Is marine wire okay for 12 and 24 volt DC in RVs?

belfert · September 16, 2009, 04:46:31 PM

I know well enough now that marine/boat wire is not allowed for RVs for the AC side.

NEC does not address low voltage. Is there some code/rule/whatever that says marine wire can't be used for low voltage in RVs?

I hope not as I don't want to rewire my DC side too.

Len Silva · September 16, 2009, 05:03:38 PM

No reason why not.

Kristinsgrandpa · September 16, 2009, 05:17:30 PM

Belfert, You are right about not being covered. The last year it was covered was 2002.
When the 05 issue came out it had been moved to another NFPA publication which I don't have and have never seen.

The only reason it wouldn't be approved is because it hasn't been tested for that application.

It is probably the best wire you could use.

If anyone questions it just tell them it was wired in New Jersey. The Adopted the NEC in its entireity with the exception of Article 551 which covers RV's and RV parks.

Ed

Nick Badame Refrig/ACC · September 16, 2009, 06:43:22 PM

Hi Brian,

I used marine stranded/jacketed 12 ga. and 10 ga. 3 conductor wire for all my AC curcuits and

marine stranded/jacketed 12 ga 2 conductor for all my DC curcuits. All purchaced from Waytec Wire.

Nick-

mikeH8H-649 · September 16, 2009, 07:07:33 PM

Well every wire I put in my bus is marine wire and my next bus will be the same,I used it in my race cars for many years with never one failure. Mike

DaveG · September 16, 2009, 07:54:02 PM

Stupid question...what makes marine wire different than automotive stranded for DC application?

belfert · September 16, 2009, 08:06:30 PM

Marine wire generally has more strands and is tinned.

DaveG · September 16, 2009, 08:08:16 PM

Tinned all the way...to reduce corrosion?

buswarrior · September 16, 2009, 08:17:52 PM

The individual strands of wire in stranded cable is tinned in a marine cable.

In other words, the copper strands have a coating of solder on it, all the way through the cable.

It greatly resists the dreaded green and/or black creeping corrosion, and if soldered connections are used by experienced hands, there is effectively no exposed copper to the elements.

It is also called "ship-board cable"

Purchase it from your local cabling supplier by the spool, or by the yard for the big stuff. Stay away from retail, the mark up is even worse.

My battery cables for the inverter and house batteries are all 0000 ship board cable, and I will be using it as extensively as possible through out the coach.

If you have seen what moisture does to regular stranded cable either at the ends or if it gets a nick in it, you will be an instant convert to marine style cabling.

happy coaching!
buswarrior

boogiethecat · September 16, 2009, 08:22:35 PM

Once again
An unofficial test on my milling machine, bending different types of wire a similar amount until it failed
Just shows that the arguements for stranded wire are true...

I tested boat wire after this was done and it was about the same as the UL1015 wire

belfert · September 16, 2009, 08:23:12 PM

Every strand is fully tinned. Yes, it prevents corrosion. Probably not an issue inside a bus, but outside caqn be an issue. For a boat with salt water it is a huge issue.

I have cut the ends off some of the wire on the original wiring on the bottom side of my bus and found some pretty severe corrosion. The manufacturer took some shortcuts on the wiring to say the least. I use all heat shrink terminals on the exterior along with Weather Pack connectors where necessary.

Overkill, probably. But, I probably won't ever have to touch that part of the bus again so it is worth it to me.

belfert · September 16, 2009, 08:29:46 PM

I bought all of my marine wire from genuinedealz.com or skycraftsurplus.com. Genuinedealz.com is a buck or two more, but no shipping. Good for smaller orders.

Others have bought from waytekwire.com, but they have some high minimums in some cases.

Chuck Newman · September 16, 2009, 09:57:47 PM

Brian,

Boat wire is UL and CG approved. Ok, so the UL approval is for Maritime applications, not RV applications. But then my coach isn't UL approved for bus use or motorhome use. But boat wire is good enough for Marithon. Or so I've been told.

The most important thing is make good insulation strips, and good crimps onto quality connectors. If the tools or connectors look cheap, then they are. Professional quality tools will be about $50.00. Industrial quality crimp connectors will be around $20. to $30. a box of 100.

Any they will last the life of the bus.

Chuck