welding wire for windlass

[Bosun Higgs]

To me it looks like insulation on the left and a soldered on terminal on the right. Wire looks to have failed at the end of where the solder has penetrated.

Copper salts suggest to me some contact, even if not total immersion, with salt water!

Thats absolutely correct Vic. Its clear that there has been some movement to cause the fracturing at the end of the solder, and there is no way you can get green copper salts in just the presence of air.

Copper forms some surface salts in the presence of sea water but just like aluminium or stainless steel , the surface film protects the metal underneath so the erosion falls to a very low level. For most of a modern boat there will be no salt water in contact with the wiring ( there isnt in my boat and I sail through the winter in the Bristol channel) with the possible exception of external kit like the windless. Sensible precautions like leading the wires from the windlass inside the boat before making the connection to the boat electrics will minimise the chance of problems.

But no doubt if someone wants to make a point they can search round and find examples to frighten people with. In the real world its all an issue of probabilities.

 

[TradewindSailor]

Thats absolutely correct Vic. Its clear that there has been some movement to cause the fracturing at the end of the solder, and there is no way you can get green copper salts in just the presence of air.

Copper forms some surface salts in the presence of sea water but just like aluminium or stainless steel , the surface film protects the metal underneath so the erosion falls to a very low level. For most of a modern boat there will be no salt water in contact with the wiring ( there isnt in my boat and I sail through the winter in the Bristol channel) with the possible exception of external kit like the windless. Sensible precautions like leading the wires from the windlass inside the boat before making the connection to the boat electrics will minimise the chance of problems.

But no doubt if someone wants to make a point they can search round and find examples to frighten people with. In the real world its all an issue of probabilities.

You're making it sound like I sailing HMS Victory .... my boat is a Catana catamaran. The engine space is in the aft of the hulls with the watertight bulhead aft of that. The drive units are saildrives. The bilges are usually dry ... the only times they get wet is when the seal on the raw water pump starts to drip.

The cable was connected to a bolt about a foot above the aft engine mounts, and nowhere near the bilge sump ..... which is dedicated to the engine space and has its own automatic bilge pump.

The damage to this cable is the result of absorption of salt-laden moisture. The corrosion was evident 5 feet from the lug ..... on a 30 foot length of cable. It is also possible that the flux used in the soldering increased the local corrosion, but it certainly was not the only cause of the corrosion.

To assume that your nice new Bavaria, Benny, Hanse, or whatever is immune from this type of corrosion after the shrink wrapping has been removed in unrealistic in my experience. To endorse the idea that a boat fitted with non-marinised equipment and services can be safely taken to sea is extremely foolhardy.

I'm going to show my age now :-( ...... There was a time in the long distant past when most cars had no added protection from corrosion, other than metal primer. Secondhand cars close to the coast had less value than their country cousins ..... and that wasn't because they enjoyed an early morning swim in the sea either!

 

[Bosun Higgs]

I made no comment about your boat and you didnt indicate that the failed connector was from your boat.

But I have no intention of getting sucked into responding to your snotty comments in kind, so I'll make no further posts on this subject.

 

[TradewindSailor]

I made no comment about your boat and you didnt indicate that the failed connector was from your boat.

But I have no intention of getting sucked into responding to your snotty comments in kind, so I'll make no further posts on this subject.

Bosun Higgs .... What has offended you? You mentioned 'modern boats' : Bavaria, Hanse, etc are merely examples of 'modern boats'. I don't know what you sail either, and I don't have any interest in knowing. If 'shrink wrapping' is your problem ..... just watch them carrying new yachts on transporters on the motorway ....... it's just another way of saying 'brand new'.

There is far too much sniping on this forum and on Scuttlebut. We all sail .... and it doesn't matter whether it's a HR, Beneteau, Hanse, or whatever. I am on this forum to help others and to be informed and entertained: it is a great discussion medium, abused by some .... but on the whole good fun.

Read my post again ..... perhaps after you have calmed down a little...... I can see nothing offensive in it ......

 

[JohnTH]

Way back in the old days Maine Sail, plumbers made all the solder joints on electrical distribution cables. They were employed by the distribution companies because of their craft skill of being able to solder joints. Some of their work is still in operation, buried deep in the earth, quietly supplying electricity.

There may still be an electrical trades and plumbers union (ETPU) in existence assuming that it has not been subsumed into something else.

73s de
Johnth