> Tom Leonard wrote > > I recently finished moving my batteries and disconnect switches, I > received an outrageous price from a marine rigging shop to crimp about > 12 - 2/0 connections. I used my $8 propane torch and a bunch of rosin > core electronic grade solder and some shrink sleeving. Results? - a > professional looking job, only problem I know of with soldering is it > creates a "hard spot" in smaller gauge wiring. You don't want to solder > wires that go to alternators or anywhere on the engine because the > vibration could cause the wire to flex at the hard spot and eventually > break. Since the 2/0 wire is so stiff I don't see that happening on my > job. > When I bought my boat in 2001 the DC wiring was a mixture of very good original wiring and a hodge podge of add ons by various owners. The 2 O and 4 O heavy current wiring was starting to crack in the insulation so I removed it all and replaced it. I bought the crimping tool from Ancor, the one that you hammer or crimp in a vice and made about 30 crimps that I also heat shrunk. Not a problem with any of the crimps coming loose. I keep the tool,some end connectors and the left over cable on the boat for emergencies. I also re-did the add on wiring done by previous owners. All the instruments and electronics on the fly bridge where controlled from switches at the lower helm station. This was not convenient so I ran a pair of 4 gauge wires to the fly bridge and installed a new water proof panel there to control every thing on the fly bridge. One 100 A breaker at the lower station protects the new cables. Re-wiring is not if you read all the appropriate literature and spend some money on the proper tools. R. Wightman Midnight Sun va3il@rac.ca