Over the past year, the Bay Watch III Board of Directors has been dealing with electrical issues related to the boat slips. These issues have mainly been with the slips associated with Building D. The Board has been advised by our electrician that these issues are mainly caused by sloppy 240 volt boat lift installations, which were illegally tied into our existing 120 volt circuits. The Board will be ensuring that the 120 volt electrical, up to the receptacles mounted on walkway pilings are in working order. The Board is working with our electrician to provide a safe means for slip owners to tie 240 volt lifts into our panel.
Any lift incorrectly or unsafely installed will be the responsibility of the owner to correct. Those owners will be notified directly. We will be starting with Building D and then completing one building per year, unless it becomes apparent that it needs to be completed more timely. We will also require notification to the board of directors as well as a permit and inspection from the authority having jurisdiction for new boat lift installations to prevent additional problems in the future.
The following is a list of the detailed rules regarding the electrical, effective immediately:
- All electrical work on BWIII docks requires a permit from the local jurisdiction.
- The BWIII association is only responsible for the single phase 120 volt electrical installation containing the dock receptacles on the pilings.
- All boat lifts tied into the Bay Watch III 120 volt dock receptacles must be “cord and plug” connected as a means of disconnect.
- BWIII is NOT responsible for any electrical circuits tied into these circuits.
- The current electrical installation does NOT have provisions for 240 volt boat lifts.
- Boat lift requiring 240 volts must be run on a dedicated circuit back to the breaker box in the utility sheds at the owner’s expense. These circuits will be solely the responsibility of the owner.
- The BWIII association reserves the right to disconnect any electrical installations to boat lifts that are deemed unsafe, violating any codes or causing problems with the original installation.
- The BWIII association recommends new owners have their electrical installation to their boat lifts inspected by a licensed electrician.
- All electrical installations must meet current codes adopted from the town of Ocean City
- All electrical equipment must be labeled and listed for use in wet locations.
- All conductors shall be approved for conditions of use.
- Conduits, boxes and fittings approved for the condition of use, shall protect all branch circuits.
- All non-current carrying metal parts of the docking facility in contact with the water or may become electrically energized must be bonded to the equipment grounding system.
- All outlets shall be GFCI protected installed 3 feet above dock decking.
- All outlets must be installed in weatherproof enclosures with “in use covers” installed.
- All current carrying conductors shall be protected from physical damage by conduit approved for the condition of use.