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01-05-2019, 02:05 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
City: Russell NZ
Vessel Name: MV Unique
Vessel Model: Salthouse Coastal 35
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 207
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Wiring loom fire
Due to a dead short which overheated several wires I have had to cut my wiring loom and remove those wires burnt or charred/softened. I have to rejoin the loom and wanting advise on the best way to do this a bar connector (aprox 15 wires) or solder joints. The problem I see with solder/heat shrink is that the loom will double in diameter and not be a pretty job!!
I am going to have to replace about 3 feet of wiring from switchboard area through a bulkhead and into a locker area. Considering a joining bar/strip at either end.
Suggestions greatly appreciated.
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01-05-2019, 02:17 PM
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#2
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Guru
City: North Carolina for now
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 6,348
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If by "bar" you mean a buss bar, that's the way I'd go, leaving a few spare positions. Makes future additions and repairs easy; it's pretty labor intensive since you need to install a bunch of ring connectors to the various cable ends, but not that much than a bunch heat shrink crimped butt connectors (no solder needed, please).
While you're in there, I recommend labeling them too.
I take you've identified what caused the fire?
__________________
George
"There's the Right Way, the Wrong Way, and what some guy says he's gotten away with"
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01-05-2019, 03:02 PM
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#3
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Guru
City: Brookline, NH
Vessel Name: Shalloway
Vessel Model: Defever 44, twin Perkins
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 2,260
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I would use good quality butt-splice connectors with a proper ratcheting crimper and adhesive lined heat shrink over each. If you purposely stagger the location of the splices then you will not have too severe of a "bulge" in the wiring.
Ken
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01-05-2019, 03:06 PM
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#4
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Guru
City: SchoolHouse Branch
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 551
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Quote:
Originally Posted by caltexflanc
I take you've identified what caused the fire?
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This and why wasn't it protected by a fuse or a breaker?
Burned a few wires this time, maybe to the waterline next time.
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01-05-2019, 04:02 PM
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#5
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TF Site Team
City: Jacksonville
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 11,682
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We used a European type connector for our Furuno radar cable. With 24 wires, it was a bit of challenge but it worked. The shields were a pia though. I kept/cut the connector when we replaced the radar 5 years later and it still looked good.
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01-05-2019, 04:40 PM
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#6
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Guru
City: Seattle
Vessel Name: AZZURRA
Vessel Model: Ocean Alexander 54
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 4,309
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Terminal strip with the appropriate amp rating is the next best way to running a whole new wire.
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01-05-2019, 04:49 PM
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#7
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Guru
City: North Carolina for now
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 6,348
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By the way, "terminal strip" is the right nomenclature for the item needed in this case. "buss bar", which I mentioned, is not.
__________________
George
"There's the Right Way, the Wrong Way, and what some guy says he's gotten away with"
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01-06-2019, 06:51 PM
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#8
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Veteran Member
City: San Francisco
Vessel Name: Voyager
Vessel Model: Universal 39' Europa Trawler
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 96
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I would agree with the approach of using staggered heat-shrink marine-grade waterproof butt connections that are adhesive sealed and no solder.
Use the same size of wire and proper connector sizes. When you are done put the bundle in flame-retardant split-loom corrugated conduit. Tie it down neatly to avoid crushing that can cause a hot wire to damage adjacent wires and check your fuse or breaker setup. Wiring should not get hot enough to cause shorts.
If you have to add wire to extend or replace damaged areas try to match colors or make sure that the differences are easy to map. By all means, purchase a high-quality ratcheting crimper and heat gun and do it right.
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01-06-2019, 07:12 PM
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#9
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Guru
City: Ft Pierce
Vessel Name: Sold
Vessel Model: Was an Albin/PSN 40
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 28,151
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Larry M
We used a European type connector for our Furuno radar cable. With 24 wires, it was a bit of challenge but it worked. The shields were a pia though. I kept/cut the connector when we replaced the radar 5 years later and it still looked good.
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This
Also a highly acclaimed marine expert sent me an email that also suggested something like this.
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01-06-2019, 07:51 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
City: Kiln,MS
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 457
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What size wire?
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01-06-2019, 09:12 PM
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#11
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Guru
City: North Carolina for now
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 6,348
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The fact that there was a wire loom fire indicates there is some wattage involved.
__________________
George
"There's the Right Way, the Wrong Way, and what some guy says he's gotten away with"
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01-07-2019, 09:05 AM
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#12
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Guru
City: Anacortes
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 1,189
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Non insulated crimp connectors with adhesive heat shrink is my go to. A terminal strip is also a great approach, with the advantage of being easily separated in the future. The downside is that the ring crimps you will use on the terminal strip can be more difficult to perfectly seal and the terminal strip itself is more expensive. You also need some real estate to mount the terminal strip. If you ever need to take it apart or add connections, then terminal strip, otherwise the non insulated butt connectors with heat shrink will essentially not add any bulk and it can go right back into the loom.
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01-07-2019, 12:03 PM
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#13
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Guru
City: gulf coast
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 3,440
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I would use staggered but connectors so that everything could be covered.
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