H26-Wiring from Mast-Refresher Needed

[BrianW]

I'm re-wiring my H26's mast lights. The wires inside the mast are OK and will be left as is. The current wiring has four wires exiting the mast.... one each from the anchor, steaming and deck light...... plus the common ground wire. The deck light wiring is not connected to any power. My problem: I only have 3 wires leading from my switch panel and through the cabin overhead. .... including the ground. The only 2 "hot" wires run to a 3-way switch. Right position.... anchor AND steaming (via a jumper). Center position.... both off. Left position.... steaming light. This makes NO sense to me. My impulse is to remove the jumper, so that left position is steaming and right is anchor light. What do y'all think? My next problem: I have no switch or cabin overhead wiring for the mast-mounted deck light underneath the steaming light. Am I missing something? If needed, how do you fish wire through the cabin overhead. It's a very indirect tight path. I have no conduit. The existing wiring is stuck fast, so I can't even use it to pull a duplex (or more) wire through the cabin overhead. Any advice? While the deck light has never worked, I would really like to have it. I Thanks! BrianW

 

[Chasemixon]

Have you tried pushing wire lube down the path of the wire to see if that will allow you move it to pull new wire? Dawn dish soap works if you cut it will some water?

 

[BrianW]

Chase, I can't see or get to the place where the wire is bound. BrianW

 

[Rick Webb]

The Deck/Steaming Light is not standard Issue

the boat came with a fixture with two bulbs. The forward one lights up for a steaming light and both come on for an anchor light. the "jumper" is a transistor to allow the use of one switch to control both functions. There would need to be an additional wire and switch to work the deck light.

Have you ever had it working? there maybe have been an additional wire run down the mast to work the added steaming light before you bought the boat.

 

[Chasemixon]

I just meant to allow the liquid to flow down where the wires enter the cabin, I was assuming the wires go through a tube like structure?

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Brian;

The original set up was for a three wire exiting the mast, not four. One light with two bulbs separated by a wall acted as both steaming and anchor with the jumper wire seen and a three way toggle for left for steaming (forward bulb on), middle is off and to the right, both bulbs on for anchor light.

Apparently, someone changed out the light and added a four wire in the mast without finishing the project. You will need of course a four prong deck plug vs. the standard three which can be purchased and installed in place of the three deck prong.

It is difficult to run additional wiring but here is what I use to do. Inside the cabin, the wiring would run thru the ceiling from the deck plug area on starboard side in that channel or the molded area of ceiling that protrudes down and then back along the wall just above the ceiling liner aft to the aft and over to the panel. On the 26, it was more difficult. Since Hunter did not leave a chase string, I would take the deck light off and secure the wiring so it would not be lost. I would drill an inch hole in that channel closest to the wall inside the cabin and try to run a chase line from the deck down the channel and try to come out that drilled hole. It takes two folks for that. Once you have the chase line in place, you could pull another wire down to the hole and out into the cabin. At this point I would hold onto that wire and run it back inside and down the starboard wall behind the ceiling panel and to the back. I would sometimes run into difficulty around the galley area in which I might have to run a bent out coat hanger to the back looking for a path for the wire behind that ceiling panel. (run it close to the edge of the ceiling panel) The rest of the way should be a breeze. As for the hole, Hunter use to drill holes into ceilings and cover them up with either black, beige or white covers that you can buy at a hardware store, lowes, etc...

As for that chase line. Leave it in the channel for future wires if needed. If you need any help, contact me.

 

[Rick Webb]

I Ran New Wires in Mine

Trying to remember the discussions but here are the hints and issues I do remember:

Some access can be had by making the holes under the interior lights larger

The wires are sometimes taped together and taped to the inside during assembly of the boat making using one of the wires as a fish line difficult if not worse

Sometimes the wires are caught in the adhesive between the top and the interior pieces making using one of the wires as a fish line impossible if not worse

I think I got lucky, I tried to run a metal fish tap through but could not get it to go. I then tried to use the existing wire as a fish tape but lost the line I was trying to pull through I finally had success with the original wires pulled out along with all the associated tape I was then able to pull the original wires along with several new ones through.

Pulling the old ones out is a ballsy prospect if your not sure you can get ANY back through.

You got wildly lucky with the bolt to the centerboard bracket (did you hit the casino on the way home) if you still feel lucky you could try pulling on one of the wires to use as a fish line. Id try access through the light fixture holes.

If all else fails West Marine sells 5" Beckson inspection plates for about $15 I suggest those as they cover up the mounting screws and are the least obtrusive of any I have seen Add a new LED light fixture to the plate and you won't see it at all.

Good luck

 

[Regular Guy]

Brian,
You got already good advises and my H260 may be different in the wire routing but maybe it will still be helpful to have a look at what I did, especially my wiring documentation.

I put a top of the mast an antenna and wired the coax cable all the way through the fuse box area to the radio.
Also top mast sits a combined anchor/tri-color navigation light, a three wire cable goes there.
Another three wire cable goes to the combined steam/deck light.

All three cable exit the mast and go into a wire box, I mounted on the food of the mast.
In that box are loosely a 6-pin and a coax connector. The entrance to the box is on the bottom with a trench to the lid. So, when the box lid is removed, the cable can be disconnect and the ends to the deck slid out, the mast can be moved.
The two three-wire cable are reduced to one 5-wire cable on the other end of the connector. The 5-wire cable then goes together with the coax to the inside via a through hull rubber fitting.

I use a three way switch with positions from off to Anchor or Running-Light. When the running light is on the option under sail or motor can be selected. The deck light is independent.

 

[BrianW]

Thanks all for your excellent advice! Regular Guy thanks for the great pictures and especially the diagram! I think one of the previous owners attempted multiple projects..... and didn't quite finish them all. I actually have a 5-pin (including ground) connector through the deck into the cabin overhead. That makes it possible for me to get the orphan deck light wire into the cabin overhead near the compression post. I also have a 3"X3" access plate aft of the compression post. Is this access plate standard or is it a PO modification? I'm actually considering installing a 3-way rocker switch on that access plate and connecting the steaming light and deck light to it so I can select the steaming light OR the deck light? Any thoughts? From your comments, it doesn't look like running a wire through the overhead to the switch panel is a very simple task. I just figured out why I am so stubbornly latching onto my non-functional deck light....... today UPS delivered my brand new LED spot for my deck light I'd ordered previously! Thanks again for your help! BrianW

 

[Regular Guy]

Brian,
my 260H has two access plates (stock) at the compression post. I put a 12V outlet in one and a shore power outlet in the other, added also a LED spot light for reading on a side access plate.
The shore power receptacle is routed via a second outlet with GFI, left to the fuse box (picture).

It was not too difficult to get all the new wires through the ceiling with that pluming (fishing) steel rod (picture) and I left everywhere a string for possible later modifications. The switches for the mast lights are all in the 12V fuse box plate.
I exchanged also the anchor/tri-color navigation bulbs (10Watt and 25 Watt) to LEDs. They are much brighter and draw each 4 Watts instead.

 

[BrianW]

Regular Guy, lots of great ideas! Thanks, BrianW

 

[MABell]

Brian, I used a trained squirrel. Just tie a pull sting to it's tail, dump some nuts at the other end and let him run around in the headliner. Might need some extra wire, but he will get there eventually.

 

[BrianW]

MABell, what kind of nuts do you recommend?

 

[MABell]

Most anyone you find on the docks that are an endless source of information