Skip to main content

Marine Wiring With Quality Boat Battery Cables

If you are used to wiring in marine environments, you know that there are extra precautions that need to be considered. The very idea of wiring an electrical system while surrounded by water should definitely raise a few red flags. To ensure that you are wiring correctly, the American Boat and Yacht Council(ABYC) have a convenient guide on how to safely wire electronics on boats. The first place to start with every job is to ensure you are using the correct Boat Battery Cables and wires.

One of the most important factors when choosing a boat battery cable is flexibility. Boats are a constantly moving environment. From bobbing gently in the harbor to crashing through waves and wakes, the wiring on your boat is not going to be static. Combined with vibrations from the engine, this could easily lead to wires being jostled loose. In order to achieve maximum flexibility, marine cables use a large number of finely threaded conductors rather than a solid copper conductor. These fine strands make it easier for the wire the flex without straining the terminal points. This will help to avoid the potentially serious repercussions that can come with a disconnected battery cable.


Another common feature for marine cables is tinning the conductors. This is not actually required by the ABYC, but it is definitely recommended. The tanning process involves electroplating every strand of copper with a layer of tin. This process helps to maintain the conductivity of the copper, but with a much lower reactivity. This will make it harder for any areas of your conductors to oxidize if they become exposed.

Finally, it’s important that the insulators of your wires can handle marine conditions. Obviously, you will need an insulator that can protect the wires from saltwater. You will also want to protect your wires from gasoline, oil, acid, alkali, and abrasion. With so many possible hazards on boats, all of these levels of protection will help ensure that your wire insulation does not degrade and crack over the years.

When you are wiring your boat, it’s important to remember to forget what you know about terrestrial wiring. Overkill is the name of the game when it comes to marine grade electronics. You will want to secure your wires using ring tongue terminals to prevent them from coming loose. You will also need to secure these terminals with shrink tubing for extra security. Combined with adding some extra slack to your wires, these precautions will ensure that your wires will stay securely in place.

So if you are getting ready for a marine wiring project, we have the boat battery cables you need at EWCS Wire. Our inventory includes battery cables and AC flat marine power cables in all the sizes you could need for your project. We also offer plenty of other high-quality wire and cable options. If you have any questions about our wires, feel free to reach out to a member of our team at 1-800-262-1598 or sales@EWCSWire.com.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Find the Electric Wire Cable Your Business Needs

If you operate a business that deals with electrical wiring, it’s crucial to make sure you have the exact cables for the job at hand. Not having the right supplies for the job on hand can lead to costly delays. If your client is on a strict schedule, it could even cost you their business. Don’t let your business get caught in this kind of scenario, keep your inventory stocked with quality electric wire cable at a great price by visiting the Electric Wire and Cable Specialists(EWCS). At EWCS, we have been providing professionals with the cable they need for over 20 years. We know the quality matters, and we make all of our electrical cables right here in the USA from only the highest quality 100% copper wire. We make sure each product we offer has been certified by either a UL or ETL nationally recognized testing laboratory. When you buy our wire and cable, you know that you will receive a product you can install with confidence. No matter what job your business takes on,...

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...

Common Questions About Security and Alarm Cables, Answered

Not sure which type of security or alarm cable your facility or system needs? Hopefully, these answers to common questions can help! What cable is used for alarm systems? Security and alarm systems are usually wired with small-gauge wire specifically designed for the purpose. For instance, many security systems are wired with 12 and 18 AWG gauge alarm wire, as these low-voltage applications do not necessarily require larger, heavier wires. However, larger or wire gauges may be required depending on the circumstances. Also, there are some unique requirements for some systems. For instance, fire alarm cables must be made with specific insulation that is heat resistant and which does not produce toxic smoke when burned. What gauge cable do you need for alarm systems? Only your specific system requirements can answer that question, but often large wire gauges (that is, smaller wires) are used as security and alarm cables because of the low-voltage, low-current application. What is ...