Neglecting maritime safety, even its smallest aspects, has led to countless disasters across history. Marine electrical cables are among these often-overlooked facets despite playing an essential role in every marine vessel’s electrical system, which is where many accidents stem from in this modern seafaring age. Faulty wiring is among the root causes of many catastrophic events at sea, including electrocution and electrical fires, with the latter having the greatest potential to cause sinking. Hence, it is crucial not to underestimate the importance of high-quality cables to ensure such accidents are far less likely to occur.
The Risks of Using Poor-Quality Marine Electrical Cables
Low-quality cables are prone to causing numerous hazards that can put the safety of sailors, seafarers, and vessels at risk due to their higher risk of overheating, which may develop into electrical fires that quickly spread throughout the ship and endanger the lives of everyone on board. Furthermore, inferior cables are more likely to wear out and corrode quickly, which can induce malfunctions in marine systems and electrical shorts, another issue that leads to shipboard fires.
In contrast, high-quality marine electrical cables, such as tinned marine wire, are far more robust and proven to withstand the harsh conditions of marine environments, which include factors such as temperature fluctuations, saltwater, and sunlight, without the risk of early deterioration or corrosion. Besides exceptional durability, they also offer better conductivity that prevents overheating and short circuits from happening under normal use.
Top Tips for Proper Marine Cable Installation
Choosing quality marine cables is only the first step towards improved safety aboard vessels; the next involves installing them properly to ensure they work as intended and their integrity is not compromised prematurely. Given how observing the proper installation of marine cables significantly contributes to keeping electrical hazards at bay, here are several tips to make sure that you are installing yours correctly.
1. Select the right type of marine cable
Naturally, it starts with choosing the right cable type for the job. Cabling for marine applications has specific requirements and standards that one must meet to ensure safety and compliance with various regulations. One of the most important of these standards is Underwriters Laboratories (UL). This globally-recognized organization conducts testing and provides certifications for products according to their safety and compliance with industry standards. UL-certified marine cabling has undergone rigorous testing and is fit for industrial use in marine environments.
Another standard to consider is governed by the United States Coast Guard (USGC). USCG-approved marine cables meet strict performance and safety standards that cover a wide range of criteria, including electrical conductivity and high resistance to flames, oil, and moisture.
2. Determine the proper cable size, amperage rating, terminals, and connectors
After finding the right type of cable, the next key consideration is the power requirements of the ship’s electrical system. Be thorough in determining your vessel’s cable size and amperage rating requirement so you can find the cable solution that matches your needs. Any mistakes in this step almost always result in electrical hazards at some point, as is to be expected when components have a sizing or amperage rating different from the rest of the electrical system.
Lastly, do use the proper terminals and connectors as they are also crucial for a reliable and safe marine electrical system. Achieving this entails checking their compatibility with the cable size and amperage rating and crimping them with the right tools and procedures to shrink the heat shrink tubing.
3. Plan the cable routing and test the electrical system
Plan your cable routing first and foremost before getting started with installing your electrical cables. Route them in a way that avoids heat sources, sharp edges, and other potential hazards while also considering how to secure them properly to prevent them from rubbing against equipment or other cables.
Once the cables are in place, the last step is to test the electrical system to verify everything is working correctly and identify any issues like voltage drops that may pose an electrical hazard.
Conclusion
Seeing how extremely harsh the marine environment can be, it is essential to use no less than high-quality materials and equipment for ships and all of their various systems and functions, including tinned cables. Hopefully, the tips above prove useful in making sure that you select and install your marine electrical cables correctly and improve safety for your applications.
At Cable Source, we take pride in our durable and high-performance marine cables that promote enhanced safety across various shipboard applications. Whether you need cables with robust flame resistance or high flexibility, our cable solutions meet industry standards and your unique safety and operational requirements. For more information about our marine-grade cables and other cable products, such as instrumentation cables and cable drums in Singapore, don’t hesitate to contact us today.
