Boat › Basic electrical › Bad electrical connection › Making an electrical connection

When making an electrical connection on a boat there are three main things you are trying to achieve: a strong connection that won't break, a low resistance connection that won't restrict the flow of current and a well-sealed connection that won't corrode in a saltwater environment.

Tinning, crimping and heat shrink

Wiring the Green Machine, I tin the wire, crimp the connector on firmly, run solder into it and finish with heat shrink. The trick with solder is to heat the wire or connector, not the solder, so it's drawn in rather than sitting on top as a blob.

Cleaning corroded wire and solder-sleeve connectors

Solder won't stick to corroded wire, so cut back to clean copper or clean it first. Solder-sleeve connectors have low-temperature solder in the middle, adhesive at each end and heat shrink over the lot: one heat gun seals the joint and solders it in one go.

PHOTO Dangar Marine

Making your own battery leads

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Make up your own battery leads instead of buying them ready-made. I show how to form lugs from copper pipe, crimp them with a hydraulic crimper and seal each joint with dual wall heat shrink.