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Why Does 8 AWG Marine Battery Cable Look Silver?

10th May 2021

Here at EWCS Wire, we sell 8 AWG marine battery cable and other marine grade battery cable. Click on the link above and take a look through some of our marine cables. You will notice that, among other things, they appear to be silver.

You will also notice that marine grade cables appear to be silver in real life. If you’ve ever done any electrical work aboard a boat or a ship, or in some other maritime setting, this is something you can probably recall.

Electricians may know the reason for this, but it is not so obvious to the layman. So then, why does 8 AWG marine battery cable appear to be silver?

It could be because they are made of silver; but they aren’t. Silver is an excellent conductor. In fact, it is one of the best conductors of all, but silver suffers from another common trait with copper that we will shortly explore.

It could be because they are made of aluminum, like other cables on our site; but again, marine grade cables are not made of aluminum. Aluminum is light, flexible, malleable and a decent conductor, but it is not as good a conductor as copper.

The question remains, and it can be answered in part by an explanation of the shared trait between silver and copper mentioned above. Both silver and copper are susceptible to a chemical process known as oxidation, a common form of corrosion.

Oxidation occurs when some reactive materials are exposed to oxygen in favorable conditions. Oxidation requires oxygen, another highly reactive element, and can be furthered by catalysts like heat or water. Elements like copper and silver are both reactive and will “mix” with oxygen to form different compounds.

Copper, for example, reacts with oxygen to form copper oxide, a greenish-blue, chalky substance often referred to as patina. This is the substance that makes the Statue of Liberty appear green, and does the same to “green” copper eaves.

Silver oxidizes to form silver oxide, which is a black, sooty substance often referred to as tarish. Both silver and copper are highly reactive, but copper is slightly reactive. By this point, it might seem as though we have gone on a tangent in this article.

Back to marine battery cables. Marine battery cables are utilized in marine environments where they will come in contact with saltwater, which is a highly corrosive agent that would quickly oxidize copper or silver. This is the reason that marine grade cables are not made from silver - but the interesting thing here is that they are made from copper - you just can’t see it.

Copper, which is also reactive, must be protected from the corrosive marine environment, which is accomplished by individually tinning each of the many stranded copper conductors in marine electrical cable. These individually tinned copper marine wires are the reason that marine grade wiring appears to be silver. It is not silver at all but tin, which helps to protect the copper from the ravages of corrosion.

This feature of copper stranded, tin plated marine grade cable helps it resist corrosion and is one of the features that makes it suitable for use in marine environments. With this in mind, allow us to field a question on that matter:

Can I Use Automotive Battery Cable instead of 8 AWG Marine Battery Cable?

Do a quick internet search and you will see that this question comes up frequently enough, but the fact is that you should not use automotive battery cable for wiring applications aboard vessels. It lacks the corrosion resistance and flexibility, and moreover may not be able to carry the same currents required to perform effectively.

By contrast, our marine battery cable is highly flexible, corrosion resistant and is UL and United States Coast Guard Approved. In addition, they are resistant to acids and alkalis as well as gasoline, oil, moisture and abrasion. Made in the U.S.A, our copper marine cables are sold by the foot in specific increments, although you can call us to work out your order.

Learn More Here

Ready to learn more about the unique traits of marine battery cable, or do you just want to see what we have available? Check out our collection of specialized marine cables via the link above or get in touch with us at 800-262-1598 or at Sales@EWCSWire.com.

Let us know what you’re looking for and we’ll put you in touch with the specialty wires and cables for that very job. In addition to our marine cables, we also sell highly flexible welding cable, instrumentation and alarm cable, submersible pump cables, building wire and cables, armored cables, photovoltaic cables and much more.

Get in touch with us today to learn more about our unique products or to place a special order.