Hydrozoan
Well-Known Member
Thanks for that, David, I'll take a look.
Elec cable colours for re-wiring ?
- Thread starter sarabande
- Start date
nigelmercier
RIP
- Joined
- 20 Jun 2007
- Messages
- 16,234
- Location
- Live in Kent, boat in Canary Islands
LadyInBed
Well-Known Member
I have used heavy duty auto speaker wire. As I see it, the advantages are:
Soft bend
Large diameter
Translucent sheath, so you can see if there is any verdigris.
Jean
Well-Known Member
Have a look at the ISO standards for boat wiring, and some areas of BS7671 that apply to such circuits. BS7681 is expensive, and not a lot of help for boats, but the ISO standards are available free with a bit of web searching. Re colours, not too important but they advise against using AC mains colours for DC circuits, and segregation of ac and dc wiring. See:
ISO 10133 Small Craft Electrical Systems, Extra Low Voltage DC
and
ISO 13297 Small Craft Electrical Systems AC
ISO 10133 Small Craft Electrical Systems, Extra Low Voltage DC
and
ISO 13297 Small Craft Electrical Systems AC
David2452
Well-Known Member
If you really want to comply to the standards then please don't use the online available versions, they are out of date, they were updated recently, also there is a way of interpreting the standards, they do not advise against using certain colours if AC colours are aboard they forbid it. Not that any of it means much to DIY cabling as there is actually no compulsion for you to comply.
Jean
Well-Known Member
Thanks David, I didn't know they have been updated, better update mine. Have they changed much? Sorry, yes, advise should be forbid. ISO's can be expensive; just been looking at some of those required for coded boats, near £200 each! Guess there must be specialist libraries around that have reference copies, hopefully up to date.
David2452
Well-Known Member
Latest copies with current dates are on the BSI website, actually they are not that expensive if you are a member, and of course have enough use to get the value from them.
Robg71
Well-Known Member
For a multitude of cable colours, a lot of automotive suppliers do tinned cable, by the metre. So if you want pink with a red trace.... You got.....
Somewhere like vehicle wiring products, in ilkeston.... There are others, but that one springs to mind...
Somewhere like vehicle wiring products, in ilkeston.... There are others, but that one springs to mind...
septiclecky
Well-Known Member
BS7671 is for electrical installations in buildings and is published by the IET the aspects of BS7671 which you maybe alluding to is for electrical installations in marinas.
The IET also publish a book for the standards required for ships etc but will not be would not for recreational craft.
Border Terrier
Well-Known Member
Will Grundy at Ullswater Marine has held my hand in metamorphasis from hot ex dinghy crew
to experienced engine fundie.
In my rush to "sort" my new love, not only did I drill through the diesel engine supply pipe but
I severed the engine wiring loom. 17 connections: you soon get to know wiring colours!
I referred to Volvo's engine schematic and I have had no problems since.
Ok, except for running aground on the neighbouring yard's sand bank.
to experienced engine fundie.
In my rush to "sort" my new love, not only did I drill through the diesel engine supply pipe but
I severed the engine wiring loom. 17 connections: you soon get to know wiring colours!
I referred to Volvo's engine schematic and I have had no problems since.
Ok, except for running aground on the neighbouring yard's sand bank.
Graham_Wright
Well-Known Member
I use short lengths of heat shrink round each end of the cable using the standard resistor colour coding (black = 0, brown = 1 etc). Heat shrink is cheap as chips and different sizes cope with different cable diameters.
KellysEye
Well-Known Member
Our boat was made in Holland had the European coloured wiring, some kit was fitted in the UK and had UK coloured wiring, more kit was fitted in the USA and had USA coloured wiring.