Checking your battery cables in an important step in your vessel maintenance. When was the last time you checked yours?
While you’re there, you should also look at the condition of the insulation around the conductor, and the condition of the cable terminations at your battery and other components.
Importance of checking your battery cables
Battery cables might seem indestructible, but they are not.
Various conditions and events can negatively affect and compromise your cables, including chafing, heat, cold, oil, movement, accidental slicing, incorrect assembly, and corrosion.
Damage to your electrical components or hazardous conditions can occur if cables and terminations are inadequate.
Yacht standards for healthy battery cabling
Follow these yacht standards to maintain healthy cabling on your vessel:
- Battery Terminals: Connectors to battery terminals must provide secure mechanical and electrical connections.
- Cable Size: Battery cables and other conductors size 13.3 mm2 (6AWG) and larger should use lugs as terminals, not wingnuts.
- Connections: No more than four cables/wires should be connected to a single battery terminal.
- Insulation: Cables should be fully covered with insulated conductors or shrink tubing; no bare wires should be visible.
- Colour Coding: Follow colour codes strictly:
- Black or yellow for negative cables/wires
- Red ONLY for positive cables/wires
- Green or green with yellow stripe for grounding cables/wires
- Cleanliness: Ensure connections are clean and corrosion-free.
- Rubber Boots: Secure rubber boots to the positive terminal ends if batteries are not installed in a battery box.
You can also follow these six tips when checking your battery cables.
Good.
Not so good.
