Now offering printed contura rocker switch actuators

New Wire Marine is now offering our popular printed actuators independent of the switch bodies!  These actuators fit onto any of our Carling Contura V-Series switch bodies, and allow you to change your labels easily as you change or add electrical loads.  Guaranteed we have the best price online at only $4.99.  Show us a better deal on printed actuators and we’ll beat them by 20%!

These contura actuators can be easily removed from the Carling V-series switch with the handy removal tool.  With a little practice, you can snap them off with a couple of small flat blade screwdrivers… but we recommend the tool.

We have over 35 printed actuators now with an ever growing lineup!  We are bringing 10 more online soon!

SEE THE ACTUATORS HERE!

Follow Our BLOG and get 25% off your first New Wire Marine order!

Attention!  We want you to follow our blog!  For the next TWO WEEKS Everyone who follows this blog will receive a 25% off your first order promotional code!  Don't miss this opportunity to get an even better deal on the marine electrical products you need!

Follow us between 7/22/2011 and 8/5/2011 to quality!

Introducing Carling Contura V-Series rocker switch bodies only! SPST and DPDT

You've asked and we answered!  New Wire Marine is now offering genuine marine grade carling rocker switch bodies.  We have always offered great deals on our custom labeled switch and actuator packages, but now you can order just the bodies separately in either Single Pole Single Throw or Double Pole Double Throw!  

Our SPST switches are great for normal loads, while DPDT are ON-OFF-ON switches that can be used for things like Nav/Anc lights and left and right wiper motors.

We are increasing our product line in the coming weeks and months so check back in often for new New Wire Marine product offerings.

www.NewWireMarine.com

One rule to rule them all: Ohm's Law - it cannot be violated

To a brand new electrical engineering student, the first thing you must learn is a law of physics called Ohm’s Law.  It was names after the German physicist Georg Ohm, who published the theory in 1827.  Very simply the law states:

V = I x R

Or, Voltage (V) equals Current (I) times Resistance (R).  It means that the voltage drop across a resistance is equal to the amount of that resistance (ohms) times the current traveling through the resistance (amps).

So what does this mean to the average boat owner?  Well… one application is that the higher current (amps) a load carries, means a higher voltage drop you will have in the cable.  Think about these steps as you look at the formula above:

1)      A large electrical load means high amps

2)      High amps means high “I” in the formula above

3)      With a fixed resistance (R), this means voltage drop (V) must increase proportionally with the current

4)      As voltage drop in the cable increases, it lowers the operating voltage of the equipment

What conclusion can we draw from this?  That to keep voltage drop (V) in your cable constant, while increasing current (I), you must decrease resistance (R).  And you decrease R by… wait for it… GET A BIGGER CABLE!  AH HA!  That is why larger loads need larger cable… large cable has less resistance.

A second application is that as cable length increases (R increases), with a constant current, the voltage drop also increases.  This is why when you run a long cable to a device far away from your battery; you should step up your cable size decrease resistance and voltage drop.

Boat / Marine wiring color codes

What color wire should you use on your boat, and is it important?  First of all: YES it is important.  Just like in your house, using the incorrect color wire when re-wiring your boat will be confusing to anyone working on it in the future and risks short circuits (or faults) that could cause serious damage to you and your boat.

In most small boats there are two main types of power distribution cable... 12Vdc positive, and 12Vdc negative, or + and -.  The colors you MUST use to identify the difference between these + and - are red and black respectively... I repeat:

Positive (+) = RED
Negative (-) = Black (or yellow)

Also, DC grounding conductors should be green... but for many small boats you will not have any grounding conductors on your boat.  These color codes are established by the American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC), and are standard throughout the industry.  Please, don’t buy all one color wire to re-wire your boat.

Also note that the ABYC has established a more detailed standard of more than 10 different colors to identify what type of positive wire you’re dealing with.  Brown for instance should be used for all pumps, and Pink should be used for a fuel gauge.  These are recommendations only, not Coast Guard regulations, and while useful… having to buy 15 different colors of wire for a DIY job may be impractical. 

So remember… Red is + and black is –

Excerpt from ABYC standard E-11 “AC and DC Electrical Systems on Boats” :

Automatic Bilge Pump Switch - Should I use ON/OFF or ON/OFF/AUTO?

A common question our customers ask is: "Can you give me a labeled BILGE switch that is ON-OFF-AUTO?".  Our response is: "Absolutely we can provide the switch and good choice on adding an automatic bilge pump, but do you really want to put a switch on it?"

On New Wire Marine custom switch panels, we default to providing an ON/OFF switch only.  We DO recomend every boat have an automatic (float switch) feed for the bilge pump, BUT we prefer the "auto" float switch lead be run directly from + on your battery (fused of course).  This method of bi-passing your battery switch and switch panel makes certain that your float switch will turn on your bilge pump if it ever begins to fill up with water.  If you ever leave your boat at the dock, this could keep your boat from sinking if you forget to turn your "auto" switch on, or even if you have your battery switch OFF. 

 

The reason typically cited to NOT connect devices straight to the battery is that a trickle current (like from a GPS, or VHF) could drain it.  BUT, there is little to no risk of this when a device (like a bilge pump) is connected with a physical disconnect switch (like a float switch).

 

Furthermore, even if you trailer your boat how do you compare: 1) the risk of draining a battery because you left the plug in and the bilge pump had to pump rain water out all night - 2) with the risk that you decide to unexpectedly leave your boat at a friend's dock for the weekend and return to find it swamped, or worse... sunk?

 

In conclusion, You DO need an automatic bilge pump, but there is little justification for putting a switch on the "automatic" feed, and there is substantial risk reduced by NOT putting the auto feed on a switch.

 

...but that's just our recommendation, it's your boat, and New Wire Marine is here to help.

 

Here's a wiring digram of what we're talking about:

 

 

 

 

boat rocker switch mounting panels - new snap together design

New Wire Marine now offers a product that allows you to create your own custom switch panel of any size.  These cool mounting panels securely snap together to create any size you want, and you can easily mount on your dash as small as a single switch and up to any number.  There are middle pieces, end pieces and singles that can create any combination.  There panels are very high quality and reasonably priced!

The mounting panels fit our labeled carling rocker switches perfectly to make just the panel you want.

Check Them Out Here

Tinned marine wire

The marine environment, in particularly the saltwater environment, is one of the harshest out there.  Additionally, the vibrations and conditions onboard a boat make it even rougher on your electrical system.

Tinned, marine grade wire is a type of copper wire and cable made especially for these corrosive environments.  Each tiny copper strand is coated in a layer of tin making it less susceptible to corrosion.  You may have noticed regular grade copper can become black after even a little exposure to moisture or water, but tinned wire holds up much better.

Additionally tinned marine wire has many more, smaller strands than regular copper wire.  This makes it much more flexible for the tight routing plans inevitable on a small boat project.  It also helps the wire to hold up better to vibration and shock.  Also, insulation used in Marine grade holds up better than most regular copper wire in the oily and corrosive boat environment, and is typically rated at a higher temperature for use in hot engine compartments.

New Wire Marine has excellent prices on quality tinned marine battery cable and is sold in bulk on our website.  We also use tinned marine wire exclusively on our Custom Battery Cable assemblies, and our Custom Switch Panels.

Does my boat really need a battery switch?

I say yes, even on a small boat.  A battery switch will eliminate any stray current draws that could drain your battery while at the dock for a long period or on the trailer.  When this master switch is off, you can rest assured that a trickle draw will not drain your battery.

Another reason is that the switch can be used to quickly and effectively shut off power to your entire system while working on your boat's electrical system or, in the case of a short circuit which could lead to a fire.

Also, 1-2-BOTH-OFF battery combiner type switch is a cheap way to add a second battery, creating a redundant system, and giving you a house side and a starting side... more on that to come!

There are exceptions, where I recommend devices be routed around the battery switch (hardwired to battery), your bilge float switch for instance.  Also, never turn your battery switch off while your boat's motor is running!  For this reason a 1-2-BOTH-OFF switch should be a "make before break" type.

Sign up for email promotions and discounts

New Wire Marine sends coupons and discounts at least monthly to all our email subscribers... If you're not getting them you're missing out!  Take a minute to sign up for our email distribution...

SIGN UP!

We're not going to send you a bunch of junk you don't want, and you can unsubscribe anytime... We will send no more than 1 email every two weeks unless you request more.

How to size marine circuit breakers

Here at New Wire Marine we love circuit breakers.  They are usually easier to access, are much easier to re-set and troubleshoot your problem, and are less likely to leave you stranded without a fuse.  That's why we put them on many of our Custom Marine Switch Panels.

To correctly size a breaker all you should consider is the wiring... that's what breakers protect.  They are not there to protect the device, that's what they have an internal fuse for.  If your device has a current draw of only 1A, but is fed by 16AWG wire, you should size the breaker for the max rating of the 16AWG conductor.

This is why we supply our custom boat panels with 10A breakers standard.  This will be fine for typical 18, 16, or 14 AWG loads, and protect your cable well.

New Carbon Fiber switch panels!!

Alright folks... you've asked for it and we answered.  New Wire Marine is now starting to ramp up our existing line of custom marine switch panels with a new material.  We really like the way the carbon fiber looks, and you'll love it on your boat.  Our Custom Switch Panels in carbon fiber really have a modern look.  Also the acrylic finish will stand up in the marine environment just as good as our tried and true like of black with pin stripe custom switch panels.

We hope to have all our current boat switch panel layouts available in carbon fiber before long.  Send us an email (esteele@newwiremarine.com) or use our contact us page to request a specific model.

Custom boat Switch Panels

New Wire Marine offers a large lineup of custom marine switch panels.  They are top notch quality panels made with real marine grade labeled carling contura II rocker switches.  Panels may also include dc plugs, voltmeters, ignitions switch inserts and other cool customizable features.  They also come with a clearly labeled wiring harness and are fully wired.

The first choice on your custom switch panels is to choose a panel layout from over 25 options.  The layout will determine how many quality marine rocker switches you need as well as circuit breakers, dc plugs and sometimes a voltmeter.  Then for each switch location in your layout you can choose a labeled carling contura rocker switch, creating custom panel for your boat.

Check out our custom panels at this link: http://shop.newwiremarine.com/Custom-Switch-Panels_c3.htm

Or see all our neat marine products at our online store: http://shop.newwiremarine.com

New Wire Marine enters the blog world

Welcome everyone to New Wire Marine's first blog post.  We will use this vehicle to provide our customers with marine wiring tips, and tricks, to introduce new products, and to provide details of existing products.  Feel free to ask questions and I will try my best to find the answers.

Thank you, and good luck on your marine wiring projects!

-Eric
New Wire Marine