Wire type questions

[Emmalina]

Tinning wire is a very toxic process and is only done in India and China nowadays. It is of course the lead content that protects the wire !

[Zil]

Lead is not used in solder in the USA. It is called tinning as it does use tin, the metal, to plate the wires. I know of at least two manufactures in the USA.

[exMaggieDrum]

Originally Posted by travellerw

Having a "Home Run" for both positive and negative wires makes it much easier to troubleshoot wiring issues. Since %99 of issues are terminations, this will give you only 4 terminations to check (2 at the device, and 2 at the panel). Since the wires are bonded together it makes tracing the negative and positive terminations easier as you only have to trace where the wires split and go to their respective terminations at the panel (positive to a breaker, negative to a distribution block).

Good answer to OP question. The negative is just as often a problem but is often overlooked, especially if you can't easily trace where it goes.

[hellosailor]

"Lead is not used in solder in the USA."
You've been misinformed. I recently bought a roll of Kester solder, a widely known and long established brand. And it says right on the box "LEAD ALLOY" and lists precautions.
Now, if an American manufacturer wants to sell goods in the EU, and California, they may have to use lead-free solder. In California they have even banned lead wheel weights (for balancing car wheels) which has resulted in some national chains going entirely to less effective wheel weights. CA says the lead weights get thrown off and contaminate the ground.
I make it a habit not to inhale while soldering.

[Rainh2o2]

we use lead on our aircraft electronics all day long

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[a64pilot]

I do believe that plumbing solder is now lead free, it wasn't all that long ago that it also contained lead.
Maybe this was the confusion


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[transmitterdan]

Originally Posted by Zil

I don't know why there is a controversy about tinned or plain wire. On a boat use marine wire. Marine wire is fine stranded tinned copper wire with the proper insulating covering. genuinedealz is a good supplier.

There is no controversy. Boat wire is not required to be tinned at least in the US.

[travellerw]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I do believe that plumbing solder is now lead free, it wasn't all that long ago that it also contained lead.
Maybe this was the confusion


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Most solder (even electrical) you buy at big box stores like Walmart or even NAPA will usually be lead free. There is a big movement to get rid of the lead from "regular" peoples hands.

However, I still find leaded stuff at specialty stores or online. I usually just order online 60/40 Kaina brand.

[hellosailor]

There's no controversy about whether boat wire "should" be tinned wire. Pretty much the same as there was no controversy about whether Catholics or Protestants were to be damned for all eternity not so long ago in England and Ireland.

Some of us are either wastrels and suckers for preferring tinned wire, or perhaps, stacking our odds for long-term electrical reliability.

At some point in life, some of us simply get tired of seeing punked out wire, and are willing to make great effort to see less of it.

[travellerw]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

There's no controversy about whether boat wire "should" be tinned wire. Pretty much the same as there was no controversy about whether Catholics or Protestants were to be damned for all eternity not so long ago in England and Ireland.

Some of us are either wastrels and suckers for preferring tinned wire, or perhaps, stacking our odds for long-term electrical reliability.

At some point in life, some of us simply get tired of seeing punked out wire, and are willing to make great effort to see less of it.

Good on you for wording it that way! I think the key in your post is "less of it", and not "none of it". I think there is an untrue perception that tinned wire doesn't corrode. Or that it will eliminate your wire corrosion problems. It does corrode, just corrodes slower.