Any recommendations for quality marine wire?

[psygnal11]

I did a web search for those terms and posted the results.

My Minnkota cable has Boat Cable BC-5W2

Is that all your cable says? If so, I can almost guarantee whatever cut-rate Chinese factory that mfg'd your cable has never even heard of UL 1426, much less BC5W2. Look closely... I'm willing to bet that somewhere on your cable is stamped "CSA TEW" or "AWM I A/B" somewhere.

Wire manufactured to the UL1426/BC5W2 standard appears typically to also be rated for MTW/TEW/AWM applications... call it an educated guess, but I don't think wire mfg's are doing that deliberately. It's likely because BC5W2 already meets the basic MTW/TEW/AWM standards or that the basic construction has identical standards; in fact, one manufacturer's bare (untinned) MTW/TEW wire in sizes 6AWG and larger also meets BC5W2. So as far as I can tell, the primary difference between the MTW/TEW/AWM standard and the BC5W2 standard is the anti-corrosion properties of the latter (which would explain why larger sizes of bare MTW/TEW satisfy BC5W2), hence my question, has anyone used MTW/TEW/AWM and simply tinned the ends themselves to address the corrosion issue.

If you don't know the answer, there's no need to respond; people won't think less of you. People will think less of you when you repeat false information... such as how MTW wire "cannot resist water at all."

[bobcoy]

I don't know why but I am gonna join this. Have you ever in your world seen corrosion 18" inside the insulation? That is why the marine wire is tinned. Tinning the end is not a bad thing for corrosion if you completely seal the connection. However tinning the end of the wire(unless you do each strand separately) will make that connection to the terminating connector brittle and with time and all the vibration from a boat environment, will cause that connection to corrode and fail at some point. Use the proper materials and no problems for a very long time. JMHO. Bob

[Wayne P.]

Is that all your cable says? If so, I can almost guarantee whatever cut-rate Chinese factory that mfg'd your cable has never even heard of UL 1426, much less BC5W2. Look closely... I'm willing to bet that somewhere on your cable is stamped "CSA TEW" or "AWM I A/B" somewhere.

Wire manufactured to the UL1426/BC5W2 standard appears typically to also be rated for MTW/TEW/AWM applications... call it an educated guess, but I don't think wire mfg's are doing that deliberately. It's likely because BC5W2 already meets the basic MTW/TEW/AWM standards or that the basic construction has identical standards; in fact, one manufacturer's bare (untinned) MTW/TEW wire in sizes 6AWG and larger also meets BC5W2. So as far as I can tell, the primary difference between the MTW/TEW/AWM standard and the BC5W2 standard is the anti-corrosion properties of the latter (which would explain why larger sizes of bare MTW/TEW satisfy BC5W2), hence my question, has anyone used MTW/TEW/AWM and simply tinned the ends themselves to address the corrosion issue.

If you don't know the answer, there's no need to respond; people won't think less of you. People will think less of you when you repeat false information... such as how MTW wire "cannot resist water at all."

Hello: I copy/pasted the statement from a website that popped up when did a search for what is MTW wire. The " was the beginning of the description.
The smaller letters at the end are my summary of what was stated previous to it.

I did not make up all that crap, I don't care either way.

The Minnkota power cord has this pressed into the insulation every 4 1/2":
E306583 (UL) BOAT CABLE BC-5W2 10 AWG 600V 105 C WET 75 C WET VW-1 OIL RESISTANT. There is not a single other designation on the wire any place.
I could care less if that wire was made in China or Switzerland. If you have a problem with it, contact Minnkota.

[psygnal11]

I don't know why but I am gonna join this. Have you ever in your world seen corrosion 18" inside the insulation? That is why the marine wire is tinned. Tinning the end is not a bad thing for corrosion if you completely seal the connection. However tinning the end of the wire(unless you do each strand separately) will make that connection to the terminating connector brittle and with time and all the vibration from a boat environment, will cause that connection to corrode and fail at some point. Use the proper materials and no problems for a very long time. JMHO. Bob

Wouldn't the capillary action of the solder effectively seal off the connection, especially if you used an adhesive line heat shrink sleeve??


Personally, I run Ancor marine wire exclusively in my boat, but those working within certain budgetary parameters don't have the same luxury.