best marine crimps

"but the conditions under a washing machine are very demanding of good quality electrical connectors."....maybe, but the current is bugger all........and wire nuts are not allowed anyhow under ABYC rules......

 

The popular red, yellow and blue sleeved Chinese wire connectors are wrongly labeled as crimp terminals. They are flattened, not crimped and are the main cause of vehicle electrical problems. The real ones come from AMP or Molex and are tinned or gold plated copper alloy, insulation only added after crimping.

To check if you're using the right combination of wire, terminal and tool, clamp the terminal in a vise and pull the wire. If you can pull it out or if it snaps at the crimp area, the quality is dubious.

The most comprehensive source for industrial connectors is here: www.kabelschuhe-shop.de .

 

I totally agree. This Captain that I worked for was quite an unique individual. He had worked his career for Gruman as an Avionics tech rep on the EA68, probably the most sophisticated aircraft electronically in the US arsenal at the time. The epoxy used was a mixture used in electronics/avionics. If we ever get a chance to share a beer I could swap some great stories about this man.

 

Soldering is not recommended. High quality soldering results are not repeatable in the boatbuilding environment, the flux residue promotes corrosion, the insulation may become overheated and most important the solder creeps up the wire and " hardens " a flexible multi strand copper wire. Best to stick with top quality crimps and tools then concentrate on your own craftsmanship when performing industry standard electrical installations.

 

You better be able to repeat exactly or get fired.

 

Yah War Whoop...very high attention to detail in that work. Looks good.
Im sure it will give decades of service to its owner.. Difficult to imagine an amateur performing this.

Wire crimps are much easier to duplicate. Repeatability is critical . Crimps are all I see on commercially wired yachts these days . The yacht presently being serviced, pictured, is 15 years old , virtually 100 percent crimped, and her only electrical wiring issues are a few wire insulation breakdowns on the outside, stretched surface, of tight bends. Be careful with your wire bend radius.

 

Very nice wiring War Whoop.
The weak spots are the relays near the hydraulic pumps. Some time in the future, they will spoil the fun.

 

and the aluminium fuel fittings which are not USCG approved.
They look good though.

 

Why would you say something that stupid, To hear yourself talk? most fuel tanks come with aluminum stops anyway what the hell are you going to use bronze or brass?? and the Coastguard was in the shop on a regular basis and never found a problem in 350 boats.

 

This can be messy, but it works.

 

its all here
http://www.uscgboating.org/assets/pdf/downloads/FUELSYSTEM.pdf
FEDERAL LAW:
183.538 Metallic fuel line materials.
Each metallic fuel line connecting the fuel tank with the fuel inlet connection
on the engine must:
(a) be made of seamless annealed copper, nickel copper, or copper nickel;
and

Ever wondered why when you buy a fuel pump or filter from Merc or OMC or Yam etc they always come with bronze/brass/plated steel fittings and never aluminium.
Ever see an Aluminium pipe or fitting on a marine engine as fitted by the OEM

 

Neither USCG or ABYC refers to fittings in their standards. You are correct about tubing although none was visible in the photo.

A number of fuel system components are made of aluminum or aluminum alloys such as quicksilver fuel filter/water separators, Racor filters and others. Also mentioned of course diesel/petrol tanks.

 

what about the red sweeps or when does a fitting become a pipe?

 

Gee ? I thought that anodized aluminium was all Hydraulics !!! Nice looking.

Ive never seen anodized used on a fuel system. What is the advantage ? cost, weight ?

 

I see your point. Maybe the answer is that if it is an aluminum fitting pipe or otherwise it is ok. If it is annealed aluminum fuel line trying to pass as one of the others it is no go.