Wiring = headaches

[Mr. Sandman]

I am doing a lot of wiring myself this year. The one main problem I see when joe-sixpack re-wires his boat is he uses the WRONG type of wire. Make 100% sure you use TINNED copper wire made for marine applications on everything...even your boat stereo! And as mentioned above invest in a lot of top quality ***marine*** connectors (which are also tin plated copper) that have heat shrink tubing. Those cheap connectors with exposed copper wire will crap out in no time...almost as soon as they get damp they corrode. The problem with corrosion with those copper wires/connectors is they increase resistance alot and cause a lot of problems. Just bite the bullet and get the right wire and connectors. Never use wire you bought at the hardware store even though it is the right gauge. Get the right stuff. If you do it right it will really last and be trouble free for a loooong time, cheap out and you will not get thru the season. Trust me on this one!

You always can tell when a pro does it...he has done the subtle things, proper drip loops, super neat, never cuts corners using cheap materials. It costs you but IMO it is worth it to have it done right. (The last thing you want is to have everything burn out in the middle of the night, esp in a bad spot, and you turn on you flashlight and enter a bird's nest of confused wires, it takes time to do it right or you have to pay someone who knows what he is really doing)

Also there are a couple good books on re-wring:

1) Boatowner's illustrated electrical handbook by Charlie Wing is a good easy to understand book on everything marine electrical AC/DC/battery details alternators corrosion control...etc, Lots of pictures and tables.

2) The Marine Electrical electronics bible by John Payne is also good but it is more like a text book but it covers a lot of topics in depth.