Sophisticated marine electronics and instruments only operate at peak potential when supplied with power at the right voltage, and that necessitates high-quality wire. Ordinary automotive-type wire can suffer a loss of conductivity, caused by corrosion and/or vibration, after a few months in the marine environment. Corrosion takes place when the wire’s jacket and insulation are compromised by water intrusion, which rapidly corrodes the copper conductor. Ancor wire is rated for oily and wet environments because its jacket is impervious to those conditions.
Each strand of Ancor wire has a tin coating for extra corrosion resistance (note the “silver” look to Ancor wire when you strip it). Vibration is always present on a boat, and will quickly fatigue and crack coarsely-stranded wire. Ancor wire is Type 3 stranded, meaning that it has 5?10 times more copper strands than Type 2 wire, so it’s more flexible and fatigue-resistant. Ancor wire is Marine UL-listed, and meets the highest ABYC standards for AC or DC use. Finally, Ancor wire is based on AWG (American Wire Gauge) wire sizes, which are 6?12% larger than SAE gauge wire, so you get more current-carrying ability than from similar SAE wire.
