7 Tips for Choosing the Right Power Pedestal for Your Dock

by Oscar Barroso June 21, 2023

Whether you have a private marina for your own boats or run a public marina for customers, a dock power pedestal is a great product to include near the water. Many boaters still want to power appliances, phones, and other electronic devices when on their boats—and without the proper electrical hookups, that’s hard to do.

Power pedestals offer easy access to power connectors for boat owners. Most products offer a standard 30-amp connection to meet most standard electrical needs. They also have a circuit breaker to turn the power source on and off when necessary, along with safety features like ground fault protection in cases where the device comes into contact with water.

But a few things make a power pedestal particularly nice for dock owners. Let’s look at seven things to consider when buying marina power pedestals.

1. Where Do You Need to Use the Power Pedestal?

The location of your power pedestal can impact its life and usability over time. If you live in an area that doesn’t flood often, you won’t have many issues—you don’t have to deal with flooding, so you don’t need to worry about your power source going underwater.

But things change once you enter a flood zone. If you experience heavy rain and have a pedestal submerged in water, it may not be functional after. In these cases, you need a product that elevates the power pedestal above normal flooding levels.

2. What Can the Dock Pedestal Power?

Knowing the size of the boats docked at a marina and the number you need to serve will help determine the power output of the pedestal you purchase. Some pedestals only have one connection, while others offer several hookups—which can reduce the number you need to buy for an area.

The size of the boats docked will also play a factor here. If you have larger boats, like superyachts, you may need power pedestals that can output more power. These pedestals may need 50 and 100-amp connections available.

3. How Durable Is the Shore Power Pedestal?

A shore power pedestal needs to withstand harsh conditions near the water. It must be weatherproof to handle typical weather conditions, such as storms and wind. And when you put a pedestal in a marina, it needs to handle conditions near the water.

This is especially important if you live in Florida during hurricane season. You don’t want to replace your power hookups each time a bad storm occurs.

Most reputable brands come with a warranty to guarantee the durability of their products. If something does happen to your pedestal, you should be able to get help getting it repaired or replaced.

4. Consider What Size of Power Pedestal Is Necessary

Although going overboard and purchasing a large pedestal will ensure you have all the power you need, it isn’t necessary in every situation. For example, if you have a private dock and a small boat, you probably don’t need a lot of power. Instead, enough energy to power a few small electronic devices is all you need.

But if you have a large marina and plan to offer power connections to everyone there, you’ll need larger power pedestals. You can purchase 100-amp connectors for large boats and products large enough to handle multiple connections.

5. Is the Power Pedestal Designed for Residential or Commercial Use?

You’ll find power pedestals designed for a variety of uses. For example, if you only need a pedestal for residential purposes, you just need a product designed to power a single boat and whatever you have on board.

However, if you plan to make more use of a power pedal and need better performance, a pedal designed for commercial use is necessary. You may need power receptacles powerful enough to hook up multiple boats or power energy-hungry yachts in a commercial marina.

There are also power pedestals designed for both commercial and residential use. Brands like Eaton Power Pedestals have product options that cater to both types of users.

6. What Material Is Best for Power Pedestals?

The material of your power pedestal will play a significant role in how well it holds up in your marina. Since you’re next to the water, you have more to consider. You’re in an environment full of moisture—which isn’t the best thing for electronic devices and hookups.

Here are some tips on building materials for power pedestals:

Carbon and stainless steel: Sturdy material with good resistance to corrosion in high-moisture environments
Powder-coated finish: To protect the exterior paint from degrading over time

Whichever option you choose, it should be able to stand up to regular dock testing to make sure it stands up well to your dock’s conditions.

7. Don’t Forget to Consider the Accessories

Power pedestals can do much more than provide power on your dock. Depending on the features you want for yourself or your customers, you can get additional dock accessories, such as twist locks for easy access, to enhance them for your needs.

One of the most common features included in power pedestals is cable and internet hookups. You can also run internet and TV cabling on your pedestals.

Many marine power pedestals also have ease-of-use features like LED lighting, with options for an amber lens for a sleek look and a photocell-controlled sensor to turn the light on when it gets dark. This makes hooking up equipment in the dark much more manageable.

If you want to offer water to your boats, you can also include water hookups and a hose holder on your power pedestal.

Still Unsure Which Dock Power Pedestal Is Right for You?

Dock power pedestals are a fantastic option for docks when you don’t want to risk exposing other power sources to harsh marine conditions. They are a safe energy source resistant to corrosion, rust, UV rays, and other harmful elements.

At the same time, you have a lot to consider when picking the right dockside pedestal—from extra features like internet connection and cable TV hookups to the correct size and durability for your marina location.

At Haven Dock & Marine, we pride ourselves on finding the perfect products for our valued customers. Get in touch with one of our expert team members who can help you find the right dock power pedestal for your needs.