Wire choice for float and bilge pump

[PaulRainbow]

No one builds boats with all of the cables tinned. Why has the wiring not failed on anything more than a few years old ?

I regularly work on older boats. I have rewired boats as old as 60/70 years, with plain copper wiring, anything in the dry is usually OK.

If it's anywhere it's likely to get damp (bilges, masts etc) it needs to be tinned.

 

[Refueler]

Yes, it's ghastly when you strip the stuff and it's black for much of the length!

I think there are decent odds that a good heatshrink crimp on each end of an untinned wire would make it last a long time, since salty water wicking up the strands seems to be a big part of the problem, but I haven't tried this.

Black strand is a common effect not only on boats.

 

[B27]

Black strand is a common effect not only on boats.

Strands will turn black, but mostly the wire will continue to conduct absolutely fine. It's more of a problem if you want to make a new crimp or solder connection to a wire that's already black.

If your wires are swilling around in salt water and power is applied, tinning won't always save the day.
Bilge pumps and other permanently live circuits could be more vulnerable. Electrolysis takes its toll.

 

[Refueler]

Strands will turn black, but mostly the wire will continue to conduct absolutely fine. It's more of a problem if you want to make a new crimp or solder connection to a wire that's already black.

If your wires are swilling around in salt water and power is applied, tinning won't always save the day.
Bilge pumps and other permanently live circuits could be more vulnerable. Electrolysis takes its toll.

Agrees with observations .....

Black strand - if I am not replacing the cable - then the back of a knife scraped along the strands clears the black and you actually find shiny clean strand still there.

To those who wish to take me to task about the cable etc. - I agree that Tinned is the recc'd ... but depending on location - may not always be available.

 

[fionn1432]

Tinned 14awg silicone wire video showing where it's going. Down from the panel under the storage into battery box. Then under the engine cover where bilge pump is

 

[Stemar]

I would venture to suggest that no connection we're likely to make on our boats is going to be 100% waterproof indefinitely, so the important thing is to make sure all connections are made above the likely level of water. I use heatshrink crimp connectors for most things

 

[fionn1432]

I would venture to suggest that no connection we're likely to make on our boats is going to be 100% waterproof indefinitely, so the important thing is to make sure all connections are made above the likely level of water. I use heatshrink crimp connectors for most things

Definitely
Thanks

 

[rogerthebodger]

Coke Cola will clean the black oxide from copper cable or use phosphoric acid which is the active part of coke cola