§ 129.340 Cable and wiring. ( a ) If individual wires, rather than cables, are used in systems operating at a potential of greater than 50 volts, the wire and associated conduit must be run in a protected enclosure. The protected enclosure must have drain holes to prevent the buildup of condensation.
( b ) Each cable and wire must— ( 1 ) Have stranded copper conductors with sufficient current-carrying capacity for the circuit in which it is used;
( 2 ) Be installed so as to avoid or reduce interference with radio reception and compass indication;
( 3 ) Be protected from the weather;
( 4 ) Be supported so as to avoid chafing or other damage;
( 5 ) Be installed without sharp bends;
( 6 ) Be protected by metal coverings or other suitable means, if in areas subject to mechanical abuse;
( 7 ) Be suitable for low temperature and high humidity, if installed in refrigerated compartments;
( 8 ) Be located outside a tank, unless it supplies power to equipment in the tank; and
( 9 ) Have sheathing or wire insulation compatible with the fluid in a tank, when installed to comply with paragraph (b)(8) of this section.
( c ) Cable and wire in power and lighting circuits must be #14 AWG or larger. Cable and wire in control and indicator circuits must be #22 AWG or larger, or be ribbon cable or similar, smaller, conductor-size cable recommended by the equipment manufacturer for use in circuits for low-power instrumentation, monitoring, or control.
( d ) Cable and wire for power and lighting circuits must— ( 1 ) Comply with Section 310-13 of the NEC (NFPA 70), except that no asbestos-insulated cable or dry-location cable may be used;
( 2 ) Be listed by Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. as UL Boat or UL Marine Shipboard cable; or
( 3 ) Comply with § 111.60-1 of this chapter for cable, and § 111.60-11 of this chapter for wire.
( e ) Cable and wire serving vital systems listed in § 128.130(a) of this subchapter or serving emergency loads must be routed as far as practicable from areas at high risk for fire, such as galleys, laundries, and machinery spaces.
( f ) Cable or wire serving duplicated equipment must be separated so that a casualty that affects one cable does not affect the other.
( g ) Each connection to a conductor or a terminal part of a conductor must be made within an enclosure and— ( 1 ) Have a pressure-type connector on each conductor;
( 2 ) Have a solder lug on each conductor;
( 3 ) Have a splice made with a pressure-type connector to a flexible lead or conductor; or
( 4 ) Be splice-soldered, brazed, or welded to a flexible lead or conductor.
( h ) A connector or lug of the set-screw type must not be used with a stranded conductor smaller than No. 14 AWG, unless there is a nonrotating follower that travels with the set screw and makes pressure contact with the conductor.
( i ) Each pressure-type wire connector and lug must comply with UL 486A. No wire nuts may be used.
( j ) Each terminal block must have terminal screws 6-32 or larger.
( k ) Each wire connector used in conjunction with screw-type terminal blocks must be of the captive type such as the ring or the flanged-spade type.
( l ) No cable may be spliced in— ( 1 ) A hazardous location; or
( 2 ) Another location, except— ( i ) A cable installed in a subassembly may be spliced to a cable installed in another subassembly;
( ii ) For a vessel receiving alterations, a cable may be spliced to extend a circuit;
( iii ) A cable of large diameter or exceptional length may be spliced to facilitate its installation.
( iv ) A cable may be spliced to replace a damaged section of itself if, before replacement of the damaged section, the insulation resistance of the remainder of the cable is measured, and the condition of the insulation is unimpaired.
( m ) All material in a cable splice must be chemically compatible with other material in the splice and with the materials in the cable.
( n ) Ampacities for conductors must comply with Section 310-15 of the NEC (NFPA 70), or with IEEE Standard 45, as appropriate.
( o ) Each conductor must be sized so that the voltage drop at the load terminals does not exceed 10 percent.
( p ) Each metallic covering of armored cable must— ( 1 ) Be electrically continuous; and
( 2 ) Be grounded at each end of the run to the— ( i ) Hull (on a metallic vessel); or
( ii ) Common ground plate (on a nonmetallic vessel); and
( 3 ) Have final sub-circuits grounded at the supply end only.
( q ) Each portable or temporary electric cord or cable must be constructed and used in compliance with the requirements of § 111.60-13 of this chapter for flexible electric cord or cable.