Posted by admin , on Jul, 2016
You’ll need to invest in cables and terminals that meet the same conditions and qualifications as the high quality and marine-rated electrical and electronic equipment you bring on your boat. After all, your cables and terminals are going to power up your equipment. Without these, your equipment will be useless. In a marine environment, here’s what you should look out for:
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Anti-corrosion. It’s important that you pick out tinned conductors. Check every strand of the cable to make sure each one is individually tinned. This will reduce the amount of corrosion your cables and terminals will suffer.
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Durability. To ensure you pick out strong and durable cables, go with multi-stranded conductors, says BoatUS. Also widely known as type 3 stranding conductors, these cables allow for greater flexibility and keep working without hardening as well as preventing fractures from happening.
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Moisture-resistant. Your cables are going to have to work in conditions where there’s salt, oil and high humidity. So choose oil and moisture-resistant cables.
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Heat-resistant. It’s also a good idea to go for cables made out of materials that come with heat-insulating qualities. Your cables are going to be subjected to high temperatures. Going for heat-resistant cables ensures equipment operations aren’t compromised.
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Choose terminals that match your cables. So if you have a 16-gauge cable, then you’ll need a terminal that matches those specs. Makes sure these are installed properly. Otherwise, you could end up with a weak link in your electrical circuit or, worse, fire.
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Salt protection. Don’t forget to buy heat-shrinking tubing for your terminal. Use that to seal off the connectors against the ever-present salt in the marine environment.
When you’re going to shop around for cables and terminals, make sure you know what high-quality and marine-rated means. Keep these tips in mind to help you get the parts you need.
