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Can I use Solid wire for rewiring sailboat if not WHY?
Never use solid core wire on anything that moves, vibrates, or flexes- Cars,
boats, elevators, trains, etc. Solid wire is for buildings, signs, etc, that never move. Movement will eventually break the wire (or just cause it to weaken, creating a point of resistance that will be a fire hazard) "Ytter" wrote in message ... I've heard different opinions what kind of wire is better for wiring boats.Could you give me some of your expertise? Thank You, Ytter |
#2
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Can I use Solid wire for rewiring sailboat if not WHY?
When boat manufacturers install 110v wiring in a boat at
the factory for the "house" 110v circuits (like lights, plugs, A/C, tv, etc..) what do they use? do they use 110v 12 gauge solid core "romex" like they do for home installations for do they acutally use stranded wire in conduit? I just can't see all the boat manufactureres going to this expense. anyone? "Stanley Barthfarkle" wrote in message om... Never use solid core wire on anything that moves, vibrates, or flexes- Cars, boats, elevators, trains, etc. Solid wire is for buildings, signs, etc, that never move. Movement will eventually break the wire (or just cause it to weaken, creating a point of resistance that will be a fire hazard) "Ytter" wrote in message ... I've heard different opinions what kind of wire is better for wiring boats.Could you give me some of your expertise? Thank You, Ytter |
#3
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Can I use Solid wire for rewiring sailboat if not WHY?
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#5
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Can I use Solid wire for rewiring sailboat if not WHY?
On Thu, 27 May 2004 18:12:42 GMT, "MMC" wrote:
Rhys, Have you come up with a model/plan for your LED lighting? No, not other than replacing the cabin "spot" lights (the ones primarily for reading placed over berths and so on) with the bayonet style LEDs that cost $19 but are alleged to last 100,000 hours (I may not last that long, so it's good to go for me!) There was a guy some time ago (in this newsgroup) who had used 12vdc LED trailer lighting (I believe from JC Whitney) in his boat. It gave an amber glow and was mounted under the decks on either side of the cabin. Looked good. That msg string included some very high tech-high price options. I might get string of those LEDs and experiment.... I think that's a great idea. Area lighting and spot or purpose lighting on a boat are two different things. Generally, I have little use for the former: if I have people over for drinks and nosh, a few candles and maybe a kerosene lamp provide all the light and "atmosphere" I require. Essentially, I am talking about cabin spots for reading and maybe for the nav station. Using LEDs for running lights is still an unknown quantity for me, but I am considering equipping my Zodiac tender with an LED tricolour run off the Honda OB alternator (magneto?), all of which is 12 VDC. As I am under 10 HP, I don't legally require nav lights, but I prefer to be seen as I use the calm late nights to plane around Toronto Island, which is heavily trafficked with "disco boats". R. |
#6
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Can I use Solid wire for rewiring sailboat if not WHY?
rhys wrote:
On 27 May 2004 07:54:14 -0700, (Michael Sutton) wrote: do they use 110v 12 gauge solid core "romex" like they do for home installations for do they acutally use stranded wire in conduit? I just can't see all the boat manufactureres going to this expense. Well, perhaps my experience will be instructive. The panel is little metal toggle switch with glass fuse holders with a common positive side. Most of the DC power lines are very narrow, 20 or 22 gauge, to a terminal block in the head and aft and forward to running lights. I replaced all mast wires with 12 gauge to spreader lights, steaming and deck lights and 14 gauge to trilight and anchor light. All DC wiring is tinned and stranded. Wow, what a difference. Wait until I upgrade the cabin wiring and replace the panel. The only exception to this is perhaps I will leave the cabin lights with the old wiring, which is not in bad condition, if I switch from 12 VDC auto light bulbs to LEDs...the LEDs draw so little it is hardly worth the effort of drawing the cables through cabinetry, etc. I also replaced the stern light wire with 16 gauge to the panel. Again, a gratifying jump in brightness. This has more to do with proper wire sizing than new wire or stranded wire. -- the most committed always win |
#7
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Can I use Solid wire for rewiring sailboat if not WHY?
On Thu, 27 May 2004 19:06:08 -0500, dazed and confuzed
wrote: This has more to do with proper wire sizing than new wire or stranded wire. yes, I agree. Older boats seem to have "cheaped out" with wire runs, and it's a no-brainer to get thicker wire--stranded is preferred--and to see immediate results at the amp meter and the masthead. R. |
#8
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Potentially DANGEROUS advice.
Hate to barge in but there is some potentially dangerous advice in a post here. Apologies to the original poster but this is a bad idea: My other suggestion, depending on the length of your boat, is to install a second AC hook-up. Mine is in the cockpit and the 50 foot cord must cross about 31 feet of deck, 5 feet of Zodiac, 6 feet of dock finger and 4 feet of rise to get to the plug. Far better, I think, would be to have a second plug at the bow end...somewhere...allowing a shorter cord to be used and giving one the opinion of docking in other slips stern in or bow in without hauling too much or too little shore power cord. Less stuff on deck that way as well. In order to add a second shore power inlet, you would need to have both the new and old inlets connected in parallel to each other via the shore power system. This is potentially very dangerous. The shore power inlets on boats feature male connections (in other words metal prongs under the water tight lids). If you put two in parallel and apply shore power to one inlet the prongs on the other are LIVE. Someone opening the cover and touching a prong is going to get a surprise. If you really DO intend to have two shore power inlets, they must be switched so that only one can ever be "in circuit" at a time. And, since I have already barged in he Use tinned stranded wire for AC as well. No less than 14awg, bigger is better. There are published guidelines for current capacity/distance that should be followed, but bigger is better. Finally, install a GFCI for every AC outlet on the vessel. I got a dramatic demonstration 2 years ago, when I stepped in a puddle from showering (barefotot naturally) as I turned on an electrical device in the head. The GFCI blew instantly. Now what do you suppose would have happened to me if it hadn't popped? GFCI's are cheap insurance. Beats waking up dead any day! They don't stand up to salt water very well though. So if you cruise in salty air, expect to replace once in a while. But GFCI's are cheap insurance as I said. |
#9
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Potentially DANGEROUS advice.
Sam,
That is really good advice, but I should add that a GFCI will also save very serious electric corrosion if a leak should occur. Secondly, when plugging in to shore power, never connect the safety earth line. Instead use a line to your boat earth for the safety connection. Remember, your hull will always be a better earth connection than the one from the distribution transformer for the pier or yard and any leak anywhere in that distribution net will use your hull as the preferred return path. This will create severe electric corrosion on your boat and you will never know why. Steve "Sam" wrote in message news Hate to barge in but there is some potentially dangerous advice in a post here. Apologies to the original poster but this is a bad idea: My other suggestion, depending on the length of your boat, is to install a second AC hook-up. Mine is in the cockpit and the 50 foot cord must cross about 31 feet of deck, 5 feet of Zodiac, 6 feet of dock finger and 4 feet of rise to get to the plug. Far better, I think, would be to have a second plug at the bow end...somewhere...allowing a shorter cord to be used and giving one the opinion of docking in other slips stern in or bow in without hauling too much or too little shore power cord. Less stuff on deck that way as well. In order to add a second shore power inlet, you would need to have both the new and old inlets connected in parallel to each other via the shore power system. This is potentially very dangerous. The shore power inlets on boats feature male connections (in other words metal prongs under the water tight lids). If you put two in parallel and apply shore power to one inlet the prongs on the other are LIVE. Someone opening the cover and touching a prong is going to get a surprise. If you really DO intend to have two shore power inlets, they must be switched so that only one can ever be "in circuit" at a time. And, since I have already barged in he Use tinned stranded wire for AC as well. No less than 14awg, bigger is better. There are published guidelines for current capacity/distance that should be followed, but bigger is better. Finally, install a GFCI for every AC outlet on the vessel. I got a dramatic demonstration 2 years ago, when I stepped in a puddle from showering (barefotot naturally) as I turned on an electrical device in the head. The GFCI blew instantly. Now what do you suppose would have happened to me if it hadn't popped? GFCI's are cheap insurance. Beats waking up dead any day! They don't stand up to salt water very well though. So if you cruise in salty air, expect to replace once in a while. But GFCI's are cheap insurance as I said. |
#10
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Potentially DANGEROUS advice.
"Steve Lusardi" wrote in message ... Secondly, when plugging in to shore power, never connect the safety earth line. To not connect the safety ground at the AC input plug would be in direct violation of accepted wiring for boats. If wired that way it would never pass survey and if a fire or accident happened and investigators found it wire this way it could create issues with the insurance. You could leave the boat wired properly if you modified the power cord to separate out the ground wire. It would be a shame to break the integrity of the outer jacket of the cordset, however. If this cord lays out in the weather allowing water to penetrate the jacket may eventually cause problems. Instead use a line to your boat earth for the safety connection. Where does one get a good earth connection on a dock? I suppose that you could drive a copper rod down into the ground beside your slip, and then make a connection to it with enough service loop to allow for changes in water level. You better inspect it often to assure that it hasn't corroded away. Remember, your hull will always be a better earth connection than the one from the distribution transformer for the pier or yard Can you explain what you are saying here? It sounds like you are saying that the path through the water to "ground" is always better than the path through copper wire to "ground", which is certainly not true. Rod |
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