Wiring Question (is UF cable fine for marine grade)

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by skipmac

My 1984 boat was wired with plain vanilla stranded copper wire (AC and DC) and the majority of it is still in perfect condition. I am using tinned "marine" grade wire for all the stuff I replace but don't see any need to rip out anything that's still good because it isn't tinned.

Near as I can tell, so is my 1987 Island Packet, and I have never heard the electrical system in IP's is a concern, as is my Yanmar harness, and my high dollar alternator, and starter.
I think as long as it doesn't get wet its not an issue.
However like you, anything I do is tinned, cause, why not?

[skipgundlach]

Blue Sea has a nice wire-size chart. Agree with Genuinedealz for source. Agree with everyone else re tinned multistrand.

But there is multistrand and there is multistrand. Ancor #2/0 is soft and floppy. Other brands, with bigger strands, not so much. Likely you're not going to need that gauge but it's instructive...

Unless you have a deep-discounts (and from the question I'm sure you don't) Port Supply card, West is not the place for anything other than an emergency. They're the 7-11 of the marine supply world. Nearly ANY other outlet can beat them...

Agree on getting smarter, or hiring a marine electrician.

L8R

Skip, just off recabling anything touching the battery

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by hafa

Please review the following articles regarding wire size and DC wiring. Defender is a little bit less expensive than Westmarine, but if you have an outlet near you, you can save on shipping:

Marine Wire Size and Ampacity
Marine DC Wiring Basics

Consider also the volume discount of buying a reel and parting it out among other sailors. Doing a refit, I go through a lot of heavy-gauge tinned wire, and the more I can buy at one shot ("reel-ends" are often discounted at 10-20 foot "offcuts") the more I save.

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by skipgundlach

Blue Sea has a nice wire-size chart. Agree with Genuinedealz for source. Agree with everyone else re tinned multistrand.

But there is multistrand and there is multistrand. Ancor #2/0 is soft and floppy. Other brands, with bigger strands, not so much. Likely you're not going to need that gauge but it's instructive...

Unless you have a deep-discounts (and from the question I'm sure you don't) Port Supply card, West is not the place for anything other than an emergency. They're the 7-11 of the marine supply world. Nearly ANY other outlet can beat them...

Agree on getting smarter, or hiring a marine electrician.

L8R

Skip, just off recabling anything touching the battery

I totally agree about West Marine. So many people figured this out in Toronto that they went out of business. They are still the market leaders in anchor-themed placemats, however. If you see an actual fisherman, ask him where he shops.

[FionaJC]

I am an electronic engineer, I have a degree in Electronic engineering so know what I don't know I taught myself and then had it checked over by a marine electrical engineer. He was the best money I spent, I talked to him before and followed his advice checking in three books that what he said agreed with the advice in the books. I then paid him to check it over.

Start with a simple guide; Electrics afloat Alastair Garrod
The boat repair bible
Marine Electrical and Electronics bible John C Payne
Boatowners Practical technical cruising manual Nigel Calder

[svlamorocha]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Also recommend Marine Wiring, Boat Cable and Electrical Genuinedealz.com. Best prices and free shipping.

+1
High quality and low price. I only hope one day they will carry yellow-red duplex cable for DC... I don't like black-red because of the risk of mixup with AC hots.

[Teknishn]

FWIW, I must say that this has been one of the most educational threads for a neophyte that I have seen lately. Kudos to all who have contributed solid info and recommendations to the OP. I am a Marine Electrical Engineer (among other things) and cannot find fault with any of the advice given here.

Again, FWIW, it doesn't take a Marine Electrical Engineer to repair/upgrade electrical or electronic systems on a boat or yacht. However, it does require a solid understanding of how electricity works in relation to electrical loading, power requirements of one's particular vessel, galvanic corrosion, etc.

Educate yourself, and then.....stay away from Worst Marine! They aren't really there to help you, they're there to sell you overpriced stuff! (Anchor themed placemats, Welcome aboard door mats, custom can cozies, etc.)

[JstaRebel]

Originally Posted by FutureStories

Is there something you recommend? And where to get it. Or should I just suck it up and go to west marine and get a spool of red and a spool of black?

Also what gauge should I be using?

Most of the wiring in running is from a paneltronics panel:

Paneltronics Standard Panel - Ac/Dc 19 Position Circuit Breaker W/Meters & Leds

To power outlets and my stereo tomorrow.

Installing a new sanitation and fresh water system down the road.

Don't have much in the way of any other electronics yet.

Why is braided wire so imperative? I'm trying to understand, not just be told no without any suggestions or reasoning.

Multi strand wire is more durable than single strand wire. Every time you bend single strand wire, you stress the wire. single strand wire being bent back and forth will break. Stranded wire will not..

Is there an acceptable alternative to "Marine Wire" Yes there is. Submersible well pump cable. heavy duty insulation, stranded wire, and Tinned!! available at many hardware stores, pump supply houses, and most electrical supply stores.. Very acceptable substitute in a pinch..

[LoudMusic]

Do you guys do anything to treat the exposed terminals / connections of all these house wires?

[SuW]

I'd suggest that you try to get hold of Nigel Calder's Boatowner's Mechanical and Electrical Manual. There's a new 4th edition out so you can buy a used copy at places like abebooks.com for not much money.

We call it the Gospel According to St. Nigel.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by LoudMusic

Do you guys do anything to treat the exposed terminals / connections of all these house wires?

I will put silicone grease on anything that can get wet, I don't behind the panel for instance, and I only will use hot glue lined heat shrink terminals where possible

[Stumble]

Originally Posted by LoudMusic

Do you guys do anything to treat the exposed terminals / connections of all these house wires?

No, and you never should.

For more than you ever wanted to know (but should) on how to make good connections please read Marine Wire Termination Photo Gallery by Compass Marine How To at pbase.com

[Cadence]

Using underground feeder isn't smart. Do it right. How much wire underground have you seem subjected to vibration?

[J Clark H356]

His original post said he is wiring outlets for power tools and battery chargers and has bought 10-3 which is for a 30 amp AC circuit, not DC power as many of you are commenting on.

My advice to the OP is get a marine electrician involved for the AC power and then get you a book on basic DC (12v) wiring and experiment with the low voltage stuff. You are way over your head and could electrocute yourself or burn up your boat and maybe someone else's boat in the marina. Electricity of the AC variety around water is a dangerous force and can be very lethal.

Electrical work is simple if you know what you are doing, but different for AC and DC power. There is much more resistance in 12 volt wiring and you have to account for the voltage drop by having larger size wires.

From what you said, the exterior lights are more likely DC Not AC. That means 12 volts and each circuit has to be independently designed based on the length of the circuit out and back and the amount of load (watts) on the circuit. It's much safer and less likely to catch your boat on fire, but could.

[Stu Jackson]

In this day and age, it is almost incomprehensible to me that folks keep coming up with these questions on this type of forum.

None of of was born an electrician, but we learned, many of us learned this stuff way before the internet.

You could start here, while West Marine, they did this well, scroll down to electrical:

https://www.westmarine.com/WestAdvis...visor-Articles

And start reading. Charlie Wing's electrical book is also very good, and used to be available on the 'net.