Expanding Foam and Electrical

Question:

Hi Jeff.  I hope this message finds you well. I have been working on an electrical project on my fishing boat and your videos have been very helpful in setting myself up for success.  In order to run the 4AWG wires between the battery and the guest seat, I had to drill out some of the floatation foam in the side panel of the boat.  I’m considering refilling the cavity where the wires are run with new urethane expanding foam to lock the wires in place and keep vibration to a minimum. Is the marine expanding foam safe for this application in direct contact with the 4AWG Ancor marine wire?  Thanks, in advance, for your best advice and for sharing from your experience.  - Bryan

Answer:

Hi Bryan, I am glad you are finding our YouTube videos valuable.  Not sure how the foam will chemically interact with the wire cabling insulation. I’m no chemist, but to be safe, I’d avoid doing that. As a point of reference, I have never seen any wire runway enclosed by foam on a boat we’ve worked on before.  - Jeff