My shore power cord got so hot the plastic plug melted and had to be pried off the connection

How hot should your shore power plug get?  

Red flag warning: the plug and cord should never be hot

        On New Year's we went for another cold-weather outing, and the oil stove worked flawlessly now that I know to pay better attention to the burner.

      Now, about the hot wire,  and a warning for all of us who know better.  My 30-amp power plug got so hot that it partially melted the plastic, and I had a really hard time removing the plug from the receptacle on the boat.  

        The heat was caused by two things #1, the plug terminals must not have made a good connection so I'm not getting 30 amps, instead, I'm getting heat.   #2 the electric heater and battery charger in the boat probably combine for too much power draw, and with the cold weather, I'm lucky I caught it before - poof - a different kind of snoot appeared where the boat is/was. My advice to myself is to check both ends of every cable connection for heat. What worries me are the buried connections I can't get to.
Here's proof it can happen  - Clickety click   >>  >>  fire damage

This picture shows smoke damage.  My first thought was that I could simply clean the surfaces.
Think again, skipper -- some surfaces clean really well and some become etched.  Smoke is extremely corrosive, and in a closed boat fire, flames may not be present, but the smoldering fire pressurizes and forces smoke into and behind every nook and cranny.  Nothing escapes, not the field glasses, not the radio,  not the switches or panel or any electrical terminals.
      Within six months of this fire, all electrical switches and contacts failed.  Wires survived, but all had to be re-cut and new terminals crimped.  (The adjuster totaled the boat)
The cause of the fire was an overheated extension cord.  You can see the orange cord in the picture. So regrettable and preventable.


Click below to see a satellite view of Washington Park and Cap Sante in Anacortes