Don Mahony wrote in
:

The total run from the battery to the windlass and return is 72 feet.



Precisely why the wire is #4 for the long run. #10 is fine for very short
distances, like inside the windlass.

Shhh....don't tell anyone I told you this....#4 wire from the car stereo
shop, or even #2, is LOTS cheaper and works just great!

400% profit doesn't make it work better....(c;

Also try welding cables, which come in these smaller sizes #2 and #4.

Tell your yachtie friends you only used the most expensive "marine grade"
wire from the finest chandlers on the planet....so they don't snub you on
the dock.

I was considering this option as the price is a lot lower than marine
grade and my son is in the car sudio business. Have you or anyone else
actually used this wire in this application?

Don

On Mon, 19 Jun 2006 13:54:38 -0400, Larry wrote:

Don Mahony wrote in
:

The total run from the battery to the windlass and return is 72 feet.



Precisely why the wire is #4 for the long run. #10 is fine for very short
distances, like inside the windlass.

Shhh....don't tell anyone I told you this....#4 wire from the car stereo
shop, or even #2, is LOTS cheaper and works just great!

400% profit doesn't make it work better....(c;

Also try welding cables, which come in these smaller sizes #2 and #4.

Tell your yachtie friends you only used the most expensive "marine grade"
wire from the finest chandlers on the planet....so they don't snub you on
the dock.

Don Mahony wrote:
I was considering this option as the price is a lot lower than marine
grade and my son is in the car sudio business. Have you or anyone else
actually used this wire in this application?

Don

On Mon, 19 Jun 2006 13:54:38 -0400, Larry wrote:

Don Mahony wrote in
:

The total run from the battery to the windlass and return is 72 feet.


Precisely why the wire is #4 for the long run. #10 is fine for very short
distances, like inside the windlass.

Shhh....don't tell anyone I told you this....#4 wire from the car stereo
shop, or even #2, is LOTS cheaper and works just great!

400% profit doesn't make it work better....(c;

Also try welding cables, which come in these smaller sizes #2 and #4.

Tell your yachtie friends you only used the most expensive "marine grade"
wire from the finest chandlers on the planet....so they don't snub you on
the dock.

As conductors, marine grade and
non-marine grade wires are generally
indistinguishable. Some of the
differences are temperature rating,
flexibility (i.e., number of strands),
type of insulation (e.g., imperviousness
to chemicals such as gasoline and diesel
fuels), and most importantly, tin
plating. Marine wire is tin plated
because it is widely thought that it is
less corrosive in a marine environment
than unplated copper wire.

I have not yet encountered a judgment
that unplated wire is better. You might
want to do a search on Google Groups on
the subject. The issue has been
discussed before.

Can't say anything about speaker cable,
but I believe some automotive cables are
tin plated. They still don't match
marine wire specs but some boaters have
been satisfied with them.

Chuck

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Don Mahony wrote:
I am installing a Lewmar Horizon 600/900 horizontal windlass on a 27
foot power boat. The users manual says to use #4 AWG marine grade wire
from the battery to the solenoid to the breaker to the windlass and
back to the battery. The wire leads on the windlass are #10 AWG.

I know the concern here is with voltage drop to the motor but the cost
of the #4 wire is huge. Rather than following the general guidlines in
the manual does anyone have a better way of calculating exactly what
gauge wire would be needed for this installation?

The total run from the battery to the windlass and return is 72 feet.

Don

Don,

The #4 sounds like over kill, and you wire run is not back and forth,
it's from point A to point B. My old boat was 27 feet, my power winch
called for #6, much cheaper than #4. It worked perfect, that winch is
being used occasionally, not constantly. If it were being used for
extended periods of time the larger wire would be justified.

"Capt John" wrote

The #4 sounds like over kill, and you wire run is not back and forth,
it's from point A to point B. My old boat was 27 feet, my power winch
called for #6, much cheaper than #4. It worked perfect, that winch is
being used occasionally, not constantly. If it were being used for
extended periods of time the larger wire would be justified.

I beg to differ. When calculating wire size from amperage it is ALWAYS the
total run out and back to the source to get the total resistance.

A 600 watt windlass is going to draw 50 amps at full rated load. #4 wire
has a resistance of .000253 ohms/foot so 72' will have a resistance of
about .01822 ohms. By Ohms law A*R=V so 50*.01822 = .93 volt. or about 8%
loss. About the most you want to loose.

#6 has a resistance of .000403ohms/foot or .029 ohms over 72' which will
drop the voltage by about 1.5 volts. Net result is you don't get all the
power that the winch needs and the motor will overheat and possibly burn out
a winding.

The only way to use smaller wire is to use less of it. Cut the run to 30'
out and back and you can use #6. Best thing to do is mount the solenoid
right by the windlass and run the wire directly from the battery to the
solenoid. Then put the control switch where ever you want. The control
lines don't carry much current.


--
Glenn Ashmore

I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com
Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com