Marine Vs Auto Store

[jollymon]

I know that with some things, there is a difference between marina and auto parts. But what about wiring parts. I know only to use tinned, wire design for a marine enviroment, but what about battery lugs, and connectors. The AutoZone by me has a large selection of Heat Shrink waterproof connectors. They are not the name brand we are use to seeing in the marine stores, but they are 1/3 the cost.<br /><br />I do not want to start a war, but are they just as good?

 

[JB]

Re: Marine Vs Auto Store

Usually not as suitable for a marine environment, jolly. Subtle differences in alloys, etc. make the less expensive stuff in auto stores less suitable.

 

[18rabbit]

Re: Marine Vs Auto Store

Here’s the dirty little secret about marine electrical… the boating industry itself is not big enough to support the manufacturing of specialized electrical components. Almost everything used in marine electronics has another use in a different industry and can be had for less money if you buy the identical product from someplace other than a marine electronics specialty store. Marine grade wire and connectors have use in tons of offshore applications and corrosive environments, not just boats. Ancor brand wire and connectors are really popular in the boating community. Ancor does not make any wire or any connectors at all! They label and package std industry parts. Same for some of the stuff Blue Sea Systems sells.<br /><br />There is a really good chance those connectors are what you need. STAY AWAY FROM ZINC PLATED STEEL connectors that are common in auto parts store. The connectors you found might be ok, you need to check. (hint: think ... magnet)<br /><br />For batteries you want closed-end, tin-plated copper lugs. A pkg of 10 lugs for size AWG 0 wire, 1/4-inch stud, sells for under $7 ($0.70 each!)<br /><br />For connectors, look for tinned copper and a welded (brazed) barrel. Pkgs of ring connectors for AWG 16/14 wire, #8 screw, sell for around $0.20 (twenty-cents) per piece with adhesive lined heat shrink, about $0.15/pc for nylon insulated, and $0.04/pc for the non-insulted.<br /><br />Regardless of what type connector your use, you’ll want adhesive lined heat shrink to seal the crimp*. That’s where the ‘water tight’ part is coming from. Adhesive lined heat shrink is common in several industries. It can be had from large electrical retailers for around $4 (or less) for a 4-ft section. If you use 1/2-inch of heat shrink per connector you have 96 pieces (4-cents each!) from that 4-ft section.<br /><br />The cheapest way to do the connectors is with non-insulted connectors and your own piece of adhesive heat shrink cut from that 4-ft section.<br /><br />4-cent connector + 4-cent adhesive lined tubing = 8-cents per marine-grade connection.<br /><br />*Oops! Did I say crimp???

 

[Mahoney]

Re: Marine Vs Auto Store

I have yet to find something in a marine store that is priced equally to the same part outside the store. Wether it be online or at the ace hardware store down the street, I have found the West Marine prices easily 50% to 100% higher than the same items found elsewhere. <br /><br />This is unfortunate, since there are many items that genuinely do need to be marine specific that you shouldn't try to get from an auto store. I find that if they at least priced the same stuff you can find elseware competitively, it would not be the first temptation of every boater to first ask, "can i get this somewhere else?"<br /><br />I bought a lower unit lube change pump at Ace hardware for $8.50, they wanted $13.99 for the EXCACT same pump at the marine store. Little paper fuel filters for carb? $5.99 marine store, $1.99 at Schucks.<br /><br />Being on the water would be a lot safer IMHO if marine specialty stores would offer low price guarantees on some of these everyday items, so people wouldn't shy away from buying actual coast guard approved componenets due to sticker shock.

 

[18rabbit]

Re: Marine Vs Auto Store

Industries are well regulated for safety. Marine electrical stuff is culled from other industries where it is designed not to fail (for safety reasons) in a given environment. Imagine what could happen if a proximity sensor failed on an offshore oil platform due to a corroded connector.<br /><br />See the materials I listed for the lugs and connectors. Compare it to Ancor’s description for their (over-priced) connectors: “Tinned copper gives the least electrical resistance but the most corrosion protection.”<br /><br />For toggle circuit breakers that are common on boats, web search for Carling or Airpax (as in: these circuit breakers are also used on aircraft) … or buy (over-priced) Blue Sea Systems and peel their label off to expose ‘Carling’ molded in the plastic. Tyco (Potter & Brumfield) also makes them but I hate navigating their website.

 

[demsvmejm]

Re: Marine Vs Auto Store

Originally posted by 18rabbit:<br /> <br /><br /><br />Regardless of what type connector your use, you’ll want adhesive lined heat shrink to seal the crimp*. That’s where the ‘water tight’ part is coming from.

Just be careful when crimping so you don't cut through the insulation. To get a feel, get some pvc crimp terminals and practice. If you crimp the heat-shrink terminals too hard and cut the insulation it defeats the whole purpose. Therefore I totally agree with...<br />

The cheapest way to do the connectors is with non-insulted connectors and your own piece of adhesive heat shrink cut from that 4-ft section.

And let's all promise not to start THAT debate again. OK? OK <br />

*Oops! Did I say crimp???

 

[Realgun]

Re: Marine Vs Auto Store

The crimpers I got can do inulated, non-insulated and OEM. Some places here us regular wire on thier boats. All they say is were not going to the ocean so we don't need the protection. Kinda hard to get the kind of wire the day you need it if you have to purchase on the net. <br /><br />I never thought of the uninsulated rings and such that would look better than the fat shrinkwrapped connectors I make.

 

[demsvmejm]

Re: Marine Vs Auto Store

RealGun, what was meant was use the uninsulated connectors and then use the adhesive sealed heat shrink tubing to seal the connection afterward. That way you make a good, strong crimp and then seal it afterward, so you don't run the risk of cutting through the heat shrink on the all-in-one connectors when crimping.

 

[demsvmejm]

Re: Marine Vs Auto Store

See my post for a source for Marine grade wire.<br /> Marine Wiring Source