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Terminal
Crimping The Right Way
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Start your project by laying down and loosely organizing
and securing your wiring. |
Often overlooked is the process of
actually crimping on the terminal to the wire. Bob Garone of
Marine 2000 located in Deer Park, New York demonstrated the
proper technique for crimping connectors. Remember to only strip
off the amount of insulation required to fit the terminal on to
the wire – no more. Many times I’ve seen riggers use simple
pliers to flatten the terminal for a crimp – that is not the
correct procedure. You must use a crimp tool that will dimple
the terminal for an absolutely positive connection to the wire.
These tools are very inexpensive, and are available at any
marine or hardware store.
Finally, never crimp the terminal from the seam; that could push
apart the terminal, compromising your connection to the wire.
After your crimp, slide the shrink wrap tube over the
connection, and use quick, light passes with the butane torch to
shrink the adhesive tube. It should only take a few seconds to
shrink the tube, so be careful. If this is your first time using
a crimp tool or butane torch for shrink wrap tubing, make a few
practice crimps first. Always use the correct size ring
terminal for the connection posts on your gauges.
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Installing Crimp
Terminals |
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1. Stripping just
enough insulation for the terminal. |
2. Crimping a
terminal using the proper crimping tool. |
3. Properly crimped
ring terminal. |
4. Applying heat to
the adhesive shrink tubing. |
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From here, let’s move on to proper gauge
wiring. For most instrument wiring, use a high quality 16 gauge
marine-grade wire. A good rule is to run one ignition-switched
(purple) hot wire for each series of gauges per engine. For
example, if you’re rigging a dual-engine boat with two sets of
gauges, run one switched hot source for each set of gauges. For
fuel pumps, 14 gauge wire is recommended, which should run to a
solenoid prior to entering the fuel pump. Do not run any other
component off the fuel pump hot wire. For basic stereo
applications, 14 gauge wire is recommended. If you’re using
custom audio system amplifiers, you should contact the
manufacturer of the amplifier to select the proper gauge wiring,
since this will depend greatly on the power of the amplifier.
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Always use a nut to space terminals on a single
connection post. Lock washers are also a good idea
to prevent loosening. |
Your
wiring will start at the battery, and you’ll work your way
forward to your gauges and accessories. Start by running
properly crimped and sealed battery leads to two distribution
blocks – one for positive, and one for negative leads. The
distribution blocks allow you to easily and safely tap into the
battery for a direct source of power for switched and non
switched applications. Choose a mounting location that will
protect the distribution block from moisture. From the
distribution blocks, you can run non switched power to the fuse
block, which should be located up front, under the dash
section. It is important to fuse all power conduits for safety
and to prevent serious equipment damage in the event of a short
circuit or circuit overload. If you are unsure about which fuse
to use for each circuit, contact the manufacturer of the
components being powered.
This
leads us into another important aspect of rigging your boat –
proper supporting of wires and cables. Wires are not
self-supporting structures, and you should plan your rigging so
that wiring will not be subject to unnecessary movement. Over
time, small movements in the wiring will cause connections to
break, so never use more wire than is necessary to make your
connections. You can use cable ties that secure to bulkheads
with screws, or adhesive anchors that cable ties can attach to.
Another way to support your wiring is by the use of electrical
"raceways", which are flexible plastic conduits that can be run
throughout the boat. These conduits encase all wiring in a
semi-rigid track, preventing excessive vibration and water
intrusion. They are also highly durable, and suited well
to offshore applications.
Run your wires so that they will not be subject to excessive
heat, moisture, or any possible abrasion that can damage
insulation. While you are running your wires, it is best to
secure them loosely until the entire job is finished in case you
need to run additional wires or relocate gauges.
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This is how your project should look when finished -
neat, secure, and ready for the marine environment. |
If
you’re one of the lucky people who have gauges mounted to an
aluminum panel, it might be much easier to pre-wire the gauges
to each other with the panel removed from the boat. If your
gauges are installed right into the fiberglass dash unit, make
sure you properly support yourself so you’ll be comfortable
during the wiring. If you’re comfortable, you’ll be a lot less
likely to rush the job or cut corners.
Wire
your gauge sets in series, connecting each like-terminal in a
chain. Never stack ring terminals together – always
position a nut between ring terminals on posts that require more
than one terminal. Run only enough wire that is necessary
to connect each gauge to each other, and route all wires so they
are easy to access and identify. To prevent the potential
for loose connections, use lock washers at every
terminal as well. Secure anchor points every several inches and
mount cable ties loosely to them so you can route your wiring as
the job progresses.
Periodically inspect your boat's electrical system and wiring
for loose or corroded connections. The electrical system
of your boat plays a very important role in safety and your
boat's reliability. |
