Mating Power Cables

[dave6330]

I am in the final stages of preparation for the installation of a new electric windlass and have a question on mating power cables of different gauges. The distance of the run from my batteries to the bow dictated a heavy gauge power line in order to reduce the power loss enroute. I chose a 2/0 AWG line (big frigging wire!) to carry the juice forward. Now my delemna...the pigtail coming out of the Lewmar Pro Series 1000 windlass is a lower gauge wire (unmarked but I'm guessing somewhere around a 2 AWG size). How do I go about splicing the two different sizes of wire together?

V/R

Dave

[sailingdog]

Use two power posts, with the proper size ring terminal on each cable. One for the ground wires and one for the 12 VDC wires.

Originally Posted by dave6330

I am in the final stages of preparation for the installation of a new electric windlass and have a question on mating power cables of different gauges. The distance of the run from my batteries to the bow dictated a heavy gauge power line in order to reduce the power loss enroute. I chose a 2/0 AWG line (big frigging wire!) to carry the juice forward. Now my delemna...the pigtail coming out of the Lewmar Pro Series 1000 windlass is a lower gauge wire (unmarked but I'm guessing somewhere around a 2 AWG size). How do I go about splicing the two different sizes of wire together?

V/R

Dave

[dave6330]

Looked it up...not a bad idea. Any ideas on how I go about insulating/protecting the connections at the power posts and on both ring terminals?

[sailingdog]

You can get a rubber boot that fits over the power post.

[Architeuthis]

I like to put a wrap of 3M 88 directly on the bolted connection, 1/2 over lap for each wrap and back quite a bit from the end (like an inch or two). Then a couple wraps of 3M 23 not quite as far as the bottom layer of 88 again 1/2 overlap, and then a wrap or two of 88.....but really a few layers of 88 depending on risk of mechanical wear is likely good enough.

[mitiempo]

But this is easier.