Date: 22 December 2018. Pilothouse AC
Power Solution.
©
janice142
For years I have wished for an
electric outlet in my pilothouse. During the Christmas season I
enjoy having lights up there. Though I do have an outlet on the port
side by my dinette, I wanted one forward too. The ideal spot is on
my dashboard. Rain could present a problem in that location. Eventually I came
up with a $5 solution. Here is what I did.
First I drilled a couple of holes in the dash for cigarette
lighters. Next I cut out a hole just below that.
My hole for the AC power is not perfect. It doesn't
need to be.
Side Note:
Perfection is the enemy of Good Enough.
Seaweed was originally planned
to run off 12-volt power. Our 40'er was primarily 12-volts too, so I
understood that system. Eventually however I started to switch over
more and more to standard AC power -- just like in a house.
The addition of an inverter made a world of difference to me. I've
written about how I power my off-grid home. The
Powering the Refrigerator
series is a good place to start if you're curious.
12-volt appliances are far more costly than standard
AC items. A reefer the size of mine would run almost $1,000. My AC
powered Haier 3.1cf refrigerator/freezer was $120, on sale from
$150. One of my readers gifted it to me. Using it still feels decadent and
I am grateful.
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Rather
than trying to wire in a real outlet, I could utilize the one in
my head as a power source. An extension cord fed through the
cutout just below those two cigarette lighters could solve my
problem.
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First though I needed to be able to seal off that hole. I did not
want any rain to be able to get down below via the opening. For that
job I found the perfect Rubbermaid condiment container.
Years ago my friend Mabel had given
me a Dremel for crafting. I used it to remove the bottom of the
container.
I again used the Dremel with a sanding disk to smooth off where I had
removed
the bottom.
A final scrape with Daddy's knife, and the plastic
container was ready for installation.
Spiffy! It fits. I finished up by adding *Size 4 screws to the top and
right side of the box.
*Size 4 screws are about the diameter of a #2 pencil
lead.
These are 1/2" long and ideal for securing the box in place.
Next, I tested to make sure the $4
extension cord/power strip I'd bought would be long enough.
I needed a CUTOUT
↓ FOR THE CORD. That way
I could close the lid even when the extension cord was in use.
For the curious, that fine gauge wire existing at the upper right
corner of the box leads to a 12-volt meter. I like knowing what my
voltage is at all times. It is fed off one of the cigarette
lighters. When that lighter is in use the reading is not accurate,
but that's life. Most of the time the lighters are unused.
When first put in, one lighter was
for my Garmin72 handheld VHF. That unit no longer works. The second
outlet was for my netbook, which I used for navigation via OpenCPN. The
Emergency Anchor Up (OpenCPN info too)
article provides details about that computer program.
I use OpenCPN now on a nifty
Verizon tablet. For years however I used my netbook:
Side Note regarding OpenCPN:
It is free software for your computer. Of course donations to the
developer are welcome. Better yet, install the app on your Android
tablet. Though fine on my netbook, I must say the Verizon tablet
makes the whole OpenCPN experience even better. The program is just
$10 in Google Play and worth every penny of that.
One cigarette lighter outlet allows me to keep the tablet fully
charged while underway.
But I digress... I needed to cut a notch for the electric cord to
fit through.
I used the Gerber knife my friend Ken gave me years ago.
Finally, I
CUT A NOTCH ↓
into the lid of my Rubbermaid container.
At last I have a way to plug in my Christmas lights.
The power bar has an on/off switch which is handy for the holiday
lights. When Christmas is over I can remove the extension cord. At
that time I will rotate the red lid a quarter turn. That will seal
the box and prevent water intrusion down below.
In the meantime, Skipper and I
enjoying Christmas lights in my pilothouse.
Honestly, Skipper is not all that thrilled with the lights. The music she
enjoys as I dance with her. We like Bing Crosby.
I am enjoying the
holidays, listening to my music and trying to stay warm. Thank
goodness for hurricane lamps and oil lanterns. The oil burners throw
off quite a bit of heat. That makes them a particular favorite
during colder months of the year.
FOAM
↓ shoved in the frame of
the door lessens drafts.
To you and yours, Happy
Christmas. Stay warm
and remember all the good things in your life.
Thank you for reading.
I wonder if any of you have added an AC or DC outlet in
your pilothouse.
And, have you used an extension cord in a similar fashion in your home?
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