Redoing boat electrical wires?

Question

I'm rewiring my boat and would like to know if I could use a 16 gage wire from electronic store. I'll be rewiring the volt gauges, switch boards and lights. I just want to make sure I get wire that is big enough. Thanks!

Answer 1

Even if it is possible to use a thinner wire you need to keep in mind if it breaks down while in use you can't just pull it over to the side of the road and walk home.

Answer 2

you should stick with marine grade wire for a couple of reasons. 1. the salt water eats anything that is not designed for marine use. 2. use the chart caveman suggested. remember that DC has trouble going long distances so you have to get the right gauge wire or there will be a loss of voltage. most electronics are very touchy about how much voltage they get, and they can be damaged if the differences is great enough-any boater knows they ain't cheap.

Buy the wire from west marine or boat u.s. they usually have a good selection. Marine wire is going to cost more than normal wire but hey, on a boat, what doesnt, right?

in conclusion- use the chart to select a heavy enough gauge. Pay the extra buck to get Marine wires. No telling how long the household stuff will last...

Answer 3

Typically, in an older home, you do not have to upgrade all the wiring to ensure it is up to current standards. Standard's are always improving and therefore, for practical reasons, homeowners are not required to change everything when standards change. There are many, many older homes that still have knob and tube wiring; (Knob and tube is a wiring method that hasn't been used for many years now.) Just because you have older wiring in your home doesn't mean it is unsafe. If it was installed properly at the beginning and if it has remained protected properly you probably don't have anything to worry about. The problem usually comes when certain conditions cause the insulation to deteriorate or when people who are not skilled in electrical work try and alter the wiring. Often, especially with knob and tube, wires can become crossed and connected improperly by those who do not really know how to install electrical wiring properly. Another problem in an older home can be when receptacles become very loose and they no longer hold your plugs or cords properly. (For example, when you plug in a lamp or vacuum cleaner and the plug just falls out of the wall or is too loose.) Loose plugs, (called receptacles), can be dangerous because connections that are not tight tend to arc. This arcing caused excess heat and can sometimes burn. There are some things you, as a tenant, can look for, or questions you can ask yourself, to help determine if there are problems that might need some further attention. 1) Are the receptacles in the house loose? 2) Do your lights flicker, or do you have outlets that work only sometimes? Are there black marks, or signs of smoking, near your outlet boxes or any electrical equipment in the home? Do you often trip circuit breakers? (Tripping circuit breakers may not necessarily be a sign on an electrical problem. - You might be trying to run too much on one circuit. They are designed to handle only so much. In any case, you definitely should not just keep resetting the circuit breaker. It is tripping for a reason. Find out why and solve the problem. Resetting a circuit breaker that keeps tripping can lead to a fire in certain cases.) At any rate, I hope this helps.

Answer 4

14 gauge is the norm with 12 used for heavier circuits. You would be better off using 14/2 tinned marine wire on the boat. Less chance of corrosion and sheathed in heavy plastic. Do not twist the + and - wires, there will be no electrolysis in the wiring and this will make it harder to work on. You should use only marine grade switches and fuses,etc for this type of application, don't want any explosions onboard!

Answer 5

The wire must be oil, fuel, and U.V resistant, I would use 14 wire, do as "caveman" says, solder, heat shrink, and apply "Liquid electric tape" to the marine connection after solder, and heat shrink tubing, this is the correct marine rated electrical connection, You may hook up directly to the battery using terminal clips soldered on to 14 wire, put in-line fuses in for circuit protection (fire at sea is bad). Boat wires are expensive, I saw the above mentioned wire for a good price at www.harborfreigth.com, you can actually use "Romex" for the main terminal to the fuse box from the battery, it holds up well. solder, do not crimp any connections, solder may corrode on the outside but, inside the electrical connection is still good. I keep one of those "CRACK" lighters on board in case I have to do any emergency solder repairs, along w/spare wire, fuses, connectors, tools and a little bit of solder wire.

Answer 6

It would be beneficial to know the current of a circuit before determining the wire size. Too big and you're wasting your $ and too small and it may catch fire. There are several web sites that list the current rating per wire gage.

Answer 7

Your wire gauge will depend mainly on amp draw for current and future loads.
You can find a chart outlining wire gauge/amp load /circuit length/ allowed voltage drop guidelines here.
http://www.westmarine.com/pdf/MarineWire.pdf
Keep in mind AWG sizes are different than SAE sizes.
That should get you started.
Always use tinned wire for corrosion resistance.
When splicing wires, use adhesive lined heat shrink.
Solder all permanent connections (wire to terminal and splices)
Apply dielectric grease to all non-permanant connections.(terminal to switch lugs)
Draw a schematic of your changes/additions to aid in diagnosis of problems. Keep it on board and dry.
Use marine grade components throughout your project.

Answer 8

16 gauge is a bit on the skimpy side. I would use 14 gauge at least on the lights

Answer 9

yes make sure you twist the positive and the negative wires the whole length of the run that helps eliminate some of the electrolysis that takes place