Issue 25 : Jul/Aug 2002
At our dock we have three shore cables: the 35-amp AC power cable, the telephone cable, and the cable-TV. To keep the shore-end plugs of these cables out of the weather when they’re are not being used, we’ve installed a short section of capped PVC pipe of appropriate diameter on the piling next to our shorepower pedestal. We tuck the unused cable plugs up into this section of pipe. This keeps them dry and retards tarnishing of the prongs, something which is accelerated when they are exposed to sun, rain, or snow. This tarnishing is most noticeable in the poor performance of the cable TV and telephone, however tarnishing of the AC power cord prongs can lead to a greater danger: severe overheating of the plug due to poor electrical contacts.
Thank you to Sailrite Enterprises, Inc., for providing free access to back issues of Good Old Boat through intellectual property rights. Sailrite.com
