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Marine Battery Wire Buying Guide

Everyone dreams of one day owning their own boat, or even better a yacht! Setting out on the ocean, river, or lake with only the supplies you brought with you and your loved ones is a truly freeing experience. Whether you are a first-time owner of a boat or you have owned one before, most agree that finding the right boat equipment and maintenance supplies can prove to be a difficult task. Below is a guide with questions that boat owners often have when it comes to marine wiring.

What is Marine Battery Wire?
Marine battery wire is a term for a high-quality battery cable designed to withstand the most brutal of marine conditions. All marine cables, whether they are for a battery or other purposes, are designed to survive the specific conditions your boat will be in. Marine cables must be water resistant and also capable of withstanding heavy rocking and vibrations that your boat could experience when out in rough waters.

What Factors Should I Consider?
You need to consider a few different variables before you are able to determine the size of marine cable wire you will need. One of the first considerations you should make is the amount of current that will be traveling from your battery through this wire.

Once you know the amount of voltage, you will also need to consider the voltage drop. A current loses voltage as it travels through the wire and it ends up with less voltage than when it started. Depending on how far your current will travel will determine how much voltage the current will lose. The American Boat and Yacht Council mandate that a maximum of 3% drop is allowed.

The last thing you need to consider is the amps that the marine battery cable is rated to carry. By looking at the ambient temperature, gauge conductor size, and jacket temperature rating, you can figure out the number of amps the wire and transport.

How Do I Know What Size Battery Wire I Need?
When you have considered the factors above, you will need to determine the round-trip distance of the cable from the battery to the device. Finally, you can use a voltage drop calculator to determine the size marine battery cable that will accommodate your specifications while also following the American Boat and Yacht Council standards.

After using the wire you decided on, you can test the voltage drop and see if it is under the allowed 3%. If it is above 3% you must try a different sized marine battery cable.

Where to Find Marine Battery Wire
EWCS Wire has a large selection of high-quality marine cables in a variety of necessary sizes. EWCS has been a trusted marine cable provider since 1994 with the best prices in the industry. You can order your products online and expect delivery in 3-5 days, never wait for what you need now. You can find high-quality marine battery wire on ewcswire.com and browse their extensive inventory.

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