Boating safety is critical, and though only one element of safety on the water is electrical, it is still an important one. It’s estimated that around 30% of fires on the water are electrical in origin, and it’s entirely possible that the true figure is even higher.

Now, even were this not the case, it is true that a boat with a short circuit or corroded wire, in the absence of a fire risk, would still be “dead in the water.”

So, keep your vessel safe and sound with the following electrical considerations.

Use the Appropriate Boat Battery Cables in the First Place

First and foremost, do not use electrical cables in marine applications unless they are American Boat and Yacht Council approved for use as boat battery cables.

Also known as marine electrical wire, boat battery cables feature a high strand count that keeps the cable more flexible, along with individually tinned conductors.

The individually tinned conductors are necessary to withstand the corrosive influences of marine environments, which are considerably more noxious than those on land.

Some boat battery cables are also made with special insulation that helps protect them against abrasion, weather, sunlight, and other chemicals, like oil, gas, acids, and alkali compounds.

In addition, another aspect of appropriate cable selection has to do with gauge. Make sure to use only a cable that is appropriately rated for the job, as using one that is too thin will result in overheating and a significantly higher risk of fire.

Ensure a Proper, Tight Connection

When establishing connections between boat battery cables and terminals, use an appropriately sized wrench and make sure it is quite tight.

There is a lot of movement and vibration at sea and a loose connection can result in a bottleneck that overheats the wire. It can also result in arcing and sparking, which elevate the risk of fire.

Make sure your terminal connections are tight and check them periodically, before every trip on the water if feasible. For small craft, this should be no problem.

Route the Boat Battery Cables So As to Avoid Abrasive Contact

When routing the boat battery cables, be sure to choose a pathway that protects the cables against abrasive damage.

If you need to run the cable between compartments, make sure you use conduit or some other protective raceway in order to ensure the cable doesn’t wear through contact.

The vibrations and motion of a vessel at sea can result in accelerated abrasive damage, and where cable is exposed, it will quickly corrode.

This results in a higher risk of failure, overheating, and fire.

Keep Boat Battery Terminals Clean

A variety of factors can result in corrosion on boat battery terminals. Overcharging, age, (and importantly here) high humidity and salt exposure can accelerate corrosion on one or both terminals.

Corrosion typically manifests as a powdery white, blue or greenish-yellow substance that accumulates around the terminal of the battery.

Under a severe corrosion load, it becomes difficult to sustain a secure electrical connection between the terminal and lead boat battery cables.

When this occurs, either the connection is broken and the system fails, or the current gets bottlenecked through an increasingly small connection that will get hotter and hotter.

In extreme cases, corrosion that results in overheating can also result in an electrical fire.

The solution is to fastidiously maintain your boat’s battery terminals. You’ll need little more than a battery terminal brush, which will cost you only a few dollars at most at any hardware store, marine supply or automotive shop.

Use one of these to vigorously scrub the terminals clean periodically, or as needed.

Use Dielectric Grease to Insulate Exposed Wire

Lastly, it is inevitable that you will need to strip some boat battery cable to make connections on a boat.

Where the cable is exposed, it is at highest risk of corrosion. This is where you need to apply marine-grade dielectric grease to insulate the exposed cable as well as the connection.

Dielectric grease is a medium that seals off the cable to atmospheric conditions, helping to protect against corrosion.

While it can be applied anywhere the cable is exposed, as well as over connections, do not apply dielectric grease before establishing a connection as it will disrupt the circuit.

That is, make the connection, then coat it in grease. Doing so the other way around is counterintuitive as it prevents electricity from flowing.

Here for Boat Battery Cables?

Armed with these tips, you should be able to help prevent corrosion on your boat battery cables, thereby extending their service lifespan and reducing the risk of overheating and fires.

If you’re here for high-quality marine electrical cables, see the previous link or get in touch with us directly at Sales@EWCSWire.com.