Why Arctic Cable?

[Stemar]

I get that flexible cable is required for mains installation on a boat, but I've been told to use arctic cable. Why arctic, and not another type of flexible cable, when I won't be going anywhere colder than the Channel?

Screwfix has a 3 core 2.5mm cable described as

White Rubber Sheathed Cable
Brown, Blue & Green/Yellow Cores
50 Strands Per Core
Suitable for Hobs & Storage Heaters
Grease & Oil-Resistant
Operating temperature 0 to 90C

Since the cable will be running through the engine compartment, I would have thought the heat resistance of this cable would make it more suitable than arctic cable with a maximum of 60 C. It's also available locally in the length I need.

Please enlighten me

 

[Alex_Blackwood]

I get that flexible cable is required for mains installation on a boat, but I've been told to use arctic cable. Why arctic, and not another type of flexible cable, when I won't be going anywhere colder than the Channel?

Screwfix has a 3 core 2.5mm cable described as

White Rubber Sheathed Cable
Brown, Blue & Green/Yellow Cores
50 Strands Per Core
Suitable for Hobs & Storage Heaters
Grease & Oil-Resistant
Operating temperature 0 to 90C

Since the cable will be running through the engine compartment, I would have thought the heat resistance of this cable would make it more suitable than arctic cable with a maximum of 60 C. It's also available locally in the length I need.

Please enlighten me

I am not familiar with that particular cable but from the description and a reputable supplier it should be OK. I would make sure that it is protected from physical damage, oil etc. especially in the engine area. Yes it says resistant to oil and grease, but!
Just looked it up. Any of the cables in that range. 7, 27 or 50 strands look OK. You may want to consider the 7 or 27 strands as a bit easier to connect and still flexible. I would definitely be a bit careful of the oil and grease resistance. That applies to any cable really.
So called "Arctic" cable is a bit of a misnomer and I am not getting into all the complications etc. on here. It is however suitable for internal use. It is not recommended for external use! I think best left at that. If you want, look it up! Not being funny but it is a mine field in a swamp full of alligators!

 

[VicS]

I get that flexible cable is required for mains installation on a boat, but I've been told to use arctic cable. Why arctic, and not another type of flexible cable, when I won't be going anywhere colder than the Channel?

Screwfix has a 3 core 2.5mm cable described as

White Rubber Sheathed Cable
Brown, Blue & Green/Yellow Cores
50 Strands Per Core
Suitable for Hobs & Storage Heaters
Grease & Oil-Resistant
Operating temperature 0 to 90C

Since the cable will be running through the engine compartment, I would have thought the heat resistance of this cable would make it more suitable than arctic cable with a maximum of 60 C. It's also available locally in the length I need.

Please enlighten me

See https://electrical.theiet.org/media/1592/the-use-of-arctic-cable.pdf

I believe the "correct" cable would be HO7 or possibly HO5

 

[Stemar]

The cable will be rub through the top of the engine compartment, well out of the way of bilge water, oil leaks, etc (unless I've far worse problems than the wrong mains cable ), and properly supported every foot or so, so the only need for flexibility should be resistance to vibration.

AIUI, from VicS's link, the only real difference between arctic and "ordinary" flexible stuff is that the arctic remains fully flexible to lower temperatures, which may be an issue for the hookup, but isn't for permanently installed stuff.

Is this correct?

 

[Alex_Blackwood]

The cable will be rub through the top of the engine compartment, well out of the way of bilge water, oil leaks, etc (unless I've far worse problems than the wrong mains cable ), and properly supported every foot or so, so the only need for flexibility should be resistance to vibration.

AIUI, from VicS's link, the only real difference between arctic and "ordinary" flexible stuff is that the arctic remains fully flexible to lower temperatures, which may be an issue for the hookup, but isn't for permanently installed stuff.

Is this correct?

No. There are other considerations, not covered in that article, such as UV and moisture resistance, and others. As I say a mine field. but that is for external use so not your problem. The Screwfix stuff will be fine. If you start getting into all the different cable standards etc. you will become a suitable case for treatment!

 

[ash2020]

I believe the most important factor is that the cable is tinned. I took some cable out of my mast which wasn't tinned and it was corroded and black all the way through. I guess the PVC insulation must be slightly porous.

 

[Tranona]

I believe the most important factor is that the cable is tinned. I took some cable out of my mast which wasn't tinned and it was corroded and black all the way through. I guess the PVC insulation must be slightly porous.

Mains cable is not normally tinned, but cable for 12/24v is available tinned and better in marine environment. The corrosion normally starts from moisture getting in at the ends because the terminal is not waterproof. More likely of course in external cables such as in the mast with exposed terminals. I stripped out most of the wiring in my project boat and surprisingly the domestic 2 core and earth that was used in the interior light circuits was fine (from 1979!0 but all the small stuff had corrosion. The worst however was the heavy cables for the battery and starter which went off to a charity that strips and sells the copper. They reported all the wire was corroded and almost worthless for recycling.

I have used all Oceanflex tinned cable in the new wiring.

 

[Alex_Blackwood]

Mains cable is not normally tinned, but cable for 12/24v is available tinned and better in marine environment. The corrosion normally starts from moisture getting in at the ends because the terminal is not waterproof. More likely of course in external cables such as in the mast with exposed terminals. I stripped out most of the wiring in my project boat and surprisingly the domestic 2 core and earth that was used in the interior light circuits was fine (from 1979!0 but all the small stuff had corrosion. The worst however was the heavy cables for the battery and starter which went off to a charity that strips and sells the copper. They reported all the wire was corroded and almost worthless for recycling.

I have used all Oceanflex tinned cable in the new wiring.

You cannot use 12/24 cable for 240 mains! Insulation not suitable. He did say mains!

 

[Tranona]

You cannot use 12/24 cable for 240 mains! Insulation not suitable. He did say mains!

I know and nowhere suggested he should. I was responding to the post about corrosion and clearly said mains cable is not tinned.

 

[Hoolie]

I have always thought "arctic" is a misnomer dreamed up by some illiterate person in the marketing department for "artic" ie articulated=flexible cable.
A while back I bought some of the blue cable from B&Q and found out later that they (and presumably also Screwfix) do two grades - flexible and super-flexible. Fortunately I had happened on the super-flex!

 

[snowbird30ds]

The 2.5mm2 3 core I got from b&q was tinned which surprised me when I stripped it, came in a 5m length and had good thick insulation and outer sheath.

 

[Mister E]

Immersion heater cable is usually tinned.

 

[LittleSister]

I have always thought "arctic" is a misnomer dreamed up by some illiterate person in the marketing department for "artic" ie articulated=flexible cable.

Immersion heater cable is usually tinned.

Perhaps immersion cable is only tinned because somewhere along the line someone else who didn't understand the whole context of their job mistakenly thought that 'immersion heater cable' would be immersed!

 

[PaulRainbow]

Mains rated flex can be tinned, but inside a boat, in the dry, arctic cable is perfectly ok.

I'm currently modernising my own boat, built in 1988 using 2.5mm twin and Earth domestic cable (untinned of course) which is all as good as new.

Up a mast, i wouldn't use anything other than tinned.

 

[Aurai]

Selection of the right cable is down to many factors that you weigh up based on the electrical situation you are faced with. The cable manufacturers and your trade outlet will advise as well. The thing about boats is we can get away with sub-optimal cable choice, most of the time. I am biased as my own boat is as wet as they come! BS6004 Arctic cable stays flexible to -40 degrees. However, depending on its planned routes and exposure to abrasion you may wish to specify a particular insulation rating. That may not come with arctic cable And you ought to check your cable is to the BS. Thanks

 

[Commercial Dave]

H07RN-F. The toughest flexible cable you can buy and it is resistant to virtually everything. Available up to 16mm² and with 5 cores for three phase boats

 

[Stemar]

Thanks everyone.

 

[Roberto]

May I ask a question: is there any rule in the UK for the mains cable between the pontoon socket and the boat?
I just discovered in France 3x2.5 is mandatory (even if one has appliances drawing at most 500-1000W), length must not exceed 25m, and there must be a 35ma safety device less than 50cm away from where the cable enters the boat.
Any such rules in the UK?

 

[PaulRainbow]

May I ask a question: is there any rule in the UK for the mains cable between the pontoon socket and the boat?
I just discovered in France 3x2.5 is mandatory (even if one has appliances drawing at most 500-1000W), length must not exceed 25m, and there must be a 35ma safety device less than 50cm away from where the cable enters the boat.
Any such rules in the UK?

No, unless individual marinas specify something.

However, the French rules make sense. I would never make up a shore power lead from less than 2.5mm cable.

Having an RCD or similar, within 50cm of the inlet is part of the ISO for new boats. In the UK there is no requirement to retrofit this to older boats.

 

[GHA]

H07RN-F. The toughest flexible cable you can buy and it is resistant to virtually everything. Available up to 16mm² and with 5 cores for three phase boats

Live events everyone uses HO7. Gets run over by trucks, forks, cherry pickers, buried in mud for weeks. Tough as it gets.