Gold plated speaker plugs and sockets on deck?

[anoccasionalyachtsman]

I'm faffing about trying to decide on a way to provide power to nav lights, echosounder and tillerpilot on an open dayboat. Portable battery in a waterproof box with sockets fitted on the outside and/or cable glands to get wires out.

I really thought that I'd cracked it with some lovely little waterproof in line plugs and sockets. Until I had the tinned wire in one hand and the bag of plugs in the other. There's no positive way to keep water out of their oversized cable glands.

Looking around the room for inspiration I realise that the banana plugs and terminal sockets on half decent stereos are gold plated, and I have quite a few plugs spare. Tinned wire and plated bits means that I'd hardly have to worry about sealing them at all? How long do the panel think that audio grade plating will survive in an open boat?

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Not long, why don't you fill the cable gland with sealant?

 

[anoccasionalyachtsman]

Drat, and yes, I'd considered it. Messy but probably the simplest and cheapest.

Thanks.

 

[Daverw]

Use normal waterproof plug and sockets but fill them with sealant

 

[MikeCC]

Bulgin Buccaneer deck sockets and p!ugs are reliable. Also packaged as sets by Index Marine.

 

[forelle541]

Another for Bulgin, I had the ‘gold’ plating of a Garmin hand held gps flake off on one very wet crossing of the channel, years ago in my old Folkboat.