Moving Batteries Forward - What type wire

[83mulligan]

Hey all, going to be relocating my batteries about 10 ft. forward from the back to middle of boat. What type of wire do I need? I'll be using 2 ga. Does it need to be marine Tinned wire or will the copper from lowes work? Its a freshwater trailer boat stored indoors.

 

[83mulligan]

Re: Moving Batteries Forward - What type wire

anyone?

 

[Auger01]

Re: Moving Batteries Forward - What type wire

Do not use the house wire from Lowes. :facepalm: It is too stiff. The vibrations encountered in a typical boat will cause it to fail. Use a battery cable. For a freshwater boat, it doesn't matter too much if it is tinned. You can get listed boat cable that is not tinned, but most of it will be tinned.

 

[colbyt]

Re: Moving Batteries Forward - What type wire

Fresh water and indoor storage, I would use copper. How many amps? #8 is okay for 50 and #6 is okay for 60. The tinned is always best. UF is second best and regular is third.

 

[83mulligan]

Re: Moving Batteries Forward - What type wire

Fresh water and indoor storage, I would use copper. How many amps? #8 is okay for 50 and #6 is okay for 60. The tinned is always best. UF is second best and regular is third.

I don't know how to tell how many amps for the 90 HP Johnson or the Yamaha T8? Each will be on its own battery. The 90 HP has 4 GA battery cables.

 

[83mulligan]

Re: Moving Batteries Forward - What type wire

Am I best off running the same ga wire from each motor 15 feet to the batteries or am I ok with making a butt splice and going up one size wire from there for 10 ft.?

IE, on the 90 horse butt splicing from 4 ga existing to 2ga and on to battery

 

[Auger01]

Re: Moving Batteries Forward - What type wire

Am I best off running the same ga wire from each motor 15 feet to the batteries or am I ok with making a butt splice and going up one size wire from there for 10 ft.?

IE, on the 90 horse butt splicing from 4 ga existing to 2ga and on to battery

I am not sure you can find a butt splice to go from 2 to 4 ga. I used one of these to "splice" my 2 ga battery cables to the motor wires. It worked great. Bigger is better. Use the 2 or larger to go to the outboards.


Dual PowerPost - Two 5/16"-18 Studs - Blue Sea Systems

 

[83mulligan]

Re: Moving Batteries Forward - What type wire

Thank you, Auger01. Now i just need to decide if its worth paying significantly more for tinned battery cable vs. copper battery cable in a freshwater/stored indoors trailer boat application.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Moving Batteries Forward - What type wire

When you figure out what you want, go here:

GenuineDealz.com - Marine Electrical, Boat Wire & Cable, Custom Battery Cables

They can make the cables with the ends for you.

Don't splice the cables. Just buy the larger cable for the entire length.

 

[83mulligan]

Re: Moving Batteries Forward - What type wire

When you figure out what you want, go here:

GenuineDealz.com - Marine Electrical, Boat Wire & Cable, Custom Battery Cables

They can make the cables with the ends for you.

Don't splice the cables. Just buy the larger cable for the entire length.

thanks for the link, Bruce, I will check that out.

 

[83mulligan]

Re: Moving Batteries Forward - What type wire

how do i test with my meter how much amperage my motor requires?

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Moving Batteries Forward - What type wire

how do i test with my meter how much amperage my motor requires?

You can't unless you install a shunt and measure voltage drop across it.

Best to consult the manufacturer or see if the manual mentions anything. Someone on here may know this already. I am not familiar with what outboards draw.