Installed a 16amp 12 volt cable - 280 DA

[Dave Brown]

Hi a little advise needed!
I have just installed a 12 volt cable twin insulated rated at 16amp (the red and black are 1mm thich - each)
I have ran this cable from the fuse cabinet in the cabin through the rear cabin to the engine bay, in the engine bay i have used flexy piping and ran the cable through that.
And then up though the wet bar cabinet into the arch where i will be using a 16" tv this gives a 3amp drain. i have also fitted a 12 volt waterproof socket in the wet bar cabinet for a small 12 volt cool box. the lenght of the run of cable all together is no more than 17 foot.
Do you think the cable is rated at the correct amps, i have fused the tv end at 4 amps and the cooler box at 4 amps and back in the cabin fuse cabinet i have used a 10 amp fuse.

Advise please if this is correct or uncorrect.:huh:

 

[Lazy Daze]

A couple things to note...

Wire should be tinned, stranded marine wire. I'm not sure from your post if it is, or not. While the "tinned" part is a best-practice, it's not unheard of for non-tinned to be used. However, it MUST be stranded.

Wiring does not have a given "amp" rating, per se. The rating given to a wire is based on a calculation of the type of wire (AWG marine wire can handle more than SAE since it's actually a bit larger even though they can be labeled as the same gauge), th erun length and devices. If I found the correct conversion for your wire, 1mm = about 18 gauge.

To size the wire properly, you have to take the total run (both black and red) into consideration. You can't use a "one-way" measurement. Assuming your 17' is a one-way and correct (and not just guessing), you've got 34' to put into the calculation.

Based on what you mentioned, you should use at least 16 gauge and preferably 14 gauge. This is based on 10% voltage drop - which is OK, since your TV and cooler are "non-critical" items.

Also of note... while the 12v power socket may currently be used for only 4 amps, it may one day be used for something higher. Your 4amp will currently take of that problem, but it usually best to wire for "possibilities", not what is currently being used.

Be sure to check the forward engine room bulkhead (where you poked through) and reseal it as needed.