When I installed a solar vent in the head ( on C.L abt 12" fwd of mast step ) I discovered I had cut thru 2 heavy guage (about # 10, stranded) wires that were hidden above the cabin liner. They did not appear to be part of the lighting circuits for the mast, cabin or running lights. Can anyone provide info. about wires that O'Day installed behind the liner. Thanks.
Electrical wires in ODay 27
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Just a guess...
My O'Day 27 has virtually everything grounded together for lightening dissipation with a network of heavy cables. I don't know what is behind the headliner, but on my 1974, the mast ground comes through the headliner then traces around the curve of the bulkhead/deck joint to port and down the hanging locker in the head. My mast is rigged with power to the anchor light, the steaming light and the deck light. If your lights all work, I would guess it is a ground. You can test this by checking continuity to a known lightning ground wire (of course, if your cut it only 1 side would have continuity). If it is not a ground, it might be an extra power source for spreader lights or something. I didn't even know I had a line for a deck light until I went to replace the steaming light with a combo unit and found the extra wire already in the mast. Good luck. Jim
My O'Day 27 has virtually everything grounded together for lightening dissipation with a network of heavy cables. I don't know what is behind the headliner, but on my 1974, the mast ground comes through the headliner then traces around the curve of the bulkhead/deck joint to port and down the hanging locker in the head. My mast is rigged with power to the anchor light, the steaming light and the deck light. If your lights all work, I would guess it is a ground. You can test this by checking continuity to a known lightning ground wire (of course, if your cut it only 1 side would have continuity). If it is not a ground, it might be an extra power source for spreader lights or something. I didn't even know I had a line for a deck light until I went to replace the steaming light with a combo unit and found the extra wire already in the mast. Good luck. Jim
Thanks, Capt Jim
I discovered the wires when I ran a 4" hole saw thru the cabin top to install a vent: the bright ends of newly cut copper were barely visible on either side of the hole, so I had to cut away more of the liner to splice in new wire. My mast lights, VHF antenna lead & radar cable all run as you've described, thru the top laminate at the step, then following the main bulkhead/liner joint to the locker outboard of the head. Once I saw that routing, it never occurred to me that may be other wires hidden behind the liner, so I drilled away with carefree abandon. Mistake ! The 'mystery' wires didn't appear to affect any of the lighting circuits, but I didn't check to see if they went to ground (as in a lightning grounding cct.) FYI,the gadgets that are intended for locating studs etc inside walls seem to work to show the presence of wires inside the laminate. Thanks for your comments Jim.
I discovered the wires when I ran a 4" hole saw thru the cabin top to install a vent: the bright ends of newly cut copper were barely visible on either side of the hole, so I had to cut away more of the liner to splice in new wire. My mast lights, VHF antenna lead & radar cable all run as you've described, thru the top laminate at the step, then following the main bulkhead/liner joint to the locker outboard of the head. Once I saw that routing, it never occurred to me that may be other wires hidden behind the liner, so I drilled away with carefree abandon. Mistake ! The 'mystery' wires didn't appear to affect any of the lighting circuits, but I didn't check to see if they went to ground (as in a lightning grounding cct.) FYI,the gadgets that are intended for locating studs etc inside walls seem to work to show the presence of wires inside the laminate. Thanks for your comments Jim.
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