Can I use standard electrical wire 10,12,14 or is there a special wire for marine use I don't want to re do it again , because I used the wrong type of wire
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Marine grade primary wire
Bill, For this application, I would use marine grade primary wire with waterproof heat shrink type connnectors. The size, or gauge, of the wire required will depend on the amps required by the radio and pumps and the distance each is away from the battery (to and from round trip = distance). A good reference is the Electrical section of the West Marine Master Catalog. Page 552 will provide guidance on the size of the wire to use. Also, be sure that each circuit has the correct size/type fuse installed to protect the equipment from short circuits, etc.
Bill, For this application, I would use marine grade primary wire with waterproof heat shrink type connnectors. The size, or gauge, of the wire required will depend on the amps required by the radio and pumps and the distance each is away from the battery (to and from round trip = distance). A good reference is the Electrical section of the West Marine Master Catalog. Page 552 will provide guidance on the size of the wire to use. Also, be sure that each circuit has the correct size/type fuse installed to protect the equipment from short circuits, etc.
Yep, use special wire...
Marine wire needs to be 1)Tinned, aka copper coated with tin to keep it from corroding when exposed to water 2)Multi-stranned, as solid core wire will crack when vibrated in the hull of a boat. If you poke around, you can find it. best bet is to go to a marine store.
Marine wire needs to be 1)Tinned, aka copper coated with tin to keep it from corroding when exposed to water 2)Multi-stranned, as solid core wire will crack when vibrated in the hull of a boat. If you poke around, you can find it. best bet is to go to a marine store.
yes, there is...
house elecrical wire is solid core and marine wire is multi-strand wire. I also suggest the you pull three wires instead of one. One for each electrical item or load. Or even a spare so that you won't have to do the same job at a later interval as you add equipment and use wire ties to avoid chaffing.
house elecrical wire is solid core and marine wire is multi-strand wire. I also suggest the you pull three wires instead of one. One for each electrical item or load. Or even a spare so that you won't have to do the same job at a later interval as you add equipment and use wire ties to avoid chaffing.
Three final thoughts...
This is all good advice but also... 1) All wire sold by West Marine made to best handle all marine environment's challenge such as chafing /vibration, fuel / oil / salty water attacking the jacket and ofcourse fire. Use only this stuff. 2) Try to keep to the ABYC standards of the jacket color (ie a bilge pump positive wire should be brown in color) See page 16 of Ed Sherman's marvelous book "Boating Magazine's Powerboater's Guide to Electrical Systems." (Don't let the title scare you off.) 3) Label the wire on both end and support it atleast every 18" wire tires that can be screwed in or metal cushion clamps when going OVER an engine area. Chafe proof the wire in some fashion as well... check Ed's book out for more info. Hope this helps.
This is all good advice but also... 1) All wire sold by West Marine made to best handle all marine environment's challenge such as chafing /vibration, fuel / oil / salty water attacking the jacket and ofcourse fire. Use only this stuff. 2) Try to keep to the ABYC standards of the jacket color (ie a bilge pump positive wire should be brown in color) See page 16 of Ed Sherman's marvelous book "Boating Magazine's Powerboater's Guide to Electrical Systems." (Don't let the title scare you off.) 3) Label the wire on both end and support it atleast every 18" wire tires that can be screwed in or metal cushion clamps when going OVER an engine area. Chafe proof the wire in some fashion as well... check Ed's book out for more info. Hope this helps.
Wiring
Only use a good marine grade wire. I always try to use one size bigger than recommemded. All my electronics, which could live very well being supplied with 16 guage wire are run with 14. I also prefer to run a completely seperate circuit for each instrument. For a guaranteed water tite connection, first solder, then apply a light coating of 5200 and then heat shrink over the whole mess. You will have to cut that puppy apart to take it apart. But it will never give you a problem
Only use a good marine grade wire. I always try to use one size bigger than recommemded. All my electronics, which could live very well being supplied with 16 guage wire are run with 14. I also prefer to run a completely seperate circuit for each instrument. For a guaranteed water tite connection, first solder, then apply a light coating of 5200 and then heat shrink over the whole mess. You will have to cut that puppy apart to take it apart. But it will never give you a problem
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