240v Blue Caravan / Boat socket mounting on flat surface

Hi, Fed up of tripping over the wire from the distribution board to boat on a floating pontoon. I would like to screw a socket to the decking / pontoon and then clip the wire neatly and under the decking rather than running over the top of decking.

My question is - can this socket be mounted on a flat surface? or is it for mounting on a wall etc only ? It says surface mounted but does that mean it can be basically screwed to the floor?

Discription -
32 Amp 3pin Plug and Socket
Description:

1x - 32A 3Pin Waterproof Plug (male)
1x - 32A 3Pin Waterproof Wall / Surface mounted Socket (female)

- 220V - 250V [Volt]

- 2P+Earth [ Single Phase ] - earth pin position 6h (hour designation)

- Weathrproof to IP44

- Suitable For Camper Vans, Caravans, Motor Homes, Refrigerated Van, Power Tool, Workshop, Engineering, Compressor etc

Brand: Knightsbridge / ML Accessories ]

surface mounted means it can be screwed to something, but that doesn't mean you can screw it to a pontoon.

In a marine environment the socket should probably be mounted in an enclosure so that it's protected to an IP rating when there's no mating plug inserted.

It should be mounted on a wall with the socket facing downwards so that water runs off the shroud round the socket and drips off the socket and thus cannot accumulate inside the shroud.

There are two rule books on boats. The BS7671:2008 I have and can quote from it well not latest but good enough. However the RCD I will admit I only know it exists.

For non boat people RCD = Recreation craft directive. Nothing to do with earth leakage.

There are some rules which seem strange to a normal electrician including the idea of fitting diodes into the earth feed.

709.512.2.1.1 Presence of water (AD)
In marinas. equipment installed on or above a jetty, wharf, pier or pontoon shall be selected as follows, according to the external influences which may be present:
(i) Water splashes (AD4): IPX4
(ii) Water jets (ADS): IPX5
(iii) Water waves (AD6): lPX6.

709.512.2.1.2 Presence of solid foreign bodies (AE)
Equipment installed on or above a jetty. wharf pier or pontoon shall be selected with a degree of protection of at least IP3X in order to protect against the ingress of small objects (AE2).

709.521.1.6 Cables shall be selected and installed so that mechanical damage due to tidal and other movement floating Structure,' is prevented.
Cable management systems shall be installed to allow the drainage of water by drainage holes and/or installation of the equipment on an incline.

709.531.2 RCDs
Socket Outlets shall be protected individually by an RCD having the characteristics specified in Regulation 415.1.1. Devices selected shall disconnect all poles. including the neutral.
Final circuits intended for fixed connection for the supply to houseboats shall be protected individually by an RCD having the characteristics specified in Regulation 415.1.1. The device selected shall disconnect all poles, including the neutral.

These are just a few of the regulations in the main it would seem provision is required for water to drain away rather than complete sealing and of course any floating jetty must have cables able to take the movement.

TN-C-S is banned in the main TT is used but the material used for the earth rod is also important often you need steel rather than copper coated and with Aluminium hulls often the earth is not imported and instead an isolation transformer is used.

This is a very specialised field and likely better to ask on a forum specialising in boats.

thanks for the replies.

not as simple as i would like ! think i will just carry on tripping over the wire .

Buy one of these


http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cable-Tex-Rubber-Cable-Protector-Trunking/dp/B003QRMZ0C

does the cable slot in from top or bottom maybe? or do you need to remove plug and thread flex through middle hole?

mattysupra said:

does the cable slot in from top or bottom maybe? or do you need to remove plug and thread flex through middle hole?

Click to expand...

If you read the reviews you will see that you either thread the flex through, or slit along the underside with a knife to open it.