Do you really need tinned wire and lugs?

[AKA-None]

Originally Posted by TreblePlink

The aviation wire I have worked with was stranded, Silver-plated, with Teflon insulation. If you really want to do it right, the first time, and have an installation that lasts, this is the very best choice. It is expensive though.

Just don’t tywrap Teflon wire
Teflon flows under pressure

[Mickeyrouse]

Originally Posted by hpeer

Yanmar does. NOT use tinned wire in their harness.

Neither does Westerbeke. I’ve replaced my Westerbeke harness twice. Tinned wire in the same installation (and original) is still shiny. Whatcha think?

[Bowdrie]

Originally Posted by TreblePlink

The aviation wire I have worked with was stranded, Silver-plated, with Teflon insulation.

Unrelated to boat wiring, but I found that interesting.
A fellow that founded a company that made guitar amplifiers, (very well-known back in "the day",) later went to build custom amps that used very high silver content wiring.
At an amp testing symposium that I attended; his amp was noticeable for its transparent clarity that was not as present in amps that used conventional "hook-up" wire.
I was told the cost of the wire was many times more than the usual wire, like several dollars per ft, (15 years ago,) of what was perhaps ~16 gage.
Of course, it was made for high voltage, (~500V).
Thread drift not intended, carry on.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by TreblePlink

The aviation wire I have worked with was stranded, Silver-plated, with Teflon insulation. If you really want to do it right, the first time, and have an installation that lasts, this is the very best choice. It is expensive though.

Err...
Most aviation wire is insulated with one of 3 types of insulation - polyimide (PI) insulation, crosslinked ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (XL-ETFE) insulation, and composite (PTFE/PI) insulation. None of these are just Teflon, in fact they are vastly different to plain Teflon.

You may be confusing it to telzel insulated wire. Tefzel is ETFE, or ethylene tetrafluoroethylene while Teflon is usually Polytetrafluoroethylene or PTFE. PI is not suitable for high voltage circuits and it degrades with age and can arc which will create carbon tracking, smoke and finally fire. See https://www.fire.tc.faa.gov/1998Conf.../BrucePike.pdf

Originally Posted by AKA-None

Just don’t tywrap Teflon wire
Teflon flows under pressure

Very true which is another reason there is very little (or perhaps none) approved for aviation use.