Big Wire, Tight Spaces & Cold Weather — Running the Main DC Feed

Описание: 🔧 Sully’s Mistake Factory | Season 2 – Episode 5

Season Two keeps moving — parts are finally arriving, and we’re back onboard in the aft machinery space making real progress.

In Episode Five, we start mounting our newly fabricated panels, routing conductors, prepping network cables, and organizing the backbone of this system. But the real challenge?

Running the main DC feed from the aft section of the boat forward to the new house bank.

Large-gauge cable.
Tight routing paths.
Cold temperatures.

If you’ve ever worked with big marine cable in winter conditions, you know — it doesn’t exactly cooperate.

What We Cover in This Episode

🔹 Mounting composite-backed panels in confined spaces
🔹 Clean routing of power vs network cabling
🔹 Proper strain relief and support intervals
🔹 Prepping and labeling network cables before final termination
🔹 Planning service loops for future access
🔹 Protecting cable runs through bulkheads and chafe points

Then we tackle the heavy lift — installing the oversized DC conductors that will feed the new house battery bank.

We discuss:

• Why proper conductor sizing matters for voltage drop and safety
• Managing bend radius on large-gauge marine cable
• Working with stiff cable in cold conditions
• Heat management and preparation techniques
• Routing strategy before pulling the first inch
• Why patience here prevents future failures

This is the kind of work that doesn’t always look glamorous on camera — but it’s the backbone of a reliable marine electrical system.

Because if your main DC feed isn’t installed correctly, nothing downstream will perform the way it should.

Why This Stage Matters

Large DC conductors carry serious current.
Improper support, tight bends, or poor termination can create resistance, heat, and long-term reliability issues.

In this episode, we focus on building a system that is:

Secure.
Serviceable.
ABYC-conscious.
Built to handle real load.

Cold hands.
Heavy cable.
No shortcuts.

Mistakes were made… now what?

Topics Covered

Marine large gauge wire install
Running main DC cable on a boat
House battery bank wiring
Marine cable routing best practices
Voltage drop prevention marine
Network cable prep boat
Aft machinery space electrical work
Boat refit DC system