No matter how new you are to the boating world, you can understand the critical importance of keeping your boat and its equipment properly maintained. Knowing how important it is to upgrade or replace equipment promptly makes for the best boating experience, as delaying essential maintenance can lead to severe damage and frustration. If you do not pay close enough attention to the repairs or maintenance your boat requires, you run the risk of compromising the safety of your boat, as well as your own recreational enjoyment. Your boat’s electrical system is one of the most critical pieces of equipment you can pay attention to. The vast majority of your boat’s equipment depends on the proper functioning of the electrical system and, more specifically, the battery. Everything from the motor to your beloved radio needs a steady flow of electricity to keep doing their jobs. To ensure that the battery is performing at peak levels, you will need to ensure you have quality, functional boat battery cables. For many mariners, it is sometimes easy to unintentionally overlook these cables, which can complicate the steps required to properly care for your battery. Read on for helpful information about how to know when it’s time to change your boat’s battery cables.

1. Pay Attention to Fraying and Splitting
One of the most simple and easy ways to find out whether or not you need to replace your boat battery cables is to check the cables for any signs of fraying or splitting. Fraying or splitting of the cables is a surefire indicator of severe degradation and damage, generally caused by corrosion or excessive use without maintenance. Cables that are frayed or split can cause severe damage to your boat in the form of burns and power surges, so be sure to turn the engine off as soon as you discover the problem. Another important thing to pay attention to is whether or not any of your cables’ insulation is split. Splits expose your cables to increased moisture and degradation, which can quickly damage or short out your boat’s entire electrical system. If you do discover signs of fraying or splitting, change your battery cables immediately.

2. Pay Attention to Corrosion
Corrosion is one of the most common causes of battery and cable damage. Corrosion occurs most commonly around the cable’s connectors, where the boat battery cables are attached to the battery itself. It is incredibly important to look out for corrosion because it can cause severe damage not only to your cables but to the battery itself. To properly inspect for signs of corrosion, look for any white crust that appears around the battery cable connectors. Be careful, and make sure to wear heavy-duty work gloves while inspecting, as this residue can cause serious skin damage and may itself be corrosive. If you spot any residue on your cables, you should consider quickly replacing them. While corrosion is not necessarily as serious as frayed or split cables, in some cases, it can rapidly worsen and may eventually pose more severe problems for you and your boat. Do not overlook this easily fixed problem!

3. Make Use of All of Your Senses
It might not seem obvious or intuitive, but you can also inspect the health of your cables with your sense of smell and hearing. Interestingly, both of these built-in “diagnostic tools” can quickly detect any potential damage to your boat battery cables. If you smell hints of something acrid or the strong odor of burning rubber in or near your battery compartment, you likely have discovered signs of critical degradation that should be further inspected immediately. If you happen to smell burning rubber, check the battery and cables immediately, as burning rubber can indicate overheating.

As mentioned above, you can also take advantage of your hearing to help identify signs of potential damage. If you are experiencing electrical problems or are merely doing a routine inspection of your boat, you will want to flex your battery cables gently. If the cables make a cracking noise, it can be a sign that the inside of the cable has sustained damage. Be careful not to over-flex your cables, as this can lead to unnecessary and preventable damage. In any case, if you do hear that cracking noise, do your best to replace those cables as soon as you can.

If you are in need of a new set of boat battery cables or simply want to have an extra set on deck just to be prepared, make sure to visit www.ewcswire.com for helpful information and an impressive stock of replacements. The friendly and professional staff at EWCSWire is committed to helping you find the electrical boat equipment that meets all of your needs. For nearly 25 years, the specialists at EWCSWire have set themselves apart from the competition by helping customers like you with all of their cable and electrical needs, safely and quickly. Visit EWCSWire online or call 800-262-1598 today!