14ft of 6 gauge wire enough to start new 40hp Yammy?

[Fish4Eyes]

According to the marina it should be 2 gauge for that length, sounds excessive. 6 gauge started 40hp evinrude just fine. Thoughts?

[Old Ironmaker]

Fire prevention?

[ecmilley]

Think 6 is fine for a 40. Bigger is better though

[Terry]

i would not take the chance between the heat and the voltage lost from that length it would be a gamble

under perfect conditions , like if it starts on the first stroke every time it would be fine but if you ever have trouble starting the light wire will make the problem worst

[scugpg]

Can you contact the motor manufacturer to see what they recommend? That's quite a long run for starter cable and could get dangerous if wire isn't correct size for amp draw.

[Fisherman]

Just went out and looked at my F40, judging by the tinned ends, it has at least 4ga. When the motor starts, it's drawing a pretty big amount of current and your added length of 14 feet may well justify the 2 ga. If the wire capacity is not there, things can go bad. You can get 2 and 4 ga welding wire by the foot from Princess Auto. They also carry the big crimp on lugs. Properly tin the ends with the right type of solder. Then seal the ends with liquid electric tape. No more corrosion going under the wire jacket.

[Terry]

Just went out and looked at my F40, judging by the tinned ends, it has at least 4ga. When the motor starts, it's drawing a pretty big amount of current and your added length of 14 feet may well justify the 2 ga. If the wire capacity is not there, things can go bad. You can get 2 and 4 ga welding wire by the foot from Princess Auto. They also carry the big crimp on lugs. Properly tin the ends with the right type of solder. Then seal the ends with liquid electric tape. No more corrosion going under the wire jacket.

I agree

[misfish]

Just went out and looked at my F40, judging by the tinned ends, it has at least 4ga. When the motor starts, it's drawing a pretty big amount of current and your added length of 14 feet may well justify the 2 ga. If the wire capacity is not there, things can go bad. You can get 2 and 4 ga welding wire by the foot from Princess Auto. They also carry the big crimp on lugs. Properly tin the ends with the right type of solder. Then seal the ends with liquid electric tape. No more corrosion going under the wire jacket.

 

I agree

 

Just do it right. These guys know. I would IMO, fill the lugs with solder then push the wire in, then crimp when it,s cooled off. Liquid tape or rubber seal tape is good insurance. It,s what I have done many times at work and holds well with no fraying. Then again, I do this with wires that are always moving.

 

DO IT RIGHT , DONT CHEAP OUT.

[irishfield]

Hard to believe #2 is required, but you definitely need #4 over the #6.

 

For any that require some #4 that will never corrode, I'm talking 50 year old silver tinned copper for the days of quality in the aircraft industry, I have over 1000 feet of it. $3.50 a foot and I have the old quality lugs as well for a buck each, not the CTC copper crap of today that you'll pay 4x that for. I probably should just take all my spools to the metal scrap yard for MUCH more money, but until I do anyone is welcome to it. Just send me a PM.

[aplumma]

Hard to believe #2 is required, but you definitely need #4 over the #6.

 

For any that require some #4 that will never corrode, I'm talking 50 year old silver tinned copper for the days of quality in the aircraft industry, I have over 1000 feet of it. $3.50 a foot and I have the old quality lugs as well for a buck each, not the CTC copper crap of today that you'll pay 4x that for. I probably should just take all my spools to the metal scrap yard for MUCH more money, but until I do anyone is welcome to it. Just send me a PM.

Nice offer Wayne thank you.

 

 

Art

[Fish4Eyes]

Thanks for the responses guys.

[DanD]

I put the battery in the trunk of my 50 Chevy; used #4 cable from the battery positive terminal to the starter terminal. The voltage drop across the 15 foot cable, (even after extended cranking) is approx .08 of a volt and that's cranking a 4.8Lt V8 engine.

If you already have the #6 cable, I wouldn't be afraid to use it.

 

Dan.

[Fisherman]

When your chevy leaves you stranded because of inadequate wiring, it's no big thing, people would see it as normal. If you can't get going on the lake and adverse weather conditions show up, I would err on the side of safety.

[G.mech]

I did a bit of digging and the 40HP Yammy starter should draw between 100- 125A. If you punch the numbers in to the calculator below using a 5% voltage drop (which is pretty much the recommended max) and a 28 foot run (remember on a boat it's a 2 way run) it will tell you a #2 AWG wire is required. A #6 AWG cable would have over 10% drop which is excessive and would definitely heat up the wire and starter if you had to crank for any length of time. A #4 would be marginal unless it's actually 7 feet each way (14 foot total) in which case it would be fine.

 

http://www.wirebarn.com/Wire-Calculator-_ep_41.html

Edited May 16, 2016 by G.mech

[Fisherman]

Thanks, G.mech for the research.

[bruce50]

Do not use welding cable. Use starter cable. They look similar on the outside but the stranding of the cable itself is different. The welding cable will work, it is just better to use the proper cable. As everyone one has stated,better safe than sorry as per size,go with the 2 gauge or maybe the 4 gauge. Just my 2 cents.