Product Description

14/3 Bilge Pump Cable: 100ft Spool

The 14/3 Bilge Pump Cable delivers reliable performance for marine applications. Built with tinned copper conductors and a tough, oil-resistant, waterproof jacket, it ensures durability in any environment. Designed specifically for bilge pumps, the black, red, and brown marine-grade primary conductors are housed in an oil-resistant gray jacket.

This cable exceeds UL 1426, US Coast Guard Charter Boat (CFR Title 46), and ABYC standards, surpassing the highest UL Boat Cable requirements. Its ultra-flexible (Type 3/Class K) tinned copper stranding protects against corrosion and electrolysis while resisting fatigue from vibration and flexing.

The SJTOW thermoplastic insulation, rated at 300 volts, 105°C dry, and 60°C wet, remains flexible even in extreme cold (-40°F/C) and withstands saltwater, battery acid, oil, gasoline, heat, abrasion, and UV exposure.

14/3 Bilge pump cable is often used when you need to send power both directly and to a bilge pump float switch.

Explore our full range of marine tinned cables and wiring solutions.

14/3 Bilge Pump Cable Specs:

• APPLICATION: Flexible UL Standard boat cable suitable for all marine applications
• CONSTRUCTION:
  • Conductor: Finely stranded Type III Tinned Copper
  • Insulation: SJTOW Thermoplastic
  • Color: Brown, Red, Black
  • OPERATING TEMP: 105˚C Dry, 60˚C Wet
• VOLTAGE RATING: 300 Volts
• STANDARDS:UL 1426, US Coast Guard Charter boat (CFR Title 46) and ABYC standards

SJTOW is an industry-standard abbreviation for a type of electrical cable that stands for:

• S – Service grade, meaning it’s designed for general use
• J – Junior service, meaning it’s typically used for light to medium-duty applications
• T – Thermoplastic insulation, meaning the insulation is made of thermoplastic, which is flexible and resistant to environmental factors
• O – Oil resistant, meaning the cord is resistant to oil and other petroleum-based substances
• W – Weather/water resistant, meaning the cord is suitable for outdoor use and wet environments

SJTOW cables are hard service cables with a thermoplastic jacket and a 300 volt rating. Commonly used in the lighting and electrical equipment industries. 

Why Choose Our Tinned Marine Bilge Cable?

• Tinned – Tinning is a process use to coat the individual strands of copper and greatly increases corrosion resistance.
• Stranded – Fine, type III stranding in our wire make it more flexible, and reduces metal fatigue caused by vibrations common on boats
• 105° C Insulation – High insulation rating allows the more current capacity for each wire size

How to Choose Marine Wire Size:

Three factors when choosing the right wire gauge:

1. Current draw of the device – measured in Amps
2. Total length of the run – measured in feet as a “round trip”
3. Allowable voltage drop – measured in % loss of voltage

ABYC defines that non-critical loads like a livewell, or courtesy lights should have no more than a 10% voltage drop, while critical loads like a bilge pump or navigation lights should have no more than a 3% voltage drop.

Remember, length of the run is a “round trip”… so from the battery, out to the load and back.    Example calculations are below the table.

Example 1:

Your livewell pulls 6A.  There is 10 feet from the battery to the switch panel, then 5 more feet from the switch panel to the console livewell.

Length of run is 10 + 5 + 5 + 10 = 30ft (from battery to load, and back again)

On a livewell a 10% voltage drop is acceptable, so we use the top table.  We’ll round up the 6A, to 10A, and use 14AWG wire.

Example 2:

Your LED navigation lights pull 3A.  There is 10ft from the battery to the switch panel, then 14ft of wire from the switch panel to the lights.

Length of run is 10 + 14 + 14 + 10 = 48ft (from the battery to load, and back again)

Navigation lights are critical, so only 3% voltage drop is allowed, so we use the bottom table.  We’ll round the 3A up to 5A, and 48ft up to 50ft, and use 10 AWG wire.

ABYC Current Rating:

Full chart below.  Use the 105°C rating… most often the column for outside engine spaces.  Current ratings of the wire we carry, non-bundled, outside engine spaces is:

• 16AWG – 25A
• 14AWG – 30A
• 12 AWG – 40A
• 10 AWG – 55A