Marine grade wire DOES NOT have to be expensive !!

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Maine Sail

Maine Sail

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Feb 6, 1998
11,701
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
Hi All, I just got off the phone with the guy I buy all my marine grade wire, terminals and batteries from, Dave at Battery World in Portland, ME and wanted to pass on a VERY good deal to you all. I am doing some re-wiring and needed prices on 100' spools. Dave sells Berkshire Wire a tinned multi-stranded wire that meets and exceeds the UL marine standards. I actually like it better than Ancor wire in terms of usability and flexibility and feel it's a better built product. So any way here are the prices he quited me for 100' spools. I also made sure to ask if he was willing to ship and he said he ships UPS all the time. Battery World Price 14-2 = $43.00 per 100' 12-2 = $60.00 per 100' 14-3 = $48.00 per 100' 16-3 = $62.00 per 100' Hamilton Marine 14-2 = $70.99 per 100' 12-2 = $99.99 per 100' 14-3 = $112.99 per 100' 16-3 = $79.99 per 100' West Marine (Significantly more than Hamilton) It pays to mail order from Dave!! Dave Battery World 148 Walton St Portland, ME 207-797-7764 P.S. Phil you really ought to look into handling Berkshire Wire http://www.berkshireelectriccableco.com/ instead of getting over charged by Ancor!!! P.S. Let Berkshire know I'll be expecting my commission check..;)
 
RichH

RichH

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Feb 14, 2005
4,773
Tayana 37 cutter; I20/M20 SCOWS Worton Creek, MD
Even cheaper on ebay ....

http://stores.ebay.com/Genuinedealz_W0QQ_trksidZp1638Q2em118Q2el1247
 
48dodge

48dodge

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Oct 10, 2006
492
Oday 222 Mt. Pleasant, SC
Even cheaper

Bestboatwire.com A thread I'd started had this information stripped from it earlier so I wouldn't doubt if this thread gets the same treatment.
 
Don S/V ILLusion

Don S/V ILLusion

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Sep 25, 2008
7,346
Alden 50 Sarasota, Florida
bestboatwire.com

I've also found Bestboatwire to have favorable prices for the same or better quality wire. Paranthetically, it somehow seems inappropriate to elicit business away from the very site which so kindly (and cheaply) supports this conversation.
 
Maine Sail

Maine Sail

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Feb 6, 1998
11,701
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
That's why...

Quote: "Paranthetically, it somehow seems inappropriate to elicit business away from the very site which so kindly (and cheaply) supports this conversation." I agree 100%! That's why I suggested that Phil look into a brand that is more reasonably priced than Ancor. Dave discussed pricing strategies with me and Ancor is the absolute highest priced wire a marine distributor can buy. Dave can't even buy Ancor wire for what he sells Berkshire for out the door and he buys and sells more wire than Hamilton because he supports a good majority of the builders in Maine including Lyman Morse among others so it's not a volume issue. In the past Dave has been an Ancor distributor and Cobra (quality problems) and has finally found Berkshire.. I don't like to intentionally or needlessly pull business away from Phil and perhaps this will make him re-think his wire source so he can be more competitive. I do however like to share a good value when I find one! Perhaps SBO can post prices of the same wire? The duplex wire I listed is not on the web site and maybe it's a good price??
 
Brian D

Brian D

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Feb 17, 2006
5,274
Lancer 27PS MCB Camp Pendleton KF6BL
Main...

I am guessing that those are good prices in quantity. However, I am sure that not everyone needs quantity of 100'. Can he maintain these prices on smaller quantity or will he have to do what so many others do, increase prices for lesser quantity? And why is the 16AWG priced higher than the 14AWG? Is not 14AWG larger in diameter than 16AWG?
 
RichH

RichH

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Feb 14, 2005
4,773
Tayana 37 cutter; I20/M20 SCOWS Worton Creek, MD
Anyone have a good source for tinned coax?

Im looking for best prices for ~80 ft. RG8U. Would prefer USA mfg. source.
 
Maine Sail

Maine Sail

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Feb 6, 1998
11,701
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
Because..

Quote: "And why is the 16AWG priced higher than the 14AWG? Is not 14AWG larger in diameter than 16AWG?" Because it is a 16-3 wire meaning it has tree wires in one jacket that are 16 ga. The 14-2 should be less than 16-3.. Dave's per foot price is also very good but it is slightly more than a 100 foot spool..
 
Maine Sail

Maine Sail

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Feb 6, 1998
11,701
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
Rich RG8U

Marine grade RG8U from Dave is .48 ft. or $48.00 per 100' roll. I believe it is still made by Berkshire. Berkshire manufacturers in Western MA.
 
EvenKeel

EvenKeel

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May 24, 2007
49
Catalina 350 Herrington Harbor
"GenuineDealz" on Ebay

I've had excellent luck with that Ebay seller mentioned above. Even had some custom 00 battery cables made up.
 
Brian D

Brian D

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Feb 17, 2006
5,274
Lancer 27PS MCB Camp Pendleton KF6BL
Main...

I understand... but... 14-3 = $48.00 per 100' 16-3 = $62.00 per 100' If it was 12-3, I can see the higher price. But it isn't. Notice the Hamilton Marine price 14-3 = $112.99 per 100' 16-3 = $79.99 per 100' Note the 16-3 is cheaper. Maybe it was just a typo from Battery World. Not a big deal. Thanks.
 
Tim R.

Tim R.

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May 27, 2004
3,626
Caliber 40 Long Range Cruiser Portland, Maine
Practical Sailor

There is a good note in Practical Sailor this month about tinned wire. Now if you want the wire to outlast the boat just like many of Maine's projects ;-) then tinned wire is the way to go but according to PS and ABYC, untinned wire is not necessary. You will want to use watertight connections though. PS even implied that this was a requirement legend started by Ancor.
 
RichH

RichH

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Feb 14, 2005
4,773
Tayana 37 cutter; I20/M20 SCOWS Worton Creek, MD
Good price on RG8U .....

Looks like Dave will get my other wire order too.... . Thank for the info.
 
48dodge

48dodge

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Oct 10, 2006
492
Oday 222 Mt. Pleasant, SC
Untinned vs tinned

I've pulled out most of the wiring on my 222 (24 years old now). It's all untinned and the copper actually looks pretty good (in the middle of the wire at least). Where the wire has seen water, it's pretty much toast, though.
 
Don S/V ILLusion

Don S/V ILLusion

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Sep 25, 2008
7,346
Alden 50 Sarasota, Florida
tinned v un-tinned and coax source

The only time the distinction between tinned and un-tinned becomes relevant is when (and where) it gets wet. We all tend to assume simply because of some standard that it is essential to use tinned conductor cable over the entire length of wire, most of which can't become exposed to or wick water if installed and insulated properly. I'm not against over-kill when it comes to safety but there is a point when it becomes a waste of money. Regarding coax, you might do better at CableExperts Rich. they sell virtually all grades and sizes for very competitive prices.
 
Fred Ficarra7897

Fred Ficarra7897

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Jan 22, 2008
193
Hunter 34 Seabeck WA
My experience with untinned wire;

All of the wire on our boat when it was new was untinned except the Ancor shore power stuff. That wire went through hell including the hurricane flood on Antigua. Not one piece failed. And the waterproof connecter hadn't been invented. (at least as far as I knew)
 
Don S/V ILLusion

Don S/V ILLusion

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Sep 25, 2008
7,346
Alden 50 Sarasota, Florida
Far more important to prevent water intrusion

by having well insulated connections than whether or not the wire is tinned. If water gets into the wire, be it coax or a power cable, the damage is much more intrusive regardless of whether or not it is tinned which is why my opinion is that it's better the spend you time and effort on sealing the connectors properly than worrying about the type wire.
 
Maine Sail

Maine Sail

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Feb 6, 1998
11,701
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
Rich I mis-spoke

I just came from Dave's and the RG8U he has is a solid, un-tinned center conductor. The shield is tinned, aren't they all though, but the core is not. He's looking into a marine grade an RG8U tinned marine grade from Berkshire.. Sorry for the bad info but it was marked as a marine grade (more of the Cobra wire BS) and it was not until we cut it open that we discovered the center core was not tinned or stranded.
 
Terry Cox

Terry Cox

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Dec 25, 2000
5,911
Hunter Passage 42 Shelter Bay, WA
I needed 18AWG marine grade wire for our...

Link 1000 install two years ago and shopped around because of WM's high prices. I purchased individual color coded tinned stranded copper wire in 100 foot rolls for $8.60 per roll from Interstate battery sales. I have lots left over for other projects. Terry
 
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