Boat Wiring and Troubleshooting

    Marine wiring standards used throughout the industry make it helpful in diagnostics and repair. Corrosion is the number one culprit in electrical failures so start off with the highest quality materials to increase the longevity of your equiptment. Marine grade wire is not the same as what you would find in a hardware store or box store. Never use wire in a boat that is not rated for marine usage. The difference is insulation temperature rating. This is the point at which the insulation will melt and expose the inner core to the environment. Fire is something we never wish to experience during a boating trip. Insulation in marine usage must have the ul listing rating it for marine usage with a melt temperature exceeding 120 degrees celcius.

 Cores of marine grade wire come in two types. Tin coated strand and non tin coated strand. Use only tin coated for increased corrosion protection and loss of voltage across the length of the cable assenbly. Tin coated wwire will greatly increase conductive properties and will resist corrosion at connections. Always use wire the correct size for the equiptment it is designed for. It is better to have a larger guage wire than a smaller. Always evaluate the length and voltage drop across the lenngth before selecting what size wire to use. Plan wire size by two factors. Amperage requirements and length of cable to supply voltage at that required amperage draw. In general for amperage draw of less than one amp 18 guage wire of less than 20 feet is sufficient. For amperage draw between 1 and three amps 16 guage wire is preferred. For ampaerage draw of 5 to 7 amps 14 guage is recommended. Amperage draw between 7 and 10amps require 12 guage wiring. Above 10 amps draw refer to manufacturers specifications or IEEE spec sheets.

Electrical Wiring color Codes 12/24/36 Volt DC American standards

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