Marine Wiring With Quality Boat Battery Cables

[Greg Anixter]

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 [e-mail].