Interesting. Was the wire exposed to the elements? I have a navman wind
instrument which is all cabled with navman cables which I don't think
are tinned. It is very well insulated though with several layers of
different screening and insulation. However, it is quite new and if it
lasts 30 years I would not be too upset. After all in 30 years time how
call will the new technology be!

Does make me worry about the big multi-core wire in the mast though.
This is the only one I could not dury rig in a few minutes if there is a
failure. It is tinned and well insulated but - as you say - looking at
the condition of the ends is no indication that its integrity as a
whole. Does anyone ever double wire (dual redundacy)?

Thanks for the info.

Mark wrote:

Steve wrote:

I have noticed that the continued wire seems to have survived well.
i.e. the boat is 20 years old and the original stuff is which was

mainly

continued is fine. I can see no signs of corrosion even after

stripping

large lengths.


Had the 30 year old windspeed meter on my sailboat cease working
recently. Investigation revealed the 60 foot sensor wire had a break
in it somewhere. Connections looked OK. No visual sign of damage, but
cutting it in about the middle revealed black crumbs instead of copper
wire. Turns out entire lengths of the wire had corroded to dust.
Probably had worked so long because it was only handling a half volt or
so AC signal. It was non-tinned and had lousy insulation, sort of like
extension cord wire.

So it can happen, at least in small gage wire.