Skip to main content

Is Marine Battery Wire Silver?

If you’ve ever done any wiring on a boat, whether you’re in the electrical trade or just a casual boater, this is a legitimate question. After all, stripping marine battery wire will expose some silvery filaments that do, after all, look silver.

So are they? Let’s look at what qualifies marine battery wire and the reasons it is designed and manufactured according to those qualifications.

So What Is It Made of?
First things first, marine battery cable is actually not silver, although it looks like it.

Ironically, silver is an excellent electrical conductor, among the best known. However, silver, like copper (which is used for most electrical conductors, including marine cable as you are about to see) suffers from a common deficiency.

Both are prone to oxidation - that is, both silver and copper corrode. As you might know, these effects are broadly exacerbated in humid and saltwater environments - both of which ships and boats are prone to encounter.

To answer the question initially posited by this article, marine battery wire actually is made of copper conductors - it just has a special protective coating that helps to insulate it from the ravages of saltwater-induced oxidation.

Marine battery cables and wires are made from many fine strands of copper conductors that are then individually coated, typically in tin. These tin-coated strands can much better resist environmental influences that would cause corrosion and degradation.

This tin coating is readily apparent whenever you strip the wire - such as to make connections to the terminals of a battery. They do also give marine wire the appearance of being made of silver - but make no mistake about it, they are not.

What Should Marine Battery Wire Be Able to Withstand?
While the threat of corrosion is one of the most noxious influences faced in most marine environments, it is not the only factor against which marine-grade cables should be able to stand.

Consequentially, many tinned copper marine grade wires are also made with special insulation that makes them uniquely able to withstand acid, abrasion, gasoline, oil, and of course, moisture.

In addition, marine battery cables are made with a high number of strands which keep them extra flexible. This is a bonus given the tight confines of the inner workings of most vessels, as cables with superior flexibility are easier to manipulate into location and can better navigate the tight recesses within boats. Additionally, highly flexible cables withstand fatigue better.

Where Can You Get Marine Grade Copper Battery Cables?
Looking for high-quality marine-grade battery wire and cable? Visit EWCS Wire online at EWCSWire.com.

They carry a wide range of marine battery wire that is United States Coast Guard, American Boat and Yacht Council, and UL-approved. Their marine battery cables are made with a high conductor count of individually tinned 100% copper conductors and are highly flexible as well as resistant to corrosion, acid, alkalines, gasoline, and oil.

To learn more about the specifications of their marine battery wire, visit their website at EWCSWire.com or contact them for more information.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Importance of Fire Alarm Cables

There are few things more important than fire safety. Without the proper fire electrical equipment set up in a small home or a big building, one small fire that starts anywhere in the building can cause a huge safety issue. According to the National Fire Protection Association, an average of seven people die from fires on a daily basis. The fact that this could be prevented makes the situation that much worse. When any type of building gets ready for people to move into it, whether it’s to work or to live, one of the most important things to check is fire safety. Fires spread like no other, so ensuring that the building has the proper fire safety tools to help prevent fires from starting and spreading with no warning to the other occupants in the building is a major factor in the overall safety of the building. Besides actually having a smoke or fire detector in place, one of the most important things all fire alarms need to have to ensure the safety of the building’s occu...
Post a Comment
Read more

A Guide to Choosing Electric Wire Cable

If there’s one thing that’s sure in the world of electrical supplies, it’s that you’ll always find yourself out of supplies just when you thought you had enough for a current job. With the diversity to be found in the shape, structure, and styling of residential, commercial, and industrial building plans, you can never fully know exactly what you’ll need before you get your hands on-site. With that in mind, there are some steps you can take when stocking up that will help ensure you’re the most prepared you can be. This guide will help you stock up on electric wire cable before every job, so you can get to work stress-free. Step One: Get Colorful No job will go smoothly if you can’t tell your wires apart from one another. Not only will uniformly colored electric wire cable make the job at hand more difficult, but it will also make future repairs considerably more difficult. Make sure you plan to have multiple colors of cable on hand before every job. You’ll thank yourself when y...
Post a Comment
Read more

Important Things to Know when Buying Alarm Cables

When you’re looking for wires and cables, EWCSWire can surely help. EWCS stands for Electric Wire and Cable Specialists, because that’s who they are. The people at EWCSWire really know their stuff about all the different kinds of wires and cables—their uses, accessories, and what safety requirements need to be met in order to be useable. Whatever type of wire or cable you need, EWCSWire has the stock and the knowledge to help you get everything you need. EWCSWire even has a selection of alarm cables, whether you need security alarm cables or fire alarm cables . But it’s important to be aware that when shopping for these kinds of cables, there are important safety guidelines that make each type of wire different. These cables have been put to the test to ensure that they meet certain standards. Plenum-Rated Cables EWCSWire offers security alarm and fire alarm cables that adhere to the codes that qualify them for a plenum rating. Plenum is the name given to any space in a build...
Post a Comment
Read more