Sourcing electrical items at reasonable cost....impossible?

[noswellplease]

I plan to rewire boat/mast install new fuse panel and replace lights on mast and some in main cabin. In total it amounts to quite a bit of work. Prices of course go from high to crazy and its hard to find a stockist that appears to give value for money. Question, can anyone point me to a supplier who might BEAT ALL THE OTHERS HANDS DOWN!

And may I take this opportunity to wish all the subscribers to this most valuable forum seasons greeting, and a better value for money New Year....Russ

 

[PaulJS]

You could try the RS Compnents website, however bear in mind that they aren't a specific marine supplier and their cheapest stuff might not be of suitable spec.

 

[Gunfleet]

In boat electrics it's not always wise to save money. Blue Sea are - for example - one of the most expensive brands but their quality is second to none. I'd rather have a Blue Sea switch panel or main switch than anyone else's. I don't want the blinking thing breaking down at inopportune moments! Probably the best thing is to go to a supplier and compare the stuff on offer. Might be a bit difficult to achieve in Kerry, mind you. Seasons greetings to you too

 

[MM5AHO]

I've rarely found Rs to be the low cost option, but usually good quality.
Its amazing though what you can find on Ebay, often reputable brands at low prices.

 

[pvb]

Last time I did some rewiring, I got the stuff from Acorn Engineering. I think you'll find that different suppliers offer better prices on some types of items - might be best to spread the orders around.

 

[exfinnsailor]

Had a Beneteau 21.7 . Took the connector apart to remove the mast and the electrical cable that had been fitted by the dealer to provide tri colour with power was black ( Normal Domestic 3 amp 3 Core ) .. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif Marine cables should be tinned not copper coloured . The copper colour looks good but any ingress of salt water seems to send it black .. If your selling the boat next week then .. If not you will have to bite the bullit and buy the correct cable .. You can save a little but do you really want to do the job again next year .. Or in the dark .. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Stemar]

I think ex_finn_sailor was unlucky. Jiseel's 37 years old and was wired with plain cable. There are odd bits that aren't in the best of health, but most of the wiring is fine. By all means use tinned wire if you can, but if the budget is limites, go for better components and plain wire rather than the other way round.

BTW, do be generous with cable sizes - undersized wiring can cause all sorts of grief. Also, leave a mousing line anywhere you have to pull wire through. It'll save hours of swearing later!