Help Rewiring of Steaming Light

[Don Magdall]

I have just purchased a 1975 Catalina 30. The previous owner had rewired the electrical system but did not rewire the steaming light half way up the mast and therefore it is not functioning. The wiring I believe runs inside the mast. Does anyone have any bright ideas how to get at the wiring inside the mast to install new without removing the mast? I don't see any way to find the other end of the existing wire at the bottom of the mast to enable me to pull new wires. Any ideas would be appreciated.Don Magdall

 

[John Mavrovich]

Try Fishing

You may have other wiring to the top of the mast that you can work with from the location of the steaming light. Simply snag it through the steaming light hole and work it through with new wiring attached. Tie a cord to its bottom to pull it back down. Perhaps an easier way would be to drop a weighted line down fron the steaming light hole (weight with some small lead sinkers). Or get an electrician's snake at a Home Depot and fish it down. Attach new wiring and pull it through. Toughest part is finding someone you trust to haul you up the mast. Use a safety line.

 

[Rico]

wire replacement

If you are lucky enough to still have the original wiring in place, try splicing new wire to the old. Have someone feed the new wire from it's end (preferably from mid-mast) and take up the slack below. --Rico

 

[Don Magdall]

Can't find the bottom end

My problem really is I don't know where the bottom end of the the wires come out of the mast - where to they exit the bottom of the mast and how do I access that. Once I can find this end of the old wires then I can easily fish a new wire down or pull new wire through attached to the old. Does anyone know how to access the wiring where it comes out of the bottom of the mast.Don Magdall

 

[Hayden Watson]

bottom of the compression post

On my '88 C30 the wires come out of a hole in the bottom of the compression post down in the bilge. I hope this helps/Hayden Watson

 

[Richard]

wiring

If the idiot did not really rewire and just left a mess then you will likely find the wires in the bilge somewhere. They might even still be at the switch pannel. Have you verified that the steaming light has no power first? Simple volt meter test at 20 feet above the boat! It could be a burned out bulb.On my 30 there are only three wires if I remember correctly at the steaming light. One common one and two hot for the steaming light and deck light. If I remember they were normal colors like brown, green, and blue (something like that).So odds are if the deck light works then you just have a burned out bulb or a loose wire at the dc pannel.I replaced my steaming light/deck light with one from west marine that required some new holes in the mast, but the bulb is easy to change, easy to find replacement bulbs, and the deck light is much brighter and shines at the anchor well. When I went to replace my old steaming light bulb the lens disentegrated and the light socket was badly corroded.Richard