How to Know When to Replace Marine Battery Cables and Terminals

If it's the first time you’ve worked on a marine electrical system, it’s important to know the signs to look for that indicate the need for replacement Marine Battery Cables And Terminals. Faulty cables or terminals can lead to a whole slew of electrical issues, which are the last thing you need to be dealing with when you’re out for a day at sea, fishing on the lake, or cruising the river. We will teach you some of the clearest signs of a need for replacement marine battery cables and terminals in this blog.

1. Visible Corrosion of Your Terminals or Cable Leads
Easily the clearest way to tell you need to replace your cables or your battery terminals is visible corrosion of the leads or the terminals themselves. Corrosion can come in the form of rust, acidic leakage, or disintegration of the metal from other sources (like cleaning solutions). If you see any buildup, residue, or degradation of your cable leads or your terminals, consider a replacement immediately.

While corrosion is usually quite visible, it is possible to have corrosion out of sight, especially if your battery terminals have rubber covers or screw-in caps. If you’re having electrical issues or simply want to do a checkup before a major trip, remove all caps and covers and inspect beneath for signs of corrosion.

2. Unnatural Crackling
While less common than corrosion at the terminal connection, it is still very possible for cables to suffer internal damage beneath their insulation. Most of the time, this sort of damage will not be immediately visible, and you’ll have to rely on your other senses in order to detect internal damage. The best way to check for internal damage on your cables is to pick them up and gently bend them, listening closely for any unnatural crackling or popping noises.

Healthy cables should be able to gently bend without making any noise. If you are hearing strange noises with little applied pressure, you’ll want to consider replacing your cables and possibly even your terminals, which may have suffered additional wear as a result of faulty cables being attached to them. Make sure to only bend your cables gently; over-flexing cables can severely damage them!

3. Visible Damage to Insulation
If there is ever a case that you inspect your battery cables and discover wear or damage to the insulation that coats the copper of your cables, you should immediately replace your cables. While the most severe types of insulation damage will appear in the form of cracks or gaps in the insulation, wear and damage can also appear in the form of discoloration or warping of the insulation. Be sure to look closely at your cables, watching closely for irregularities in the insulation.

Insulation is possibly the most important factor of marine battery cables, and breached insulation can lead to a dangerous operating environment or damage to your batteries, electrical systems, and other cables. Don’t hesitate to replace cables that have damaged insulation; if holes or cracks in your cables allow in moisture, you might find yourself having to buy more than replacement marine battery cables and terminals.

Keeping an eye out for these major factors will ensure you are on the watch for the most common types of damage that can occur to your cables and terminals. If you do find yourself needing replacement cables or terminals, come visit our team today at www.ewcswire.com. We can answer any questions you might have and help you find the right cables for your boat.