RJ45 on a boat?

Bob S

Bob S

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Sep 27, 2007
1,804
Beneteau 393 New Bedford, MA
I installed Standard Horizon GX1600 last season and I love it! I made the mistake of hard wiring the power and chartplotter NMEA connections so I couldn’t remove the radio over the past winter. I want to add connectors so the radio is removable. I used some Beldon shielded 5 wire 24awg 7x#32 TinCu computer cable I had for the run to the helm/chartplotter. Can you recommend a connector for the radio side? I was wondering if I could use an RJ45 (Cat5) connector for the computer cable? I have many of them and the tool to crimp them. I use it at work. I thought it might be a clean looking set up to cut a wall outlet near the radio to plug it into. Will that connection type stand up in a marine environment? The radio is mounted in a dry location.
Someday I'll add the RAM3 remote at the helm.
I need to become a connector expert! :doh:
 
Squidd

Squidd

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Sep 26, 2011
890
AMF Alcort Paceship PY26 Washburn Wi. Apostle Islands
I hope your answer is to the affirmative, as I want to run cat5 up my mast to the wind instruments and an rj45 at the keel step to disconnect...

Should be an OK connector in a dry location in the boat...?
 
KD3PC

KD3PC

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Sep 25, 2008
1,069
boatless rainbow Callao, VA
unless they are weatherproof (http://www.vpi.us/waterproof-rj45.html) they will corrode in a heartbeat...some weatherproof call for silicone grease others are in a small cannister....

spend a few bucks in the right connector and you should be fine...
 
S

Steve Dion

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Dec 2, 1999
15,184
Hunter Vision-36 Rio Vista, CA.
Bob:

Check out some Amphenol connectors. They probably have something for an exterior application.
 
walmsleyc

walmsleyc

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Feb 2, 2006
470
Hunter Legend 35 Kingston
I'm not sure if all RJ45s have gold plated contacts, but many of them do and my box of 100 from Home Depot are gold plated. If your wire is tinned you are probably in good shape, but most cat5 is not tinned and is in fact solid copper strands both of which are not good for boat use.

Some creative use of glue lined heat shrink might help the situation, but it might not be a long term solution, .... but easy to re-do if you do get corrosion.

Chris
 
JoeWhite

JoeWhite

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Mar 6, 2008
1,338
Catalina 1999 C36 MKII #1787 Coyote Point Marina, CA.
Bob S

Bob S

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Sep 27, 2007
1,804
Beneteau 393 New Bedford, MA
Joe,
i used a terminal strip like that on both ends of the run. I ended up buying a 4 pin solder type connector from Digikey. Their customer service was great helping me find one. I agree that an RJ45 isn;t a good idea for boats although there is on on the back of my links pro battery monitor.
Thanks for the imput everyone.
 
Squidd

Squidd

.
Sep 26, 2011
890
AMF Alcort Paceship PY26 Washburn Wi. Apostle Islands
There is one on the back of your marine battery charger...?
 
Bob S

Bob S

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Sep 27, 2007
1,804
Beneteau 393 New Bedford, MA
Battery monitor, for down loading data to a laptop/computer.
 
Squidd

Squidd

.
Sep 26, 2011
890
AMF Alcort Paceship PY26 Washburn Wi. Apostle Islands
How long has it been in there, and how many times have you had to change it out due to corrosion...?

I'm just asking cause I have 34 year old single strand non tinned coper wires in my boat that are still working fine, and I'm real tempted to run that chunk of outdoor/underground Cat 5 wire up my mast and put an RJ45 connector on it and check it in 5-35 years for corrosion...
 
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