Electric wire connection protection.

[Rum_Pirate]

What is the best installation practice for electric wire connections that are exposed (ie not below decks) to 'fresh' air, under my centre console, in particular at battery cut out switches :

Do you coat them in vaseline

battery terminal spray eg

or other stuff?

 

[capetown]

I use the silicone spray after making the connections.

It's a bit messy but masking helps. Works for me.

 

[jusw]

A few years ago I had to make a connection in the anchor locker but I had no waterproof connectors - so I used a standard cheapo bit of "chocolate block" smothered the connection in vaseline, wrapped the whole lot in cling film to get a clean outside surface and finally taped up with insulation tape.

5 years on its still as good as new (I think cos I haven't unwrapped it)

I reckon anything will do that will keep out the salt and damp.

JuSw

 

[ProDave]

Self amalgamating tape.

It's a sort of rubbery tape, that you wrap around the joints, stretching it a bit as you do.

It moulds together to form a watertight cover.

Widely used for waterproofing aerial joints outside and it really does keep out the water.

Easy, and not messy to use, and cheap.

 

[ytd]

+1 for vaseline

 

[concentrik]

Conformal coating

I'm with Capetown on this one, and this works for me:

http://www.electrolube.com/docs/conformalmain.asp?id=76

 

[macd]

Self amalgamating tape...cheap.

Exept not, of course, if you buy the supposedly marine stuff from a chandlers. Pretty well anywhere else, yes.

SITGTSE: It's also UV-resistant, so miles better than insulating tape for covering guard wire ends, etc.

 

[sailinglegend420]

Also make sure that all wires are marine grade "tinned" wire strands. They will last a lifetime and save expensive renewal, or embarrasing failures later.

 

[PCUK]

Also make sure that all wires are marine grade "tinned" wire strands. They will last a lifetime and save expensive renewal, or embarrasing failures later.


True, but if they are protected then no problem. Well, my 25 year old vehicle wiring on the boat never gives any trouble!

 

[LittleShip]

Vasaline. Terminal Protector are good but I have started to use Corrosion Block.

I find it very good at protecting all wires. To each there own

Tom

 

[KellysEye]

On terminals I use vaseline then electrical tape. On chocolate boxes I just use self amalgamating tape.

 

[pjsmith]

I use candle wax. Be careful with the flame. Dripping the wax over the exposed parts of the wire creates a seal that should last for ages and it is totally water tight and doesn't degrade. If you ever need to get at it, it's a lot less messy than vaseline or tape as it just pulls off or the screwdriver goes straight through it. I put a couple drips into the ends of all my twist on connectors.

 

[prv]

Also make sure that all wires are marine grade "tinned" wire strands. They will last a lifetime and save expensive renewal, or embarrasing failures later.

True, but if they are protected then no problem. Well, my 25 year old vehicle wiring on the boat never gives any trouble!

I've recently ripped out and replaced all the wiring in KS. The interior stuff was pretty well protected (behind panelling, up high, not in the bilge or under hatches etc) and yet it was all universally black with corrosion. This after 17 years. No, it never gave any direct problems as such (the reason for the rewire was despaghettification), but I'm still glad that it's now all replaced with tinned.

Pete

 

[JimC]

Also make sure that all wires are marine grade "tinned" wire strands. They will last a lifetime and save expensive renewal, or embarrasing failures later.


True, but if they are protected then no problem. Well, my 25 year old vehicle wiring on the boat never gives any trouble!

I can second that. Ordinary vehicle or domestic cable with the untinned strands and terminals saturated with silicone spray are as good as tinned in my experience.

 

[pentagram]

vaseline 1st then heatshrink over the top