What Makes Marine Battery Cables and Terminals So Special?

[Greg Anixter]

Owning a boat requires a lot of work if you want to keep it in top shape for the next outing. Washing and waxing the fiberglass hull, cleaning up the bilge so you can spot leaking fluids, lubricating where needed, flushing your engine…

However, one of the most important things to be concerned about is making sure your electrical system works properly. You really don't want to have a power outage when you're away from the shore. Your electrical system not only keeps the lights on in your boat but also pumps life into your engines and powers vital instruments like your navigation and comms equipment.

These systems are relatively easy to maintain on land. However, the marine environment puts tremendous amounts of pressure on your electrical systems in the form of humidity, corrosion, constant vibration, and exceptionally common instances of “Murphy's Law” at play.

Being aware that anything that can go wrong will go wrong, boat owners are forced to be proactive and make sure they solve problems before they happen. So, installing dedicated marine battery cables and terminals is essential if you want your electrical systems to work regardless of what the open sea throws at it.

But, what's the difference between regular wire and marine battery cables and terminals?

In general, wires and cables should be able to carry a current load around an electrical circuit. The best material for this is copper as this material is a highly efficient conductor. However, copper is highly vulnerable to corrosion, meaning that any exposure to the marine environment will chew it up faster than you can say “ready to set sail”. Moreover, copper wires are usually too rigid, which means that the constant rocking of a boat can progressively loosen soldered connectors and terminals.

Marine battery cables and terminals are specifically made to withstand all these conditions and still be easier to install and maintain. Marine-grade wire has a higher strand count, which means that it is extremely flexible and can be driven through narrow and constrained environments usually found on boats. They are also more stable, even under constant vibration and movement. Each strand inside marine battery cables is individually tinned for maximum corrosion resistance, which gives them their typical silvery look.

On the other hand, marine battery terminals are solderless, reducing the amount of labor required to install or replace the wiring. You won't find the usual plastic or PVC sleeves found in automotive-grade terminals. These are replaced by nylon sleeves that provide increased crack, puncture, and corrosion resistance. Their conductors are not made of bare copper but from tin-plated electrolytic copper which reduces power loss, and increases corrosion resistance. They also provide unmatched mechanical connectivity through a tightly insulated wire crimp.

As you can see, there are important differences between automotive-grade wiring and marine battery cables and terminals. If you want to find marine-grade electrical supplies, we recommend EWCS Wire. They have everything you need for your next marine electrical project in one place. If you want to know more about their high-grade marine battery cables and terminals, call them at 800-262-1598 for further assistance.