GFCI to a boat dock
- Thread starter wmeek
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petersonra
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern illinois
- Occupation
- engineer
JFletcher
Senior Member
- Location
- Williamsburg, VA
yes you can
petersonra
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern illinois
- Occupation
- engineer
by a 10/3 UF cable do you mean 3 conductors and a ground? or 2 conductors and a ground?
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
10/3 would mean 2 conductors and a ground in rubber cord. For some reason rubber cord is labeled that way while nm, uf, etc all ignore the equipment grounding conductor when labelling
petersonra
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern illinois
- Occupation
- engineer
I think you are OK as far as the GFCI itself goes.
However, I would point out that if the cable goes a long way it may well have enough leakage that the GFCI could potentially trip more easily than you might like.
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
I would be cautious here. Not sure why you are installing a gfci on the feeder unless this dock qualifies under art. 553. If you use a standard gfci my guess if that you may have issues with it tripping-- depending on what you are feeding. I have a customer that has a boat that will not run on a 4-6ma nor a 30 ma gfci. He needs a 100 ma gfci which will cost a $1000 or so. If you are just feeding lights and a receptacle you may be fine
Its not a floating building so my guess it woud not fall under Art. 553. This is on a residential property. If im not required to install gfci on the branch circuit to dock , i would then just install two gfci for each circuit at dock. Each circuit will have a 3/4 hp 120v Boat motor. The motors came with gfci on end of plug. They have been running fine
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
Sorry I meant article 555 but it sounds like you only need the gfci at the dock not on the feeder
- Location
- Placerville, CA, USA
- Occupation
- Retired PV System Designer
Would an isolation transformer or galvanic isolator on the boat work and cost less,?
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
He actually has a $3000 isolation transformer but is hoping for a cheaper alternative :thumbsup: I believe there is a 50 amp feeder down to the marina slip--- I have not been there as others have been dealing with it. He said he replaced his stove, heaters, refrig, etc and nothing helped. The ec bought a 30 ma gfci and that didn't help either-
Manufacturers told him he needed a 100 ma or it would not work. They may have also suggested an isolation transformer to him because he said he has one
JFletcher
Senior Member
- Location
- Williamsburg, VA
Is 10/3 UF anything other than flat, grey cable? Serious question as I dont think Ive ever seen smaller gauge UF any other way.
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
That is the only way I have seen it but it could be white also.
BTW, in my other post the isolation trany has to be Marine rated hence the extra cost.
fmtjfw
Senior Member
- Location
- Fairmont, WV, USA
To protect the cable and anything on the line side of the on-dock GFCI's. Water and electricity don't mix, especially if someone is going to swim, or fall in, the water when there is leakage from the electrical system. It kills people every year.
And the electricity doesn't know if the water falls under 555 or is around a residential dock.
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