What's so good about marine wire that I shouldn't just get it Home Depot?
 

Actually I just bought 2 spools of 25' ANCOR 16 AWG wire for $28...the
dude talked me into it. I also bought a motor to replace the one in
the bilge pump housing @ $34.

I found the bilge motor for 28 online and the marine wire for, $32

Is marine wire worth paying the extra expence?

What's so good about marine wire that I shouldn't just get itHome Depot?
 

On 1/18/2012 4:44 PM, wrote:

Actually I just bought 2 spools of 25' ANCOR 16 AWG wire for $28...the
dude talked me into it. I also bought a motor to replace the one in
the bilge pump housing @ $34.

I found the bilge motor for 28 online and the marine wire for, $32

Is marine wire worth paying the extra expence?

Yes. the strands are finer and they are tinned. Jacket is chemical
resistant. You get what you pay for, if you're lucky.

What's so good about marine wire that I shouldn't just get it Home Depot?
 

On Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:44:47 -0500, "
wrote:


Actually I just bought 2 spools of 25' ANCOR 16 AWG wire for $28...the
dude talked me into it. I also bought a motor to replace the one in
the bilge pump housing @ $34.

I found the bilge motor for 28 online and the marine wire for, $32

Is marine wire worth paying the extra expence?

Is the wire you bought tinned?

What's so good about marine wire that I shouldn't just get it Home Depot?
 

On Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:00:33 -0800, jps wrote:

On Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:44:47 -0500, "
wrote:


Actually I just bought 2 spools of 25' ANCOR 16 AWG wire for $28...the
dude talked me into it. I also bought a motor to replace the one in
the bilge pump housing @ $34.

I found the bilge motor for 28 online and the marine wire for, $32

Is marine wire worth paying the extra expence?

Is the wire you bought tinned?

Yes, it's 'tinned copper'

What's so good about marine wire that I shouldn't just get itHome Depot?
 

On 1/18/2012 9:00 PM, jps wrote:
On Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:44:47 -0500, "
wrote:


Actually I just bought 2 spools of 25' ANCOR 16 AWG wire for $28...the
dude talked me into it. I also bought a motor to replace the one in
the bilge pump housing @ $34.

I found the bilge motor for 28 online and the marine wire for, $32

Is marine wire worth paying the extra expence?

Is the wire you bought tinned?

JPS
All you want to know about Ancor marine grade wire.
Hope this helps

What's so good about marine wire that I shouldn't just get itHome Depot?
 

On 1/19/2012 2:51 PM, A boater wrote:
On 1/18/2012 9:00 PM, jps wrote:
On Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:44:47 -0500, "
wrote:


Actually I just bought 2 spools of 25' ANCOR 16 AWG wire for $28...the
dude talked me into it. I also bought a motor to replace the one in
the bilge pump housing @ $34.

I found the bilge motor for 28 online and the marine wire for, $32

Is marine wire worth paying the extra expence?

Is the wire you bought tinned?

JPS
All you want to know about Ancor marine grade wire.
Hope this helps

Oops, A link would help.
http://www.marinco.com/brand/ancor

What's so good about marine wire that I shouldn't just get it Home Depot?
 

On Wed, 18 Jan 2012 22:07:02 -0500, "
wrote:

On Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:00:33 -0800, jps wrote:

On Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:44:47 -0500, "
wrote:


Actually I just bought 2 spools of 25' ANCOR 16 AWG wire for $28...the
dude talked me into it. I also bought a motor to replace the one in
the bilge pump housing @ $34.

I found the bilge motor for 28 online and the marine wire for, $32

Is marine wire worth paying the extra expence?

Is the wire you bought tinned?

Yes, it's 'tinned copper'

Then yes, it's worth the extra expense just in terms of peace of mind.
It's work to rewire anything and better to use materials that you know
will hold up in the environment. Boats take enough work without
having to do things twice.

What's so good about marine wire that I shouldn't just get itHome Depot?
 

On Jan 19, 3:43*pm, wrote:
On Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:53:44 -0500, A boater wrote:
On 1/19/2012 2:51 PM, A boater wrote:
On 1/18/2012 9:00 PM, jps wrote:
On Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:44:47 -0500, "
wrote:

Actually I just bought 2 spools of 25' ANCOR 16 AWG wire for $28...the
dude talked me into it. I also bought a motor to replace the one in
the bilge pump housing @ $34.

I found the bilge motor for 28 online and the marine wire for, $32

Is marine wire worth paying the extra expence?

Is the wire you bought tinned?

JPS
All you want to know about Ancor marine grade wire.
Hope this helps

Oops, A link would help.
http://www.marinco.com/brand/ancor

I wired my running lights with garden variety #12 THWN but the wire is
all in conduit, terminating in water proof boxes. 22 years later it
still looks fine. The terminations were all coated with silicone
grease in burial grade 3M wirenuts. I know it is not all that nautical
sounding and I really did not expect it to hold up but it did.
This is a pontoon boat and they are pretty "wet".

I use regular 'ol wiring for my stuff. I dont' need top-dog wire for
what I do. Now if my boat was going to sit in salt water for a season
at a time or be exposed to the elements year around that would be
different. I look at my boat from an automotive stand point. I take
it out, use it, pull it it out of the lake, drain it, trailer it, and
put it back under roof on the hard until future use.

So I can't see justifying the extra expense to work with higher tinned
wire etc.

Of course your situations may be different than mine. I'm just saying
for my usage I have no problem with a roll of everyday 10 and 12#

What's so good about marine wire that I shouldn't just get it Home Depot?
 

On Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:44:47 -0500, "
wrote:


Actually I just bought 2 spools of 25' ANCOR 16 AWG wire for $28...the
dude talked me into it. I also bought a motor to replace the one in
the bilge pump housing @ $34.

I found the bilge motor for 28 online and the marine wire for, $32

Is marine wire worth paying the extra expence?

===

Ancor wire is good stuff but expensive. Some would say overpriced
but worth the money. The problem with using solid household type
wire on a boat is vibration. The copper work hardens over time and
eventually will devekop cracks, just as it does if you bend it back
and forth in your hands. The solution to the vibration/work
hardening problem is to use finely stranded wire which has a great
deal more flexibility. Stranded wire is a great conduit for water
however and the water will wick along the entire length, eventually
corroding the wire into a green powder. The solution for that is to
use tin plated strands which is what Ancor is good at.

You can sometimes Ancor wire on EBAY for a good price. Some of the
marine discounters like Defender Industries also have it for less than
your local West Marine stores. ($7.49 for a 25 ft spool of 16 AWG)

http://www.defender.com/ancor-wire-c...Primary%20Wire

What's so good about marine wire that I shouldn't just get itHome Depot?
 

On Jan 19, 9:08*pm, wrote:
On Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:07:13 -0800 (PST), Tim
wrote:









On Jan 19, 3:43*pm, wrote:
On Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:53:44 -0500, A boater wrote:
On 1/19/2012 2:51 PM, A boater wrote:
On 1/18/2012 9:00 PM, jps wrote:
On Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:44:47 -0500, "
wrote:

Actually I just bought 2 spools of 25' ANCOR 16 AWG wire for $28....the
dude talked me into it. I also bought a motor to replace the one in
the bilge pump housing @ $34.

I found the bilge motor for 28 online and the marine wire for, $32

Is marine wire worth paying the extra expence?

Is the wire you bought tinned?

JPS
All you want to know about Ancor marine grade wire.
Hope this helps

Oops, A link would help.
http://www.marinco.com/brand/ancor

I wired my running lights with garden variety #12 THWN but the wire is
all in conduit, terminating in water proof boxes. 22 years later it
still looks fine. The terminations were all coated with silicone
grease in burial grade 3M wirenuts. I know it is not all that nautical
sounding and I really did not expect it to hold up but it did.
This is a pontoon boat and they are pretty "wet".

I use regular 'ol wiring for my stuff. I dont' need top-dog wire for
what I do. Now if my boat was going to sit in salt water for a season
at a time or be exposed to the elements year around that would be
different. *I look at my boat from an automotive stand point. I take
it out, use it, pull it it out of the lake, drain it, trailer it, and
put it back under roof on the hard until future use.

So I can't see justifying the extra expense to work with higher tinned
wire etc.

Of course your situations may be different than mine. I'm just saying
for my usage I have no problem with a roll of everyday 10 and 12#

The real trick is keeping all the terminations in a dry spot. I have
exactly ZERO splices in any wire. They go from the switch directly to
the load with no tapping along the way. You use a little more wire
that way but if I lose a light, I lose one and I know the two places
where to start looking. Everything is in conduit. Again that is a
pontoon boat thing. The wires run under the deck so they are in a
sealed raceway.

yes, Greg. i can understand why you would do the conduit thing on the
pontoon and you have good reason too, especial when the wiring is run
*under* the craft...

What's so good about marine wire that I shouldn't just get it Home Depot?
 

On Fri, 20 Jan 2012 02:07:23 -0500, wrote:

On Thu, 19 Jan 2012 23:53:24 -0500, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:44:47 -0500, "
wrote:


Actually I just bought 2 spools of 25' ANCOR 16 AWG wire for $28...the
dude talked me into it. I also bought a motor to replace the one in
the bilge pump housing @ $34.

I found the bilge motor for 28 online and the marine wire for, $32

Is marine wire worth paying the extra expence?

===

Ancor wire is good stuff but expensive. Some would say overpriced
but worth the money. The problem with using solid household type
wire on a boat is vibration. The copper work hardens over time and
eventually will devekop cracks, just as it does if you bend it back
and forth in your hands. The solution to the vibration/work
hardening problem is to use finely stranded wire which has a great
deal more flexibility. Stranded wire is a great conduit for water
however and the water will wick along the entire length, eventually
corroding the wire into a green powder. The solution for that is to
use tin plated strands which is what Ancor is good at.

You can sometimes Ancor wire on EBAY for a good price. Some of the
marine discounters like Defender Industries also have it for less than
your local West Marine stores. ($7.49 for a 25 ft spool of 16 AWG)

http://www.defender.com/ancor-wire-c...Primary%20Wire

The THWN I used was stranded and I used silicone filled wirenuts where
the lights connected in a water tight box.
It is in conduit so it is not moving around that much in the first
place. The breaker box us under the console and in a water tight box
too.
I really did not think it was going to last this long but last summer
I was in there and everything looked good.

Not practical when wiring to a main panel.

What's so good about marine wire that I shouldn't just get itHome Depot?
 

On 1/20/2012 2:07 AM, wrote:
On Thu, 19 Jan 2012 23:53:24 -0500, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:44:47 -0500, "
wrote:


Actually I just bought 2 spools of 25' ANCOR 16 AWG wire for $28...the
dude talked me into it. I also bought a motor to replace the one in
the bilge pump housing @ $34.

I found the bilge motor for 28 online and the marine wire for, $32

Is marine wire worth paying the extra expence?

===

Ancor wire is good stuff but expensive. Some would say overpriced
but worth the money. The problem with using solid household type
wire on a boat is vibration. The copper work hardens over time and
eventually will devekop cracks, just as it does if you bend it back
and forth in your hands. The solution to the vibration/work
hardening problem is to use finely stranded wire which has a great
deal more flexibility. Stranded wire is a great conduit for water
however and the water will wick along the entire length, eventually
corroding the wire into a green powder. The solution for that is to
use tin plated strands which is what Ancor is good at.

You can sometimes Ancor wire on EBAY for a good price. Some of the
marine discounters like Defender Industries also have it for less than
your local West Marine stores. ($7.49 for a 25 ft spool of 16 AWG)

http://www.defender.com/ancor-wire-c...Primary%20Wire

The THWN I used was stranded and I used silicone filled wirenuts where
the lights connected in a water tight box.
It is in conduit so it is not moving around that much in the first
place. The breaker box us under the console and in a water tight box
too.
I really did not think it was going to last this long but last summer
I was in there and everything looked good.
wirenuts on a boat. seriously?

--
Jack Schidt

What's so good about marine wire that I shouldn't just get it Home Depot?
 

On Fri, 20 Jan 2012 02:07:23 -0500, wrote:

The THWN I used was stranded and I used silicone filled wirenuts where
the lights connected in a water tight box.

===

Rather than using wirenuts I'd recommend crimped butt splices covered
with heat shrink tubing.

What's so good about marine wire that I shouldn't just get it Home Depot?
 

In article ,
says...

On Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:44:47 -0500, "
wrote:


Actually I just bought 2 spools of 25' ANCOR 16 AWG wire for $28...the
dude talked me into it. I also bought a motor to replace the one in
the bilge pump housing @ $34.

I found the bilge motor for 28 online and the marine wire for, $32

Is marine wire worth paying the extra expence?

===

Ancor wire is good stuff but expensive. Some would say overpriced
but worth the money. The problem with using solid household type
wire on a boat is vibration. The copper work hardens over time and
eventually will devekop cracks, just as it does if you bend it back
and forth in your hands. The solution to the vibration/work
hardening problem is to use finely stranded wire which has a great
deal more flexibility. Stranded wire is a great conduit for water
however and the water will wick along the entire length, eventually
corroding the wire into a green powder. The solution for that is to
use tin plated strands which is what Ancor is good at.

You can sometimes Ancor wire on EBAY for a good price. Some of the
marine discounters like Defender Industries also have it for less than
your local West Marine stores. ($7.49 for a 25 ft spool of 16 AWG)

http://www.defender.com/ancor-wire-c...Primary%20Wire

If the wire is tinned, what about the ends where it is cut?

What's so good about marine wire that I shouldn't just get itHome Depot?
 

On 1/20/2012 8:45 AM, iBoaterer wrote:
In ,
says...

On Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:44:47 -0500, "
wrote:


Actually I just bought 2 spools of 25' ANCOR 16 AWG wire for $28...the
dude talked me into it. I also bought a motor to replace the one in
the bilge pump housing @ $34.

I found the bilge motor for 28 online and the marine wire for, $32

Is marine wire worth paying the extra expence?

===

Ancor wire is good stuff but expensive. Some would say overpriced
but worth the money. The problem with using solid household type
wire on a boat is vibration. The copper work hardens over time and
eventually will devekop cracks, just as it does if you bend it back
and forth in your hands. The solution to the vibration/work
hardening problem is to use finely stranded wire which has a great
deal more flexibility. Stranded wire is a great conduit for water
however and the water will wick along the entire length, eventually
corroding the wire into a green powder. The solution for that is to
use tin plated strands which is what Ancor is good at.

You can sometimes Ancor wire on EBAY for a good price. Some of the
marine discounters like Defender Industries also have it for less than
your local West Marine stores. ($7.49 for a 25 ft spool of 16 AWG)

http://www.defender.com/ancor-wire-c...Primary%20Wire

If the wire is tinned, what about the ends where it is cut?
If it worries you put a tiny dab of nail polish, color of your choice on
the ends,,,,,,, or stop worrying, nothing will happen. It will be
crimped and sealed, right?

What's so good about marine wire that I shouldn't just get it Home Depot?
 

On Fri, 20 Jan 2012 09:36:28 -0500, Oscar
wrote:

If the wire is tinned, what about the ends where it is cut?

If it worries you put a tiny dab of nail polish, color of your choice on
the ends,,,,,,, or stop worrying, nothing will happen. It will be
crimped and sealed, right?

The ends of the small tinned strands could develop microscopic
corrosion spots but it will not spread beyond that point. Ideally
all connections should be crimped and sealed with heat shrink tubing.
It is also important to leave a "drip loop" so that water is not
carried into the connection via gravity.

http://www.thevirtualboatyard.com/2009/02/keep-the-wiring-dry-with-a-drip-loop.html

What's so good about marine wire that I shouldn't just get it Home Depot?
 

In article m,
says...

On 1/20/2012 8:45 AM, iBoaterer wrote:
In ,
says...

On Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:44:47 -0500, "
wrote:


Actually I just bought 2 spools of 25' ANCOR 16 AWG wire for $28...the
dude talked me into it. I also bought a motor to replace the one in
the bilge pump housing @ $34.

I found the bilge motor for 28 online and the marine wire for, $32

Is marine wire worth paying the extra expence?

===

Ancor wire is good stuff but expensive. Some would say overpriced
but worth the money. The problem with using solid household type
wire on a boat is vibration. The copper work hardens over time and
eventually will devekop cracks, just as it does if you bend it back
and forth in your hands. The solution to the vibration/work
hardening problem is to use finely stranded wire which has a great
deal more flexibility. Stranded wire is a great conduit for water
however and the water will wick along the entire length, eventually
corroding the wire into a green powder. The solution for that is to
use tin plated strands which is what Ancor is good at.

You can sometimes Ancor wire on EBAY for a good price. Some of the
marine discounters like Defender Industries also have it for less than
your local West Marine stores. ($7.49 for a 25 ft spool of 16 AWG)

http://www.defender.com/ancor-wire-c...Primary%20Wire

If the wire is tinned, what about the ends where it is cut?
If it worries you put a tiny dab of nail polish, color of your choice on
the ends,,,,,,, or stop worrying, nothing will happen. It will be
crimped and sealed, right?

Well yes and no. If there's a chink in the armor so to speak, it will
corrode.

What's so good about marine wire that I shouldn't just get it Home Depot?
 

In article ,
says...

On Fri, 20 Jan 2012 09:36:28 -0500, Oscar
wrote:

If the wire is tinned, what about the ends where it is cut?

If it worries you put a tiny dab of nail polish, color of your choice on
the ends,,,,,,, or stop worrying, nothing will happen. It will be
crimped and sealed, right?

The ends of the small tinned strands could develop microscopic
corrosion spots but it will not spread beyond that point. Ideally
all connections should be crimped and sealed with heat shrink tubing.
It is also important to leave a "drip loop" so that water is not
carried into the connection via gravity.

http://www.thevirtualboatyard.com/2009/02/keep-the-wiring-dry-with-a-drip-loop.html

Yes, cable installer's first lesson!!!

What's so good about marine wire that I shouldn't just get it Home Depot?
 

On Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:18:27 -0500, wrote:

Rather than using wirenuts I'd recommend crimped butt splices covered
with heat shrink tubing.

If you don't fill that heat shrink with silicone first, there is
nothing to keep the water out. Heat shrink is far from water proof.

===

Understood, but the better grades of heat shrink have glue inside
which melts and seals things up.

http://www.google.com/products?q=glue+filled+heat+shrink+tubing&hl=en

What's so good about marine wire that I shouldn't just get itHome Depot?
 

On 19/01/2012 2:43 PM, wrote:
#12 THWN

If automotive grade, it too would work.
--
No mater how liberally you try to ignore rationality and reality,
reality always wins in the end.

What's so good about marine wire that I shouldn't just get it Home Depot?
 

In article ,
says...

On Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:54:09 -0500, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:18:27 -0500, wrote:

Rather than using wirenuts I'd recommend crimped butt splices covered
with heat shrink tubing.

If you don't fill that heat shrink with silicone first, there is
nothing to keep the water out. Heat shrink is far from water proof.

===

Understood, but the better grades of heat shrink have glue inside
which melts and seals things up.

http://www.google.com/products?q=glue+filled+heat+shrink+tubing&hl=en

I have used heat shrink with silicone in it for years over a soldered
connection. The wirenut thing was just an experiment but I have to say
it does work, with the advantage that you can open up and restore the
connection if you need to without any special tools. These are in a
water tight box so it is fairly well protected but you can bury these
things in the ground (essentially underwater) with up to 600 volts on
them and a ground fault interrupter will usually hold.

These are not your typical Ideal #74 nuts.


Personally, I just never quibble with a connection that's lasted 25
years. If it fails next year, let me know.
Then I'll tell you what you did wrong.

What's so good about marine wire that I shouldn't just get it Home Depot?
 

On Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:26:11 -0500, wrote:

On Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:54:09 -0500, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:18:27 -0500, wrote:

Rather than using wirenuts I'd recommend crimped butt splices covered
with heat shrink tubing.

If you don't fill that heat shrink with silicone first, there is
nothing to keep the water out. Heat shrink is far from water proof.

===

Understood, but the better grades of heat shrink have glue inside
which melts and seals things up.

http://www.google.com/products?q=glue+filled+heat+shrink+tubing&hl=en

I have used heat shrink with silicone in it for years over a soldered
connection. The wirenut thing was just an experiment but I have to say
it does work, with the advantage that you can open up and restore the
connection if you need to without any special tools. These are in a
water tight box so it is fairly well protected but you can bury these
things in the ground (essentially underwater) with up to 600 volts on
them and a ground fault interrupter will usually hold.

These are not your typical Ideal #74 nuts.

===

Where do you get them?

What's so good about marine wire that I shouldn't just get itHome Depot?
 

Wayne.B wrote:
On Fri, 20 Jan 2012 02:07:23 -0500, wrote:

The THWN I used was stranded and I used silicone filled wirenuts where
the lights connected in a water tight box.
===

Rather than using wirenuts I'd recommend crimped butt splices covered
with heat shrink tubing.

Or liquid electrical tape - that's some good stuff for places where the
tubing isn't an option. I have used both in some cases just because I
have both in my shop.

What's so good about marine wire that I shouldn't just get it Home Depot?
 

In article ,
says...

On Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:54:09 -0500, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:18:27 -0500, wrote:

Rather than using wirenuts I'd recommend crimped butt splices covered
with heat shrink tubing.

If you don't fill that heat shrink with silicone first, there is
nothing to keep the water out. Heat shrink is far from water proof.

===

Understood, but the better grades of heat shrink have glue inside
which melts and seals things up.

http://www.google.com/products?q=glue+filled+heat+shrink+tubing&hl=en

I have used heat shrink with silicone in it for years over a soldered
connection. The wirenut thing was just an experiment but I have to say
it does work, with the advantage that you can open up and restore the
connection if you need to without any special tools. These are in a
water tight box so it is fairly well protected but you can bury these
things in the ground (essentially underwater) with up to 600 volts on
them and a ground fault interrupter will usually hold.

These are not your typical Ideal #74 nuts.

Sure, they use those same wirenuts buried, without conduit!

What's so good about marine wire that I shouldn't just get it Home Depot?
 

In article ,
says...

On Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:26:11 -0500, wrote:

On Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:54:09 -0500, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:18:27 -0500, wrote:

Rather than using wirenuts I'd recommend crimped butt splices covered
with heat shrink tubing.

If you don't fill that heat shrink with silicone first, there is
nothing to keep the water out. Heat shrink is far from water proof.

===

Understood, but the better grades of heat shrink have glue inside
which melts and seals things up.

http://www.google.com/products?q=glue+filled+heat+shrink+tubing&hl=en

I have used heat shrink with silicone in it for years over a soldered
connection. The wirenut thing was just an experiment but I have to say
it does work, with the advantage that you can open up and restore the
connection if you need to without any special tools. These are in a
water tight box so it is fairly well protected but you can bury these
things in the ground (essentially underwater) with up to 600 volts on
them and a ground fault interrupter will usually hold.

These are not your typical Ideal #74 nuts.

===

Where do you get them?

My Home Depot has them. Look in the low voltage area.

What's so good about marine wire that I shouldn't just get itHome Depot?
 

What's so good about marine wire that I shouldn't just get it Home Depot?
 

wrote in message ...

On Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:07:13 -0800 (PST), Tim
wrote:

On Jan 19, 3:43 pm, wrote:
On Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:53:44 -0500, A boater wrote:
On 1/19/2012 2:51 PM, A boater wrote:
On 1/18/2012 9:00 PM, jps wrote:
On Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:44:47 -0500, "
wrote:

Actually I just bought 2 spools of 25' ANCOR 16 AWG wire for
$28...the
dude talked me into it. I also bought a motor to replace the one in
the bilge pump housing @ $34.

I found the bilge motor for 28 online and the marine wire for, $32

Is marine wire worth paying the extra expence?

Is the wire you bought tinned?

JPS
All you want to know about Ancor marine grade wire.
Hope this helps

Oops, A link would help.
http://www.marinco.com/brand/ancor

I wired my running lights with garden variety #12 THWN but the wire is
all in conduit, terminating in water proof boxes. 22 years later it
still looks fine. The terminations were all coated with silicone
grease in burial grade 3M wirenuts. I know it is not all that nautical
sounding and I really did not expect it to hold up but it did.
This is a pontoon boat and they are pretty "wet".

I use regular 'ol wiring for my stuff. I dont' need top-dog wire for
what I do. Now if my boat was going to sit in salt water for a season
at a time or be exposed to the elements year around that would be
different. I look at my boat from an automotive stand point. I take
it out, use it, pull it it out of the lake, drain it, trailer it, and
put it back under roof on the hard until future use.

So I can't see justifying the extra expense to work with higher tinned
wire etc.

Of course your situations may be different than mine. I'm just saying
for my usage I have no problem with a roll of everyday 10 and 12#

The real trick is keeping all the terminations in a dry spot. I have
exactly ZERO splices in any wire. They go from the switch directly to
the load with no tapping along the way. You use a little more wire
that way but if I lose a light, I lose one and I know the two places
where to start looking. Everything is in conduit. Again that is a
pontoon boat thing. The wires run under the deck so they are in a
sealed race


----------------------------------------

Must not really need tinned wire. Bilge pump came without tinned wire, so I
guess it is not needed. :)

What's so good about marine wire that I shouldn't just get it Home Depot?
 

wrote in message ...

On Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:02:56 -0500, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:26:11 -0500, wrote:

On Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:54:09 -0500, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:18:27 -0500, wrote:

Rather than using wirenuts I'd recommend crimped butt splices covered
with heat shrink tubing.

If you don't fill that heat shrink with silicone first, there is
nothing to keep the water out. Heat shrink is far from water proof.

===

Understood, but the better grades of heat shrink have glue inside
which melts and seals things up.

http://www.google.com/products?q=glue+filled+heat+shrink+tubing&hl=en

I have used heat shrink with silicone in it for years over a soldered
connection. The wirenut thing was just an experiment but I have to say
it does work, with the advantage that you can open up and restore the
connection if you need to without any special tools. These are in a
water tight box so it is fairly well protected but you can bury these
things in the ground (essentially underwater) with up to 600 volts on
them and a ground fault interrupter will usually hold.

These are not your typical Ideal #74 nuts.

===

Where do you get them?

I imagine you can get them at Home Depot but I got mine from Graybar.
It is a 3M style skirted wirenut packed with silicone gel. I imagine
you get the same effect with a regular skirted nut and gel from a
tube. I like Dow 111 for stuff like this and also for sealing up
joints in plumbing (what it is sold for.)


----------------------------------------------

couple years ago, my phone system was bad. could hear talk from the 2nd
line. When the repair guy fixed the connectors at the sidewalk he used a
gel pack around the crimped connection. Said worked much better than the
old gel filled wire nuts. Was a bigger baggie of gel, but do not remember
how it was actually installed.

What's so good about marine wire that I shouldn't just get it Home Depot?
 

In article ,
says...

wrote in message ...

On Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:07:13 -0800 (PST), Tim
wrote:

On Jan 19, 3:43 pm, wrote:
On Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:53:44 -0500, A boater wrote:
On 1/19/2012 2:51 PM, A boater wrote:
On 1/18/2012 9:00 PM, jps wrote:
On Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:44:47 -0500, "
wrote:

Actually I just bought 2 spools of 25' ANCOR 16 AWG wire for
$28...the
dude talked me into it. I also bought a motor to replace the one in
the bilge pump housing @ $34.

I found the bilge motor for 28 online and the marine wire for, $32

Is marine wire worth paying the extra expence?

Is the wire you bought tinned?

JPS
All you want to know about Ancor marine grade wire.
Hope this helps

Oops, A link would help.
http://www.marinco.com/brand/ancor

I wired my running lights with garden variety #12 THWN but the wire is
all in conduit, terminating in water proof boxes. 22 years later it
still looks fine. The terminations were all coated with silicone
grease in burial grade 3M wirenuts. I know it is not all that nautical
sounding and I really did not expect it to hold up but it did.
This is a pontoon boat and they are pretty "wet".

I use regular 'ol wiring for my stuff. I dont' need top-dog wire for
what I do. Now if my boat was going to sit in salt water for a season
at a time or be exposed to the elements year around that would be
different. I look at my boat from an automotive stand point. I take
it out, use it, pull it it out of the lake, drain it, trailer it, and
put it back under roof on the hard until future use.

So I can't see justifying the extra expense to work with higher tinned
wire etc.

Of course your situations may be different than mine. I'm just saying
for my usage I have no problem with a roll of everyday 10 and 12#

The real trick is keeping all the terminations in a dry spot. I have
exactly ZERO splices in any wire. They go from the switch directly to
the load with no tapping along the way. You use a little more wire
that way but if I lose a light, I lose one and I know the two places
where to start looking. Everything is in conduit. Again that is a
pontoon boat thing. The wires run under the deck so they are in a
sealed race


----------------------------------------

Must not really need tinned wire. Bilge pump came without tinned wire, so I
guess it is not needed. :)

Planed obsolescence? Do these wires go into the bilge pump?

What's so good about marine wire that I shouldn't just get it Home Depot?
 

In article ,
says...

wrote in message ...

On Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:02:56 -0500, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:26:11 -0500, wrote:

On Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:54:09 -0500, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:18:27 -0500, wrote:

Rather than using wirenuts I'd recommend crimped butt splices covered
with heat shrink tubing.

If you don't fill that heat shrink with silicone first, there is
nothing to keep the water out. Heat shrink is far from water proof.

===

Understood, but the better grades of heat shrink have glue inside
which melts and seals things up.

http://www.google.com/products?q=glue+filled+heat+shrink+tubing&hl=en

I have used heat shrink with silicone in it for years over a soldered
connection. The wirenut thing was just an experiment but I have to say
it does work, with the advantage that you can open up and restore the
connection if you need to without any special tools. These are in a
water tight box so it is fairly well protected but you can bury these
things in the ground (essentially underwater) with up to 600 volts on
them and a ground fault interrupter will usually hold.

These are not your typical Ideal #74 nuts.

===

Where do you get them?

I imagine you can get them at Home Depot but I got mine from Graybar.
It is a 3M style skirted wirenut packed with silicone gel. I imagine
you get the same effect with a regular skirted nut and gel from a
tube. I like Dow 111 for stuff like this and also for sealing up
joints in plumbing (what it is sold for.)


----------------------------------------------

couple years ago, my phone system was bad. could hear talk from the 2nd
line. When the repair guy fixed the connectors at the sidewalk he used a
gel pack around the crimped connection. Said worked much better than the
old gel filled wire nuts. Was a bigger baggie of gel, but do not remember
how it was actually installed.

Some 40 years ago the phone guy fixed a broken line in my parents
backyard. He reapied the wires by splicing them and then put the splice
into a plastic test tube and then put some stuff into the test tube. The
stuff hardened and then he re-buried the line. Incidentally the line had
enough slack so you could do these splices, it was like the planned on
it failing and knew they needed the slack to do the splices.

What's so good about marine wire that I shouldn't just get it Home Depot?
 

On Sun, 22 Jan 2012 13:22:31 -0500 , BAR wrote:
In article ,
says...

wrote in message
...

On Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:07:13 -0800 (PST), Tim

wrote:

On Jan 19, 3:43 pm, wrote:
On Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:53:44 -0500, A boater
wrote:
On 1/19/2012 2:51 PM, A boater wrote:
On 1/18/2012 9:00 PM, jps wrote:
On Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:44:47 -0500, "
wrote:

Actually I just bought 2 spools of 25' ANCOR 16 AWG wire
for
$28...the
dude talked me into it. I also bought a motor to replace
the one in
the bilge pump housing @ $34.

I found the bilge motor for 28 online and the marine wire
for, $32

Is marine wire worth paying the extra expence?

Is the wire you bought tinned?

JPS
All you want to know about Ancor marine grade wire.
Hope this helps

Oops, A link would help.
http://www.marinco.com/brand/ancor

I wired my running lights with garden variety #12 THWN but the
wire is
all in conduit, terminating in water proof boxes. 22 years
later it
still looks fine. The terminations were all coated with
silicone
grease in burial grade 3M wirenuts. I know it is not all that
nautical
sounding and I really did not expect it to hold up but it did.
This is a pontoon boat and they are pretty "wet".

I use regular 'ol wiring for my stuff. I dont' need top-dog wire
for
what I do. Now if my boat was going to sit in salt water for a
season
at a time or be exposed to the elements year around that would be
different. I look at my boat from an automotive stand point. I
take
it out, use it, pull it it out of the lake, drain it, trailer
it, and
put it back under roof on the hard until future use.

So I can't see justifying the extra expense to work with higher
tinned
wire etc.

Of course your situations may be different than mine. I'm just
saying
for my usage I have no problem with a roll of everyday 10 and 12#

The real trick is keeping all the terminations in a dry spot. I
have
exactly ZERO splices in any wire. They go from the switch
directly to
the load with no tapping along the way. You use a little more wire
that way but if I lose a light, I lose one and I know the two
places
where to start looking. Everything is in conduit. Again that is a
pontoon boat thing. The wires run under the deck so they are in a
sealed race


----------------------------------------

Must not really need tinned wire. Bilge pump came without tinned
wire, so I
guess it is not needed. :)


Planed obsolescence? Do these wires go into the bilge pump?
Right on.
Wires will outlast crappy pump.

--
2012, the end of an error:-) Yee Haw!

What's so good about marine wire that I shouldn't just get it Home Depot?
 

On Thu, 19 Jan 2012 23:53:24 -0500, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:44:47 -0500, "
wrote:


Actually I just bought 2 spools of 25' ANCOR 16 AWG wire for $28...the
dude talked me into it. I also bought a motor to replace the one in
the bilge pump housing @ $34.

I found the bilge motor for 28 online and the marine wire for, $32

Is marine wire worth paying the extra expence?

===

Ancor wire is good stuff but expensive. Some would say overpriced
but worth the money. The problem with using solid household type
wire on a boat is vibration. The copper work hardens over time and
eventually will devekop cracks, just as it does if you bend it back
and forth in your hands. The solution to the vibration/work
hardening problem is to use finely stranded wire which has a great
deal more flexibility. Stranded wire is a great conduit for water
however and the water will wick along the entire length, eventually
corroding the wire into a green powder. The solution for that is to
use tin plated strands which is what Ancor is good at.

You can sometimes Ancor wire on EBAY for a good price. Some of the
marine discounters like Defender Industries also have it for less than
your local West Marine stores. ($7.49 for a 25 ft spool of 16 AWG)

http://www.defender.com/ancor-wire-c...Primary%20Wire

This is what I coulduh, shoulduh and woulduh if only...

http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|328|49758|316475|579424&id=861281

Thanks for all your help.

I ended up replacing two of the three motors that run the fish well
pump and the primary bilge

I discovered corrosion in the wire which would no conduct so I
replaced the 12 year old wire that spent most of its time in salt
water.