Boat Electrical Connections

For marine applications, you should not just wind a bared twisted wire around a terminal post screw, a circuit breaker, or bus bar screw and tighten it down. The preferred and the industry standard for making electrical terminal connections are to employ a flanged fork, spade or ring.  These are less likely to corrode or loosen from vibration.

Wire connectors can be soldered to the wire, but crimp fittings are acceptable. Crimp fittings are tinned copper fittings with a tubular shank with a plastic sheathing. The fittings must be of proper size for the wire used.

The stripped end of the wire is inserted into the tubular shank of the crimp fitting and then the shank is squeezed or crimped on to the wire with a crimping tool. If the wire is too small for the crimp fitting the connection will corrode and often wiggle or vibrate apart.

If the stripped end of the wire is pre-tinned, and the proper size crimp fitting is used, the potential for corrosion is minimal.  There is no need to add solder to this type of connection.

Where added corrosion protection is wanted, a liquid vinyl compound can be put on the connection or heat shrink tubing may be used to seal the joint.

Butt connectors can be used to join wire ends and these crimp connectors can and should be covered with heat shrink tubing.  

   

By making connections on your boat this way, it makes hooking up to terminals quick and basically corrosion free, as well as in line with industry standards.