Rewiring 245

[seabob4]

On the 14 guage wire,is there a difference between 14 guage you can buy at Home Depot etc. or is marine wire different.Does marine wire have  different insulation?

Yes, there's a big difference. Marine wire is tinned. In regular wire, the copper is bare and more prone to oxidation. Order 100' of red, brown, and black from genuinedealz.com and you'll be well on your way.

X1,000,000!  Don't buy that crap from HD/Lowes!!!

[Capt. Bob]

It's funny you should mention HD/Lowes wire.

While I agree that the tinned wire doesn't turn black, it still oxidizes and Aquasport didn't use tinned wire in any of the ones I have owned. Later models maybe?

I didn't replace but rather shortened the overall length of the original factory bundle and noticed the blackened wire often extended well into the length. The wire in the helm area was much less oxidized (if at all) than that in the stern/bilge area. Being curious about the increase in resistance due to the oxidation, I found no measurable increase/decrease from the original length "blackened end" to my now "new penny" shortened run. Granted, there was not the corrosion you often see say on the tank sender connections but a surprise to me none the less.

If one does rewire though, the costs I see at the "genuinedealzs" site is comparable to the home improvement stores, shipping withstanding.

I guess boat builders are now using it all the time.

[seabob4]

Bob,
I would say that today you would be hard pressed to find a builder that doesn't use fully tinned wire.  We get ours from Pacer Marine, they supply pretty much the whole SE OEM market.

I think that the presence of the dreaded "black" can be misleading, as often it is only the outer strands that are showing the corrosion.  Spread out the strands and you'll see shiny strands in the center core.  But wire that shows corrosion throughout the cross section is NFG, and should be replaced.  Pretty much a judgement call on the extent of the corrosion.  But I feel once it has started, there's no stopping it...

[cdoyal]

Bob,
I think that the presence of the dreaded "black" can be misleading, as often it is only the outer strands that are showing the corrosion.  Spread out the strands and you'll see shiny strands in the center core.

For what it's worth, an electrician friend of mine says electricity flows along the outsite of the wire first, then migrates inward.  

[Mark Sr]

I'll look to see if there is any extra wiring and go from there.By the way Bob,did you usually leave extra wire,you wired it.
Thanks to all.

[seabob4]

Mark,
Open the access pie over the fuel fill neck on the tank and reach over to the starboard side going forward.  There you will find the excess harness...