Product Description

Marine Primary Wire

Tinned Marine Wire is made specifically for use in the harsh boating environment.  All our Marine wire is genuine UL 1426/UL 1015 rated boat wire.

Red (for positive) and Black (for negative) are available, use the drop down menu above to select color and length.  25ft and 50ft lengths come coiled up, 100ft, and 250ft comes on spools.  All wire is sold as one continuous length.

Marine Wire Specs:

• Current Rating: see chart below
• Voltage Rating: 600V (this is normal, even for 12Vdc)
• Operating Temp: -20° C to 105° C
• Standards: UL 1426 UL 1015 BC-5W2, ABYC E-11, NMMA, USCG 33 CFR Part 183.430, 183.435, SAE J378, 1127, 1128

How is our wire better?

• 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:

There are 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 says 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