[OdysseyAngling]

Hi all,

On my VHF on new boat it’s got a hailer/foghorn function. It’s not currently wired up but plan to do so on a windy weekend....

Do I need specific cable for marine applications?

I’m thinking g not just as long as the insulation is good likely double insulated and then as long as good soldered connections it’s ok but happy to hear your thoughts

 

[suzook12]

Up to you mate, for what is undoubtedly a relatively short run cost won't be much different. If it's difficult to run it through then use the tinned stuff, if it's straight forward use whatever you want/ can lay your hands on

 

[LAVRAKI]

As said above, go for tinned wire on your boat.
Also be careful about low priced twin figure of 8 red/black cable. I bought some in the past and it was copper (coloured) plated. It turned out to be aluminium and turned to dust close to the connections in no time and had to be replaced.
So tinned for me every time on my boat.....

 

[Glenlivet]

I’ve got a feeling I used bog standard speaker cable for mine, still working fine after 12 months but easy to replace if ever necessary.

 

[suzook12]

I’ve got a feeling I used bog standard speaker cable for mine, still working fine after 12 months but easy to replace if ever necessary.

Yeah, think that's the crux of it GL, if it's easy to replace then can use anything, if it's a t**t to run through then use the good stuff

 

[Norm B]

Up to you mate, for what is undoubtedly a relatively short run cost won't be much different. If it's difficult to run it through then use the tinned stuff, if it's straight forward use whatever you want/ can lay your hands on

​

We nearly learned a really expensive lesson when we had an automatic bilge pump fitted to our club boat. After a couple of days of very heavy rainfall I got a call saying our boat was close to sinking. I drove there only to find water above the deck and fortunately it had run out of the boat through the wash holes. I had a submersible pump with me but no power point available. Quick drive to MAKRO to buy a portable generator and some fuel. It did the job after a couple of hours pumping and charging the batteries. I found the cable to the bilge pump had corroded. Get a proper marine electrician to wire a sea going boat, not an ordinary electrician.

 

[suzook12]

​

We nearly learned a really expensive lesson when we had an automatic bilge pump fitted to our club boat. After a couple of days of very heavy rainfall I got a call saying our boat was close to sinking. I drove there only to find water above the deck and fortunately it had run out of the boat through the wash holes. I had a submersible pump with me but no power point available. Quick drive to MAKRO to buy a portable generator and some fuel. It did the job after a couple of hours pumping and charging the batteries. I found the cable to the bilge pump had corroded. Get a proper marine electrician to wire a sea going boat, not an ordinary electrician.

A P.A. horn isn't going to sink a boat, if the cable is underwater then the boat is already sunk! You don't mention the time scale between the wiring being done and the wire failure....In this case, a small amount of wiring will be out to the elements, if access is easy then cable used isn't as essential as can be checked/replaced easilyThe real lesson is to check stuff and replace as necessary, anything in an extreme environment such as the bilge should have frequent condition checks and changeout frequency and back ups for important safety equipment! The need for a "proper marine electrician" only exists if the person doing the work has no understanding of any additional requirements..... As to that, there are many on here that will probably testify that work done by marine electricians isn't all that (not saying all marine sparkies, but certainly some). Even some off the shelf "marine" components wiring leaves a lot to be desired. Often the fault will be with the owner not wanting to pay the price

 

[OdysseyAngling]

Thanks for the information

The new wiring will run along the existing loom which is in the bilge (right under the deck) but no terminations there.

I will make sure it’s not aluminium wire but proper tinned copper

12V planet best bet I take it?

Thanks all

 

[suzook12]

I use Vehicle Wiring Products, much the same

 

[Norm B]

A P.A. horn isn't going to sink a boat, if the cable is underwater then the boat is already sunk! You don't mention the time scale between the wiring being done and the wire failure....In this case, a small amount of wiring will be out to the elements, if access is easy then cable used isn't as essential as can be checked/replaced easilyThe real lesson is to check stuff and replace as necessary, anything in an extreme environment such as the bilge should have frequent condition checks and changeout frequency and back ups for important safety equipment! The need for a "proper marine electrician" only exists if the person doing the work has no understanding of any additional requirements..... As to that, there are many on here that will probably testify that work done by marine electricians isn't all that (not saying all marine sparkies, but certainly some). Even some off the shelf "marine" components wiring leaves a lot to be desired. Often the fault will be with the owner not wanting to pay the price

I think you read it wrong, I was referring to a bilge pump.

 

[suzook12]

Thanks for the information

The new wiring will run along the existing loom which is in the bilge (right under the deck) but no terminations there.

I will make sure it’s not aluminium wire but proper tinned copper

12V planet best bet I take it?

Thanks all

It might be an idea to run some small trunking through then run your cable through that, should't ever see any water/oil etc then....

 

[suzook12]

I think you read it wrong, I was referring to a bilge pump.

Nope, I never read it wrong at all, I know you was referring to a bilge pump, hence my response regarding bilge pump and checking of it. Now copper wire takes a while to corrode to the point of not working, so it's fair to assume that the wiring had never been checked.
For the cost of a bilge pump, you have risked many thousands of pounds of boat on a single bilge pump, hardly the sparkies fault is it? You never stated what the timescale was from fitting to failure, but if it was over a year then I would ask who checked the pump and ok'd it...... So as you are in disagreement with me without saying why, I can only assume that you disagree with the salient points made IE:-
1 A PA horn won't sink a boat
2 If the wiring of said horn is easily accessible then copper wire is fine, if not use the tinned stuff....
3 Any safety device needs regular inspections/ checking when in a hostile enviroment such as a bilge, and preferably with a back-up
4 The need for a "marine" electrician only exists if the person doing the work has no understanding of extra measures required
5 Plenty of people have come across bad wiring from SOME "marine" electricians
6 Some off the shelf marine goods have wiring that leaves a lot to be desired

Had points 3 and 4 been covered, your boat would not have nearly sunk would it?
Should you diagree with that then please expand on it. I would also suggest fitting an extra auto bilge pump wired on its on supply and fuse so should one fail for any reason, you have another to continue the pumping and maybe work on reducing the amount of rainwater that works its way into the bilge as well.....

 

[LAVRAKI]

Thanks for the information

The new wiring will run along the existing loom which is in the bilge (right under the deck) but no terminations there.

I will make sure it’s not aluminium wire but proper tinned copper

12V planet best bet I take it?

Thanks all

Yes, I get all my 12 volt electrical material from them. Good quality and shipping.

 

[BruceK]

Ooh good. Handbags at dawn. Norm, yer being a plonker. I know this because I too have had different opinions to Suzook in the past. Plenty times in fact. It melts my bones but the bastid is always right. Doesnt that just get on your tits? Does mine. Tinned stuff best but in this instance good copper is too. Hell, my Kenwood speaker wiring through the radar arch is permanently wet through. Still loud enough to drive the raggies away and no hiss nor pop and they've been in 27 years.

 

[suzook12]

Ooh good. Handbags at dawn. Norm, yer being a plonker. I know this because I too have had different opinions to Suzook in the past. Plenty times in fact. It melts my bones but the bastid is always right. Doesnt that just get on your tits? Does mine. Tinned stuff best but in this instance good copper is too. Hell, my Kenwood speaker wiring through the radar arch is permanently wet through. Still loud enough to drive the raggies away and no hiss nor pop and they've been in 27 years.

Not always right mate, mostly, but not always :BigGrin::BigGrin: And when I am wrong it will be the sparkies fault! :laugh::laugh:

 

[arry b]

Always do the best job first time using best materials available. ."do the job once"...

 

[Belfast Bill]

suzook12,as my dear old Mother always used to tell me, I'm not always right but Iv'e never been known to be wrong.

 

[BruceK]

Always do the best job first time using best materials available. ."do the job once"...

I empathise as it has been my lot to be dealt with a myriad of Masters of the Half Job in my time and there is no greater f'up than a half job. But there are limits and reason, as the best materials is such a subjective matter. The best materials for conductivity and oxidation prevention isn't even tinned wire. As such I think we can all agree that what is required is a suitable job. And decent copper, tinned with solder where exposed, correctly soldered at termination and sleeved with shrink tube with a dob of dielectric grease to seal it is a good enough job to last the OP until at least his last tooth falls out or the boat rots from beneath him whichever comes first. This is not the type of installation where we are expecting to see black wire rot and cable degradation.

Edit: and where to throw Norm a bone, is what you would expect to see at a bilge pump that is directly connected to a battery.

 

[Norm B]

Ooh good. Handbags at dawn. Norm, yer being a plonker. I know this because I too have had different opinions to Suzook in the past. Plenty times in fact. It melts my bones but the bastid is always right. Doesnt that just get on your tits? Does mine. Tinned stuff best but in this instance good copper is too. Hell, my Kenwood speaker wiring through the radar arch is permanently wet through. Still loud enough to drive the raggies away and no hiss nor pop and they've been in 27 years.

The pump being below water level and the cable connecting it was just above water level in the bilge but after a year or so when the water got above the float switch it failed to operate, hence the flooded boat. Later survey showed the cabled had disintegrated at connections and we were advised that "proper marine grade cable should have been used". I'm not a marine engineer so more than what I was told is all I can say.

 

[BruceK]

YA ya. We both posted simultaneously. You are not wrong in your application but your application is not the same as the OP's application. Apples and oranges