Aluminum Boat Speaker Wire

[Baby John]

I have an aluminum boat with a little cheap radio and 4 speakers. I've had to replace my speaker wires twice because they're sort of dry rotting and crumbling. About to have to replace them again.

First set of wires was supposedly Marine Grade copper speaker wire. Second set was a heavier gauge copper wire. Wondering if perhaps I should be using aluminum wire or something. Thinking possibly having dissimilar materials could be causing the wires to corrode.

The radio is just grounded to the aluminum body of the boat.

Anyone have similar issues and could possibly steer me in the right direction?

No salt water or anything. Just an old river boat I fish out of.

 

[GA_Boater]

The radio is just grounded to the aluminum body of the boat.

That's your problem. Stating is in simple terms and not exactly correct, but close enough - Using an aluminum boat as a ground buss makes the boat a battery leading to corrosion.

Run grounds for any electrical device to the battery negative post or a dedicated ground buss connected to the battery negative post. Do not use an AL boat as a ground.

 

[Baby John]

That's your problem. Stating is in simple terms and not exactly correct, but close enough - Using an aluminum boat as a ground buss makes the boat a battery leading to corrosion.

Run grounds for any electrical device to the battery negative post or a dedicated ground buss connected to the battery negative post. Do not use an AL boat as a ground.

I was afraid of that. Weird though that it's not affecting the radio...only the speaker wires.

So just buy standard heavy gauge wire but ground the radio to the battery huh?

 

[dingbat]

So just buy standard heavy gauge wire but ground the radio to the battery huh?

yep

 

[GA_Boater]

The radio and anything else electrical. Easy fix and it will help with hull corrosion. You were lucky the speaker wires went instead of eating the hull.