Source for 1/0-2/0 Battery Cable?

[mvweebles]

I am rewiring my boat and need more 1/0 and 2/0 tinned cable - at least a 50-foot (maybe 100-foot - electrician is checking) spool of red/black of each. Any ideas on a good reasonably priced source?



Thanks in advance -



Peter

 

[Comodave]

I have used bestboatwire.com and had good service, no affiliation.

 

[Ka_sea_ta]

You might want to ask Kevin sanders.... he posts on here

 

[DavidM]

I have used bestboatwire.com and had good service, no affiliation.

Also called Genuinedealz.com. Great products, prices and service. Pace tinned boatwire at reasonable prices.

David

 

[Comodave]

Also called Genuinedealz.com. Great products, prices and service. Pace tinned boatwire at reasonable prices.

David

Correct. I find it easier to remember bestboatwire.com. It just sticks in my feeble brain better.

 

[Marco Flamingo]

Here's a question about tinned wire. The electrical feed to my house is underground and the wire is rated appropriately. Direct burial. It basically stays wet all the time. For years. In acidic soil. Direct burial rated wire has been used for years. It isn't tinned. That wire doesn't suffer from any type of corrosion or loss of conductivity.

I admit to having not used "boat" wire for some boat projects. In fact, I bought battery cable at Tractor Supply ("tractor" wire?) for a battery relocation project and haven't had any problems because I was very careful to seal the connection areas. I also used plain copper connectors from Tractor Supply, but I tinned those myself. The actual connection isn't an issue because the copper wire is soldered to a tinned connector.

I have removed old household wire from a boat and cut away the insulation. Corrosion enters underneath the insulated sheathing at each end and tarnishes the copper threads. The individual strands then can't conduct one to another and that increases resistance in copper strand wiring. But even in household wiring I've only seen it tarnish in from the exposed copper, not through the insulation along the run.

My thought is that if I buy 100 feet of tinned "boat" wire, I am paying a huge premium just for the ability to leave 1/4 inch of copper wire exposed to the elements at each end. What is wrong with just sealing that area?

 

[DavidM]

"What is wrong with just sealing that area? "

Not a thing. If you seal it rigorously so it stays clean and separated from warm humid salt air for a couple of decades, maybe more then it will be fine. But most boat builders and maintenance people don't seal it that well. Tinned wire avoids the corrosion which can creep up the wire for several inches from the open connection.

David

 

[caltexflanc]

If you never plan on selling your boat or insuring it, and sure the insulation will never be penetrated, or subject to the conditions Boat Cable is required to withstand, then go right ahead I suppose.

Me, I'd use UL rated 1426 Boat Cable. Here's all the legal specs:

https://law.resource.org/pub/us/cfr/ibr/006/ul.1426.1986.pdf

That's what a surveyor or insurance adjuster will look for. The stuff you have underground never is subject to constant motion, for one thing (unless you have earthtermors all the time) and salt air for another.

 

[mvweebles]

I actually don't have any problem with using welding cable which is heavily stranded and often spends time on the back of trucks in the Permian Basin oil patch. I thought a out doing just that with red heat shrink sleeves at the lugs. But here's the rub: I'm spending a king's ransom on the refit - the electrical work will be well north of $15k with new panels and batteries. I just don't want to save a few hundred bucks here and there. After years of having a hack job behind the panels (partially due to my own DIY work) , I want the electrics totally sano. Will mean zero to anyone but me, but when I swing open the panel, I want the wire runs marked, color coded, and straight. Red to be red. Black to be black.

Waste of money. But it's my one shot splurge. Someday, when I'm dead or drooling in a wheelchair, someone will get a mighty fine boat for pennies.

 

[Marco Flamingo]

If you never plan on selling your boat or insuring it, and sure the insulation will never be penetrated, or subject to the conditions Boat Cable is required to withstand, then go right ahead I suppose.

Me, I'd use UL rated 1426 Boat Cable. Here's all the legal specs:

https://law.resource.org/pub/us/cfr/ibr/006/ul.1426.1986.pdf

That's what a surveyor or insurance adjuster will look for. The stuff you have underground never is subject to constant motion, for one thing (unless you have earthtermors all the time) and salt air for another.

Yes, I'm familiar with that. A 1986 document that would not apply to older boats like mine. Also, it contains only this language regarding tinned "boat" wire:

"Conductors may be coated with tin or a tin/lead alloy."​

Ergo, the conductor may not be. Your choice. The vast majority of the wiring in my 1981 trawler is not tinned.

Most of the specifications in the document relate to the cable's insulation (heat, oil resistance, etc.), all of which are met by my inexpensive "tractor" cable. And it is secured in place to prevent wear on the insulation just like would be required with expensive (and unnecessary?) tinned wire.

From what I've seen of boat wiring, whether or not the wire is tinned is about the last thing to worry about. Even the insulation color is more important. Whether it is tinned certainly wasn't a problem with either my recent insurance or survey. Not that the surveyor caught everything. I found out that several of the 110 outlets had the hot and neutral reversed. Another thing that is more important than whether the wire is tinned.

I'm in Seattle, so ground movement and salt air are common.

 

[Bacchus]

Is the electrician doing the work or just giving you some guidance? Is he ABYC certified or a S&B electrician?
I'd be surprised if ABYC and he is doing it he'd consider cutting corners.
I hear you and can't argue... will even admit to doing a prior boat batty job myself w/ welding cable.
Since learning more about ABYC I now try to comply when doing DIY projects. It does cost a little more but in the whole scheme of things boating doing it right once makes sense to me.

 

[mvweebles]

Is the electrician doing the work or just giving you some guidance? Is he ABYC certified or a S&B electrician?
I'd be surprised if ABYC and he is doing it he'd consider cutting corners.
I hear you and can't argue... will even admit to doing a prior boat batty job myself w/ welding cable.
Since learning more about ABYC I now try to comply when doing DIY projects. It does cost a little more but in the whole scheme of things boating doing it right once makes sense to me.

Work is being done in Ensenada MX. I doubt he is ABYC or anything else. But he is a marine electrician and that's all he's done for 15 years which is fine by me. Not speaking specifically boats but some of the best work I've seen is by people who came up through the ranks, and some of the worst work I've seen is from factory trained techs (recently watched a Cummins tech blow through $10k replacing parts when the issue ended up be a corroded wiring connector discovered in a out 30 mins by a totally uncredentialed marine electrician who had proven he has the magic touch). When I was young I worked for a large pipeline company where the engineers barely finished high school but had somehow built a world class oil and gas company.

I know a post like this gets few views. But the people who take the time are experienced. My guess you know exactly what I'm talking about.

In the end, I will go with tinned marine grade cable despite it costing $400 extra.

BTW - mechanics and electricians and fiberglass people in Ensenada are pretty good. Legacy of Baja 500/1000 off road racing so there is some talent there.

Peter

 

[mvweebles]

Also called Genuinedealz.com. Great products, prices and service. Pace tinned boatwire at reasonable prices.

FYI - I emailed. For a 100-foot spool, instead of $6.00/foot for 2/0 gauge, they would be happy to sell it for $5.98/foot, a 2-cent discount. Plus shipping. I was a bit surprised at lack of discount for ~300-feet of cable.

I had some decent pricing from Hodges Marine. $363 for 100-foot spool of 2/0 with free shipping. As an aside, I've ordered from Hodges a few times - have been happy with them.

I've asked my electrician for a more precise measurement so I can finalize an order. I'll let you know where I land.

Thanks again for the feedback -

Peter

 

[rslifkin]

It's worth checking Amazon as well. Depending on the size and length, sometimes their pricing on Ancor wire is decent, but not always. Defender sells it as well.

 

[NOT]

boat wire

I have been very happy with the quality of Pacer Groups wire, cable,
and connectors , their web site is easy to use. I'm in Fort Lauderdale
so its easy to drive over to the warehouse-store to get what I need.
They do have free shipping over $100. So that would work for you.
Have a look at their site pacergroup.net Rewiring is on the list for
my 1963, probably next year.

Mike

 

[Lou_tribal]

It's worth checking Amazon as well. Depending on the size and length, sometimes their pricing on Ancor wire is decent, but not always. Defender sells it as well.

You can find some surprising discount on amazon, usually when only one item is left. I got Ancor wire of various size for a very good price. My last deal was a 300 feet spool of 12 gauge wire for a price lower than half the price of a spool of 100 feet.
Only thing is that you need to check often and not be in urgency.

L