This is a source I found to have marine UL 1426 cabling made up.
This is the normally larger AWG vs SAE cabling
Plus ends attached using a UL approved machine.
4/0 AWG Gauge Custom Battery Cables Marine Grade - Made to Order (https://www.bestboatwire.com/4-0-awg-custom-battery-cables)
This is my source, free shipping means a lower overall price and quality is the same. I have used both.
Marine Wiring, Boat Cable and Electrical Genuinedealz.com (http://www.genuinedealz.com/)
Oops forgot to post it...
Curious-- what brand? Ancor? That is what I have always used, but, that source is new to me.
Are you saying when you add the ends on in the field they are not UL listed? I don't understand they part of it? What good is it to get the cable is you have the ends put on at your house? You have broken the chain and maybe cause a major problem down the road? Maybe another can of worms?
Bob,
Since I am not familiar with that source, but have a LOT (ya, probably too much) experience with marine wiring over the last 40 years) a couple of questions:
As I asked above, what brand wire do they sell.
Never hear of "UL approved machine for crimping on terminals. " Anything special or just the proper HD crimper that you can find in most shops and at our local West Marine?
How do his prices compare with Bay Marine and other supply houses?
Always great to have an alternate source for quality goods, but want to make sure what we are looking at.
Thanks.
Don't forget the Bay Marine Forum discount.. plus keeps a friend of the forum busy.
Turns out there is a UL standard for crimps. And a multi page test for crimped wires from molex.
Delivered a new country coach that failed 10 miles down the road.
Turns out a bad positive cable crimp. No one pulled on it. Looked good. Shink tubed.
The possible issues from a loose cable end are imaginable
Douglas aircraft when I worked there had every cable/wire in the plane tested
Douglas aircraft when I worked there had every cable/wire in the plane tested
Kinda hard to pull a plane off the side of road. not so much a RV
Chris
They don't post the brand but to me it's the same as Ancor.
Forgot to post my link. Marine Wiring, Boat Cable and Electrical Genuinedealz.com (http://www.genuinedealz.com/)
"Turns out there is a UL standard for crimps. And a multi page test for crimped wires from molex."
Bob - Where might I find that UL standard and multi-page test but more importantly what makes it better than a double mechanical crimp on my bench? Thank you.
In a google search there were many links to standards for uses requiring a certified process.
I am sure most are good. Enough comments around here about poor connections at the ends might have me use marine tinned over copper for the ends?
Everything corrodes where we live a mile from the ocean with on shore winds most of the time.
Corroded some of my gen wires over 8 years here.
Here's the molex info:
https://media.digikey.com/pdf/data%20sheets/molex%20pdfs/tbo%20quality%20crimp%20handbook.pdf
I have found that a short is a short.. doesn't matter where when or how.. it's bad..
Electric doesn't really care if it's a hole rubbed in the cable or the crimp wasn't totally done correctly.. bad things happen when it shorts out.. it's not particular nor biased when it happens!
I read the Molex Handbook listed. First, only the crimps are UL identified as well as MilSpec. The Molex process, their crimpers, or their testing is not UL approved in this handbook or it would have stated so. Many companies have their own "Standards" for installation and testing. Having worked with Lockheed, Boeing, and as FAA Certified Mechanic, all have their own standards. None have ever been listed as UL Approved that I am aware of. I read thousands of standards and edited and developed hundreds of electrical drawings for aircraft. Never once used a reference for UL certification. Agreed there are specific tools for proper crimping. Agreed there are testing methods for assembled wiring. I know of no crimper that carries a UL certification. I have worked with hand operated and hydraulic powered crimpers. I'm not saying there none out there, I just have never had an electrical engineering specification that identified one in many military or FAA contract requirements. Please provide information on UL certification of crimpers and testing of assembled wiring if available.
not willing to pay.
May or may not address your issues.
UL - 1976 Outline of Investigation for Crimp Tools for use with Connecting... (https://standardscatalog.ul.com/standards/en/outline_1976)
I assume there are installations that for various reasons might require all steps to be UL compliant? Commercial power grid stuff? No idea.
I just mentioned I saw a reference on a cable makers site that they had UL certified crimping equipment. Seems it exists.
Don't shoot the messenger. Do whatever makes you comfortable.
The main power cables in my opinion may be "better" sourced from a commercial marine supplier?
Show us the reference you say you saw.
The term "marine certified" means nothing. There are literally hundreds of marine certification organizations in the world, all with different standards. American Bureau of Shipping, Det Norske Veritas, the standard my boat was designed to was specific to New Zealand offshore rules, very strict. The one most folks in the US are familiar with is the NMMA, national marine mfg. assn. The coast guard has pretty well adopted these guidelines as their standard for recreational non certified boats.
That's good and well, but, as a boat builder and operator for many years, I can assure you that these mfg derived rules are in place largely for the convenience of boat mfgs. For instance, no matter the location, field soldered connections are verboten. A guy running around with a hand squeeze crimper is permitted. The reasoning here is that soldering creates a "hard spot" that can break due to vibration, a scenario I have never seen in any application. I've seen plenty of failed field crimps. Obviously, soldered and heat shrunk fittings are costly compared to crimps.
So, as in most things you have to be the judge of quality. In larger wire sizes such as battery cabling I'd be pretty comfortable with hydraulic crimped fittings using the proper size die and machine. If you wish to use tinned wire, it's certainly nice stuff though I'd go with a brand like Ancor with a good rep as there are some really sorry tinned wires being sold these days. Really, though, the cables Foretravel used have lasted me for almost 25 years. Just watch out for chafing.
This is what I was talking about
Your choose your length, color and cable ends from the options above near the purchase buttons. The copper ring terminal lug cable end choices are 5/16 or 3/8 which are professionally crimped onto the red or black copper battery using the UL approved crimping tool as specified by the manufacturer. We then seal the connection point with adhesive heat shrink tubing in the color to match the cable. The heat shrink has a melt-able glue lining to help seal your cable from air and moisture. The copper lugs feature a tin plating which is resistant to corrosion you'll see on bare copper ring terminals.
Batterycableusa.