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.

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

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.

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?

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?

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

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.

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!!!

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

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.