Short answer: Marina ELCI requirements come from two places. The 2023 NEC 555.35 requires marina shore-power receptacles to have ground-fault protection tripping at no more than 30 mA (100 mA on feeders), and ABYC E-11 calls for an ELCI on the boat's main shore-power disconnect with a 30 mA, 100 ms trip, unless an isolation transformer is fitted.
Long Beach Marine Electric explains marina ELCI requirements here because they’re the reason so many older boats started tripping pedestals after marina rebuilds. Two different rulebooks are involved: the National Electrical Code, which governs the marina’s wiring, and the American Boat and Yacht Council’s standards, which govern the boat.
On the dock: NEC 555.35
The National Electrical Code’s Article 555 covers marinas, boatyards and docking facilities. The 2023 edition, section 555.35, requires:
- Ground-fault protection not exceeding 30 mA on each shore-power receptacle.
- Ground-fault protection not exceeding 100 mA on feeders.
- GFCI protection on other dock receptacles of 60 A or less, single-phase.
The code cites ABYC Foundation research identifying 30 mA as an acceptable threshold to prevent most electric shock drowning incidents. When a marina rebuilds docks or replaces pedestals, the new equipment is built to this standard. Long Beach’s Alamitos Bay Marina, rebuilt basin by basin from 2011, is a local example.
On the boat: ABYC E-11
ABYC E-11, the standard for AC and DC electrical systems on boats, calls for an ELCI (equipment leakage circuit interrupter) or Type A RCD at the main shore-power disconnect:
- Trip level: maximum 30 mA
- Trip time: maximum 100 ms
- Exception: a boat with an isolation transformer within 10 feet of the shore-power inlet
ABYC standards are voluntary for owners, but builders design to them, and surveyors and insurers measure boats against them. An older boat without an ELCI is a common survey finding.
What this means for your boat
If your boat trips the pedestal, it’s leaking more than 30 mA. Adding an onboard ELCI won’t fix that, because the ELCI detects the same leak and will trip too. Find the fault first. See why a boat trips the shore power breaker.
If your boat doesn’t trip but has no ELCI, adding one gives you leak protection on your own boat. You’ll know immediately if a fault develops, rather than finding out at the next marina. A 50 A ELCI main breaker such as the Blue Sea C-Series lists at about $719 before installation. Most installs take 2–4 hours.
If you have a yacht with an isolation transformer near the inlet, the transformer meets the requirement.
A note on saltwater
The Electric Shock Drowning Prevention Association describes electric shock drowning as happening in fresh water, where the human body conducts electricity better than the water around it. Salt water conducts better, so current tends to stay in the water rather than pass through a swimmer. That doesn’t make leaking boats safe in Long Beach marinas. Current in the water also drives stray-current corrosion, and leaks are a fire risk on board. But it’s why the pedestal rule matters everywhere, not only in lakes.
Bottom line
Marinas must protect pedestals at 30 mA, and ABYC calls for a matching 30 mA ELCI on your boat. If you trip, fix the leak. If you don’t have an ELCI, add one. See shore power repair or call (562) 374-7233.
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