Safe access to high voltage power has always been of core importance to our team at VoltSafe. It’s driven us to come up with solutions that will allow everyone to work and enjoy the things they do without having to worry about the hazards that surround the simple act of connecting to electricity not only when it comes to shore power, but also in our personal lives and workplaces.

In the marine environment, safety is a topic that dominates conversations around marinas and docks. Marina operators and boat owners are familiar with the risks associated with high voltage electricity in close proximity to water. We all know water and electricity don’t mix, but the electricity produced by shore power pedestals is necessary to power the boat while it's docked, including its appliances and devices on board. The search for a solution to come up with keeping boat owners and marina operators safe around shore power on the docks has finally come to an end with VoltSafe Marine’s hardware (and complementary software) solutions. 

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GFCIs (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters) have been installed in boats since the 1980s to prevent shore power hazards such as electrocutions. The human body can be shocked by ground faults when electrical current strays from its intended path. This happens when a faulty appliance, tool, device or electrical system causes current to leak into the ground or water. Since electricity travels through salt, the salt in our bodies is the closest source, which is why an electrical shock occurs when stray electrical currents reach our bodies from the ground or water. 

While GFCI outlets work to prevent leakage from appliances and devices on board at the outlet level, it doesn’t prevent current leakage from the shore power connections from the boats or marina equipment. 

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ABYC (American Yacht and Boat Council) regulations have since required the installation of ELCIs (Equipment Leakage Circuit Interrupter) on marina equipment to address this concern. ELCIs are designed to protect against electric shock hazards associated with leakage currents from shore power connections on boats and other marine vessels. These leakage currents can occur due to faults in a boat's electrical system or in the marina's shore power infrastructure.

ELCIs monitor electrical current flowing through a circuit. They are calibrated to detect leakage currents at levels typically higher than those monitored by GFCIs since leakage currents in marine environments are higher due to the presence of water and other conductive materials. In addition to ELCI breakers typically installed in marinas, VoltSafe’s award-winning marine shore power hardware and software solution offers several advancements.

A traditional ELCI breaker is usually installed at the marina level, monitoring the electrical systems of multiple boats at once. VoltSafe Marine's technology, on the other hand, provides individual monitoring at the outlet level for every boat docked through its app and dashboard. One of the features of the VoltSafe Marine app, allows the owner to specifically identify the amount of current leaking from their boat at the outlet level, offering a more granular level of information and control. Boaters will then be able to narrow down the piece of equipment or device that is leaking current and will be able to respond with repair and maintenance procedures.

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Besides monitoring leakage from an individual’s boat, VoltSafe Marine’s dashboard also enables the marina manager to monitor leakage from all of the other boats in the marina. Monitoring current leakage from individual boats adds an extra layer of safety over traditional ELCI breakers, which usually monitor only the individual boat's electrical system, not other vessels connected to the marina shore power system.

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The integrated ELCI provides a more user-friendly design than traditional ELCI breakers, which are typically installed in the marina's electrical infrastructure as separate units. Boat owners would also benefit from integration into the plug, as it would simplify installation and use.

By providing real-time information about current leakage, both from an individual vessel and external sources, VoltSafe Marine's technology offers enhanced safety benefits in addition to current ELCI installations. This way, boat owners and marina operators can promptly address any issues detected, minimizing the risk of electric shock hazards and other electrical problems before they occur. To learn more about VoltSafe Marine and our flagship technology behind the most innovative shore power ecosystem, follow us on social media, or email us at marine@voltsafe.com.

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