Where to buy 6/2 AWG tinned wire?

[HeadedToTexas]

Load data indicates 6 AWG wire and my tape measure indicates I need 36 feet, but rounding up to 40 makes sense to me. The usual sources have prepackaged 50 foot lengths (plus 25' and several longer) at $2.72 for that length. Is that as good as it gets, or are there local sources that sell by the foot? West Marine only lists 18 AWG.

[rslifkin]

6/2 or 6/3 is expensive stuff. When I put in my inverter last winter, it cost me $260 for a 50 foot roll of Ancor 6/3.

[DavidM]

Genuinedealz.com, my go to place for tinned marine wire and cable is sold out of 16/2 cable. Batterycables.com does have individual red and black 16 gauge cables for $1.34/ft each, or $2.68 for the pair. See https://www.batterycablesusa.com/tin...battery-cables

David

[RichardM]

You're not going to find 6/2 duplex cable. It stops at 8 AWG if I'm not mistaken. You'll have to go with wire only. Defender and Genuinedealz.com is pretty hard to beat for wire price and they have it in stock. I assume it's for 12 volts here. If it's for a 120/240 vac, you need double insulated (like the triplex wire in a plastic shielding) unless the wires are in some sort of conduit or electrical box.

Edit: actually I just did a quick search and they do make the #6 duplex and triplex (Ancor wire)

[HeadedToTexas]

Sorry, yes, this is 12 VDC power for my dinghy davit motor.

[O C Diver]

Ebay has boat wire.

Type in "6/2 boat wire".

Ted

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

6/2 or 6/3 is expensive stuff. When I put in my inverter last winter, it cost me $260 for a 50 foot roll of Ancor 6/3.

Why would you need three conductors for an inverter install?

[psneeld]

Ancor® 120705 - 6/2 AWG 50' Red/Black Flat Duplex Cable
0 reviews|0 Q&A|Item # mpn4508153548
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Dozens of suppliers withing seconds of Google search.

Might need or want 6/3 for a sub panel on the A/C side.

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by rwidman

Why would you need three conductors for an inverter install?

The 6/3 was for the AC side. So hot, neutral, ground from the panel to the inverter input and from the output back to the panel.

[CharlieJ]

Recommend Pacer Marine. https://www.pacergroup.net/. AWG 6/2 tinned boat cable is $4.09/ft. 50' roll is $198.50

[Ka_sea_ta]

try https://www.hodgesmarine.com/anc1237...redyellow.html

[Comodave]

With the supply chain problems today, I would buy it wherever you are able to find it in stock. I have had to order some wire in one place and the rest in another since I couldn’t find it in stock in one place.

[Flatswing]

I use Greg’s Marine cable supply - very fast turn around, good quality US made cables, cheap shipping, available by the foot. Their cable lugs are also decent quality but cheaper than Ancor. Web site shows 6/2 tinned marine cable at $2.84/ft.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

The 6/3 was for the AC side. So hot, neutral, ground from the panel to the inverter input and from the output back to the panel.

#12 wire would have been sufficient for 120 volts AC.

[HeadedToTexas]

Hi folks. It's a DC load. I am powering my dinghy davit motor from the main DC panel. The ABYC 10% drop table says 10 AWG, the manufacturer says 6 AWG "just because." 8 AWG feels like the right answer despite my thread starting with a search for 6 AWG.

Originally Posted by Comodave

With the supply chain problems today, I would buy it wherever you are able to find it in stock.

Yes, I am seeing that. Yikes!

[psneeld]

Not sure 12 ga is suitable for any circuit above 30A.... so feeding the main or sub panel 6 ga may be more appropriate.

Otherwise shore power coeds could just be 12 ga.

But seeing it's DC for the OP.... 6/3 would only be needed/desired if going to a 3 wire motor.

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by rwidman

#12 wire would have been sufficient for 120 volts AC.

Not when it needs to pass an entire 50 amp service leg through it. That requires 8ga minimum. I went to 6 for voltage drop and because part of the run is through the engine room, so adding the engine space de-rate put me very close to the limit for 8ga.



10ga would be fine for a 30a leg in most cases, however. Generally 30 amp shore cords use 10ga, 50 amp ones use 6ga (hence the extra cost and weight).

[rwidman]

12 gauge wire is suitable for 20 amps. A typical branch circuit in a boat will use 12 gauge wire or in some cases. 14 gauge (suitable for 15 amps).

20 amps at 120 volts AC is pretty much a practical limit for an inverter on a boat. Anything higher would require an enormous battery bank to operate, even for a short time.

A 30 amp shore power cord is typically made from 10 gauge wire. 10 gauge wire is suitable for 30 amps.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

Not when it needs to pass an entire 50 amp service leg through it. That requires 8ga minimum. I went to 6 for voltage drop and because part of the run is through the engine room, so adding the engine space de-rate put me very close to the limit for 8ga.



10ga would be fine for a 30a leg in most cases, however. Generally 30 amp shore cords use 10ga, 50 amp ones use 6ga (hence the extra cost and weight).

Clearly I did not understand your original post. Please disregard all my comments.

[psneeld]

My too small inverter/charger is a pass through 30A inverter/charger.

And I just have a little 40 footer. Some have much larger boats here,. I haven't looked into it, but don't some inverters have the capability to be used in series and put out huge loads.... well above my 30A.