's.com.  I've searched Nigel Calder's book also, also with nothing specific on outlet connections.  The Smart Plug connections are straight forward, and I did that this past summer.  I use the Ancor heat shrink terminals for all my connections.  Wire labeling will be another project unto itself!  I haven't removed any old outlets yet, but I'm guessing they won't be good examples to follow to re-install the new ones.  The old ones are just set into holes drilled into the bulkhead, no electrical box, but plenty of silicone globbed in there to hold it in place. 

Chuck

[P69]

What AC outlets to you have that have terminal screws that can't be removed so you can use ring terminals? Don't all 110v AC receptacles have screw terminals?

For connectors (pigtails), here is a table from Charlie Wing's Electrical Handbook, page 162 (see attached picture).  Don't forget to put the receptacle  in a rough box so things don't contact the contacts.

Instead of spliced/connectors on pigtails, get duplex receptacle with screw terminals and use rig terminals. Receptacles I've some across have "stick-in" connectors and screw terminals (or just screw terminals), just unscrew them, they'll come out.

[Rudderly Confused]

Update:

As usual for me, the actual work on the project was easier than the planning of it in my head.  The outlet terminal screws that I thought were captive, actually did screw all the way out as P69 said, once I applied a little more torque. The side terminals were the push in- screw clamp type, not just the ones that you wrap the wire around the screw then tighten it.  I didn't have to pigtail the grounds, I was able to get 2 ring terminals onto the ground screw.  The only hard part was that 2 of the 3 outlets were not the simple standard outlet.  The first in the circuit was a GFCI, and the last was a USB combo outlet.  Both of those outlet bodies was a little wider than the standard outlet, so it was a bit of a squeeze fitting into the box, but they did fit. 

As can be seen in the pics, the old outlets were simply installed into an opening made by drilling 2 holes with a hole saw, wrapped in electrical tape, and held in place with gobs of silicone.  I squared off those holes, installed new electrical boxes for the outlets, and installed a new AC main panel.