Shore Line Power and GFI Protection

[Devin A. Pratt]

I was recently doing an outdoor panel replacement that was ripped out accidently by a landscape crew during excavation. The panel was a 100amp sub panel fed from the residence and intern fed an open u shaped dock. The dock was a private marina where the home owner rented out 5 slip spaces. Each slip had a120v 20amp Duplex Recepticle and a 120v 30amp Twist Lock Recepticle. The 20 amp recepticle were protected by GFCI Breakers and the 30 amp recepticle were only protected by single pole breakers. The original install was 20 years ago and the 30 amp recepticles were not at least 12 inches from the decking and installed on wood posts over the open water. Not to mention the oulet boxes were weather/sun beaten and damaged.

During instal I insisted that the 30 amp shore power recepticles be GFCI protected for several reasons. First is that I felt that the new 2011 code read that all dock,marina and boat house recepticle be GFCI protected. Second the boxes being worn and damaged. Third that the recepticles were over open water not 12 inches above the decking. Forth the PVC Consuit was damaged and the UF that was fed through was showing and subject to multiple wear factors.

My Questions are.

1. Was this an appropriate decisssion given the circumstances listed. And that the home owner was not willing to make any other repairs.

2. Why is it that 120v 30 amp Shore Power is not subject to the same GFCI protection requirements as 120v 20amp recepticle especially with the currently availible technology and the current GFCI and Arc Fault Craze that the NEC is in today.

Thank You,
Devin A. Pratt
D&D Electrical

 

[ceb58]

I was recently doing an outdoor panel replacement that was ripped out accidently by a landscape crew during excavation. The panel was a 100amp sub panel fed from the residence and intern fed an open u shaped dock. The dock was a private marina where the home owner rented out 5 slip spaces. Each slip had a120v 20amp Duplex Recepticle and a 120v 30amp Twist Lock Recepticle. The 20 amp recepticle were protected by GFCI Breakers and the 30 amp recepticle were only protected by single pole breakers. The original install was 20 years ago and the 30 amp recepticles were not at least 12 inches from the decking and installed on wood posts over the open water. Not to mention the oulet boxes were weather/sun beaten and damaged.

During instal I insisted that the 30 amp shore power recepticles be GFCI protected for several reasons. First is that I felt that the new 2011 code read that all dock,marina and boat house recepticle be GFCI protected. Second the boxes being worn and damaged. Third that the recepticles were over open water not 12 inches above the decking. Forth the PVC Consuit was damaged and the UF that was fed through was showing and subject to multiple wear factors.

My Questions are.

1. Was this an appropriate decisssion given the circumstances listed. And that the home owner was not willing to make any other repairs.

2. Why is it that 120v 30 amp Shore Power is not subject to the same GFCI protection requirements as 120v 20amp recepticle especially with the currently availible technology and the current GFCI and Arc Fault Craze that the NEC is in today.

Thank You,
Devin A. Pratt
D&D Electrical

First from your location you are just coming out of the 05 into the 08 so the 2011 will not/ can not apply.
Look at 555.19 (A) 1-4 and (B) 1&2 (2008) In it it states that shore power for boats shall be provided by a single recp. not rated for less than 30amp.
You can assume that one intent for not GFIC'ing this recpt. is to prevent a nuisance trip out causing things like the bilge pumps to not operate.
But it dose go on to say that 15 and 20 amp recpt. must be GFCI'ed for personal protection. This would be for people working on the boats with power tools and such. But these are listed under "other than shore power"

The only thing I see is the mounting of the recpt. "not less than 12'' above the deck of the pier and not below the datum plane on a fixed pier. And the conditions of the boxes may come into question.

 

[iwire]

David, the 30 amp receptacle is intended to be a feeder to a panel on a boat. In my opinion GFCI protection of feeders is not a good idea as the cumulative leakage current from each of the items connected to the feeder may well result in nuisance tripping knocking all power to the boat off.

Safety is always about trade offs, would it be safer to GFCI protect the feeder and have power to the boat cutting out or safer to leave it as is?

No one should be plugging hand held portable equipment into the 30 amp twist lock but of course sometimes they do ....... we can't stop stupid.

 

[Devin A. Pratt]

Thanks

Thanks

I understand and appreciate both responses. I am torn on taking out the GFCI breakers for the 30 amp shore Power circuits. I dont wanna sink the boats but I'm not fond of the recepticle conditions or placement. I am thinking about repalcing those breakers but give the customer a disclaimer on the work. I had read the code both from 2008 and 2011 before posting and I'm still not fond of this section especially reading about the two drowning by electricution that were a direct result of improper grounding while docked and on shore power. I think that this is an area of the code that needs strong attention rather than arc fault breakers on every branch circuit in a house. As for working in New York as an electrician things just got more confusing while we have evolved from the NEC 2005 to NEC 2008 the New York building Code has adopted all the residential changes in the NEC 2011. For beeing on of the most technologically advanced states in the union why cant we just get it over with and adopt NEC 2011

 

[ceb58]

I understand and appreciate both responses. I am torn on taking out the GFCI breakers for the 30 amp shore Power circuits. I dont wanna sink the boats but I'm not fond of the recepticle conditions or placement. I am thinking about repalcing those breakers but give the customer a disclaimer on the work. I had read the code both from 2008 and 2011 before posting and I'm still not fond of this section especially reading about the two drowning by electricution that were a direct result of improper grounding while docked and on shore power. I think that this is an area of the code that needs strong attention rather than arc fault breakers on every branch circuit in a house. As for working in New York as an electrician things just got more confusing while we have evolved from the NEC 2005 to NEC 2008 the New York building Code has adopted all the residential changes in the NEC 2011. For beeing on of the most technologically advanced states in the union why cant we just get it over with and adopt NEC 2011

In this case you can do what code requires and be done with it. As Bob said by GFIC'ing the 30 amp plugs you run the risk of sinking a boat. If some one doesn't use the recpt. as intended and there is a problem it is not your fault. As long as your work is code compliant, and assuming you have an inspection then you have done what you should. Also the inspector can determine the condition of the boxes and recpts. and if he feels there is a problem he can hold up inspection until the owner has the problems corrected. Remember some time the inspector can be good for bussness