Need a good mail order supplier + wiring Q

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sabresailor

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Hi - picked up a couple of huge marine equipment catalogues from chandlers in Cherbourg - absolutely vast range. What are good sources in the UK for mail order (needing all sorts of bits (elec, fittings, etc)?

Also need to do some rewiring (basic 12v - low amps) on my old cruiser - the current wiring is domextic stuff - but I guess I should use marine wire or would domestic / car stuff be ok - especially if it solder / tin the bare ends?

Cheers
 
Try to buy some tinned wire as first preference. Tin the ends of quality automotive as second choice. The solder will probably not have lead in it so select carefully here also. Arrange wiring with a loop near equiptment so that any water running along wiring drops off the bottom of the loop.
 
Rewired my Sabre two years ago and none of it has missed a beat since. Golden rules I would say are:

1. Get a really good book that explains it all in detail but avoids the A-level stuff. Electrics Afloat by Alistair Garrod told me everything I needed.

2. Don't skimp on wire. Use tinned stuff of the correct size for the current and length.

3. Never buy anything from a caravan shop. By and large it's cheap rubbish. Only marine components such as Blue Sky are good enough for the boat environment.

4. Don't waste your money getting too sophisticated, like amps-counters and stuff. Volts and Amps is all the metering you need.

5. Seriously consider a smart charging system like the Adverc.

I fitted an Adverc, diode splitter, 1-2-both switch (for supply only; charging is automatic), 10 circuit breakers and V and A meters. Total cost was about 400 quid. The system has been totally reliable, effective and efficient. Others on this list may rant about various of the above statements but it has all worked like a dream for me.

Merlin (01202 697979) are very good suppliers indeed. Quick, reasonably priced and very switched on. Recommended!

Regards, Mudhook.
 
In a dry modern boat I've never bothered with tinned wire and never had a problem - look at what the boatbuilders themselves use, and its usually not tinned. A damp old wooden boat might well be a different issue.

But make sure you are generous in the size of wire to cut down voltage loss. Use multi strand flexible wire and never use the single domestic 240v stuff. best sourse is your local large auto electricians where you can buy it on reels.

Try and organise things so that you take the power supply to individual units from a bus bar ie a solid flat bar of copper. This way you can use bolts and washers to connect each feed wire to the bar - most poor connection problems come from mickey mouse type spade connectors, bullet connectors or joints.

I am less than convinced of the merit of these special charge controllers if your system is sound in the first place, but then I always go for relays rather than diodes to protect the domestic supply since they dont involve significant voltage drop.

Key things are heavy wire and good robust connections. And tie the wires down to prevent flopping about and fatigue breaks.
 
>In a dry modern boat I've never bothered with tinned wire and never had a >problem - look at what the boatbuilders themselves use, and its usually not >tinned. A damp old wooden boat might well be a different issue.

There's a middle ground in which most boats find themselves. If going to the trouble of re-wiring a boat I would not skimp on the wiring - use tinned and nothing else. The previous owner of my boat had done some work using domestic wiring and it was already showing corrosion after 2 years - how long do you intend to keep the boat?

As important is the presence of fuses on all circuits and the use of a good quality crimping tool for connectors.
 
Good sources for mail order:

http://www.indexmarine.co.uk/ - electrical wiring etc
http://www.mailspeedmarine.com/ - General Chandlery
http://www.asap-supplies.com/ - machinery stuff
http://www.seateach.com/ - sails, hatches & general chandlery
http://www.jgtech.com/index.htm - electronics
http://www.classicmarine.co.uk/index.htm - classic brass stuff
http://www.sealsdirect.co.uk/bbCMS/bbCMSrenderPage.asp - seals and ruber bits
http://www.aladdinscave.co.uk/ - New mail order site for Alladdins Cave dealing with general chandlery items
http://www.force4.co.uk/acatalog/index.html - General Chandlery

That should get you started! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
Only point that I argue with ...

<<3. Never buy anything from a caravan shop. By and large it's cheap rubbish. Only marine components such as Blue Sky are good enough for the boat environment.>>

Complete and utter twaddle ... sorry to be rude ... but in fact many of the items in caravan shops are exactly same articles with different label. You will also find many more items available not normally found in your Marine swindlers etc. >>>


DSCF0381.jpg


You may not like my light shown here ... but comparison :

Hants & Dorset Caravan SuperStore - £4.99

"Famous" Chandlers and other so called great Marine based - I saw for over £20 !!!!

Next ... hatch stays - telescopic type with turn to lock. PAIR of in H&D Caravan shop - £9.99 ........ chandlers with different label ... £9.99 EACH .....

Finally if anyone thinks that caravans are just cheap trailers with roofs on hasn't been lately into a dealer OR seen the type of gear supplied for them ....

Familiar names such as WHALE etc. .....

Honest Mudhook ... that was really silly ... as marine and camping has a VERY wide cross-over on products ..... and if you think that it doesn't demand quality products ... then thats a mistake. YES of course their are cheap items - marine has them as well ... but then thats the choice of the buyer ...

IMHO - check ALL possible outlets to gain what you need ...

/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Re: Only point that I argue with ...

I've found damp corners of my boat where the tinned wire corroded faster than plain multstrand copper. The reason? Electrolytic corrosion between the tinned-end part and the uncoated remainder.
 
Re: Only point that I argue with ...

but that only occurs when domestic wiring is tinned at the exposed end using solder. True marine grade tinned wire is tinned along its whole length - negates the electrolytic problem.
 
Re: Only point that I argue with ...

For corrosion proofing the best I have ever used was gel filled cable - real sod to work with but it is corrosion proof and one needs special ends / joints to keep the gel in.
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"Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity"
 
B&Q / DIY / Caravan shops / Auto shops / Maplins etc. ....

Used them all for all sorts from cable to fuses to holders to connectors etc.

Have had boats for years and literally haven't suffered as a consequence. I don't say that everyone will be as "lucky" as me .... but then again I don't think many will suffer as a result of using above.

Careful and sensible use and I can't see why not .... plus you get to spend the saved money on SWMBO ????? OR a new toy !!
 
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