Do You Have An Electric Hook-Up?
When using shore power, also known as an electric hookup, for your boat, ensuring galvanic isolation is essential for the health of your vessel’s underwater metalwork. The consequences of neglecting this can be costly. Without galvanic isolation, galvanic corrosion can rapidly and aggressively attack your boat’s underwater metal components. This includes vital parts like the propeller, stern gear, through-hull fittings, and even the hull itself.
It’s important to appreciate that these damaging galvanic currents are never the result of faulty wiring or electrical equipment on your boat or at the shore power source. Instead, they arise from a natural electrochemical reaction between the boat and the surrounding water environment. This reaction creates a flow of electric current, which, unfortunately, significantly accelerates the rate of corrosion.
Even if you only intend to connect to shore power for a short period, or just use it for charging your batteries, galvanic isolation is still essential. Any connection, however brief, exposes your boat to the risk of galvanic corrosion.
The good news is that achieving this vital protection is not difficult. The solution is a simple, and effective device known as a galvanic isolator. These devices are designed to block the flow of damaging DC galvanic currents while still allowing the necessary AC current for powering your boat’s electrical systems to pass through.
A galvanic isolator is a compact and uncomplicated piece of equipment, similar to a short extension cable, but with electronic components inside. Installing a plug-in style galvanic isolator is incredibly quick and easy— taking a few seconds. You simply connect it in line with your shore power hookup cable, instantly creating a barrier against galvanic corrosion. Just plug it in between your shore power cable and your boat’s power inlet, and your boat is immediately protected from the damaging effects of galvanic currents.
A single galvanic isolator works for all boats. It will provide effective protection regardless of the size of your boa, and it works equally well in all types of water: whether you’re navigating freshwater environments like canals and rivers, cruising in saltwater coastal areas, or moored in brackish water estuaries, the galvanic isolator will provide the protection you need.
Our galvanic isolators are available in two main configurations to suit different installation preferences. The first, is the convenient plug-in model, which offers the ultimate in ease of installation. The second type is a wired model. These wired units are designed to be permanently connected into your boat’s electrical system. While wired installations offer a more permanent solution, they do require slightly more time and effort to install compared to the plug-in versions, but are within the capabilities of a competent diy person, as full instructions are supplied.
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