I'm about to start my mast re-rigging for the season which will include re wiring and an anchor light. while i'm at it i'm adding a lazy jack system. any advice on how high up mast to put the cheek blocks for an H23? tia~ william
Lazy Jacks, how high up mast to put cheek blocks?
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Mast wiring advice?
Hate to answer a question with a question... but, I'm also going to attempt to rewire this spring. A previous owner put up a small anchor light and it still has the stock steaming light. Nothing works but there is a two prong plug through the deck. I will trace but I'm guessing they are both switched hot wires and the mast is the ground? I bought a new anchor light and a steaming light with a deck light. Do you think I'll need to run three switched hot wires and a ground wire to succeed? Will the internal halyards chafe the wire?
Hate to answer a question with a question... but, I'm also going to attempt to rewire this spring. A previous owner put up a small anchor light and it still has the stock steaming light. Nothing works but there is a two prong plug through the deck. I will trace but I'm guessing they are both switched hot wires and the mast is the ground? I bought a new anchor light and a steaming light with a deck light. Do you think I'll need to run three switched hot wires and a ground wire to succeed? Will the internal halyards chafe the wire?
Mast wiring
the mast is not a suitable 12V system ground. the mast is generally grounded ONLY as lightning protection to a keel bolt or similar. For it to be used as a 12V ground the - terminal of the battery would also need to be grounded to the keel bolt, (or wherever the mast is grounded). This is not a good arrangement in the case of a lightning strike. The 2 wire plug that exists is probably 12V and 12V ground, (- batt terminal), since that is all that would have been needed for the original steaming light. Put a meter across the plug to the light and see. If there is a good light bulb in the steaming light socket it will read short. don't trust that however if you don't at first see a short. Lamp sockets have been known to corrode. Jump directly across the lamp socket terminals with a wire and see if it then reads short at the plug....or twist the wires together at the lamp socket insuring you have a connection and try with the meter again. (its also good practice to check continuity of each of the plug wires to the mast ensuring neither is frayed and shorted to the mast). since you need to switch steaming, deck, and anchor lights separately you will need 3 hot/switched wires and a common ground...4 wires total up the mast and to the batt. (always pull a spare while you're at it so make that 5 wires). i am going to pull 4 or 5 wires so i will have 1-2 extra wires. that way the wires are already there if i want to later add spreader lights or if i simply have a wire go bad. A single 1x4 or 1x5 shielded is probably preferable since the whole mess is insulated. there would however be some issues "breaking-out" the individual wires for the steaming/deck light so I imagine I am going to do individual wires myself. the attached link seems to have about the best prices and assortment so i will probably get all my stuff from them when i am sure i have a complete list....i hate to have to order multiple times and pay shipping each time!
the mast is not a suitable 12V system ground. the mast is generally grounded ONLY as lightning protection to a keel bolt or similar. For it to be used as a 12V ground the - terminal of the battery would also need to be grounded to the keel bolt, (or wherever the mast is grounded). This is not a good arrangement in the case of a lightning strike. The 2 wire plug that exists is probably 12V and 12V ground, (- batt terminal), since that is all that would have been needed for the original steaming light. Put a meter across the plug to the light and see. If there is a good light bulb in the steaming light socket it will read short. don't trust that however if you don't at first see a short. Lamp sockets have been known to corrode. Jump directly across the lamp socket terminals with a wire and see if it then reads short at the plug....or twist the wires together at the lamp socket insuring you have a connection and try with the meter again. (its also good practice to check continuity of each of the plug wires to the mast ensuring neither is frayed and shorted to the mast). since you need to switch steaming, deck, and anchor lights separately you will need 3 hot/switched wires and a common ground...4 wires total up the mast and to the batt. (always pull a spare while you're at it so make that 5 wires). i am going to pull 4 or 5 wires so i will have 1-2 extra wires. that way the wires are already there if i want to later add spreader lights or if i simply have a wire go bad. A single 1x4 or 1x5 shielded is probably preferable since the whole mess is insulated. there would however be some issues "breaking-out" the individual wires for the steaming/deck light so I imagine I am going to do individual wires myself. the attached link seems to have about the best prices and assortment so i will probably get all my stuff from them when i am sure i have a complete list....i hate to have to order multiple times and pay shipping each time!
Height
Mine are a kit made by Barton. The instructions say 70% of the luff length of the main measured up the mast from the boom.
Mine are a kit made by Barton. The instructions say 70% of the luff length of the main measured up the mast from the boom.
lazy jacks
William there are a few good ideas in the archives dealing with lazy jack systems, keep me posted on your progress.i too have lazy jacks on my list of projects to do before our season gets under way and would be interested in seeing what you come up with Dave Noack h23 "Wind Dreamer"
William there are a few good ideas in the archives dealing with lazy jack systems, keep me posted on your progress.i too have lazy jacks on my list of projects to do before our season gets under way and would be interested in seeing what you come up with Dave Noack h23 "Wind Dreamer"
guide for top of Lazy Jack rig
I put Lazy Jacks on my H 240. I think the most useful way to be certain the top position is set correctly is to calculate the line from the aft boom location to the spot on the mast that will keep the line at least 8" inside the end of your spreader. The eye in the ropes from the mast will be about 2/3rds of the distance to the boom. The boom guides would be about 1/3 of the boom length in from the ends of the boom. Be certain to use LifeChaulk or something like it around the fasteners (rivets or ss bolts) on the top connections to the mast.
I put Lazy Jacks on my H 240. I think the most useful way to be certain the top position is set correctly is to calculate the line from the aft boom location to the spot on the mast that will keep the line at least 8" inside the end of your spreader. The eye in the ropes from the mast will be about 2/3rds of the distance to the boom. The boom guides would be about 1/3 of the boom length in from the ends of the boom. Be certain to use LifeChaulk or something like it around the fasteners (rivets or ss bolts) on the top connections to the mast.
Aft boom location
In the prior reply I said aft boom location meaning where the Lazy Jack passes under the boom i.e. about 1/3 of the way in from the aft end of the boom. The important point is to set things up so the top Lazy Jack line can never loop out around the end of your speader.
In the prior reply I said aft boom location meaning where the Lazy Jack passes under the boom i.e. about 1/3 of the way in from the aft end of the boom. The important point is to set things up so the top Lazy Jack line can never loop out around the end of your speader.
Ground wires!
On boats it is always proper to run a ground wire for each circuit. If you wire both steaming lights and anchor lights to a common ground wire returning to your buss panel it will work; however, if you have a fault in the ground wire you will lose all circuits on it. To help prevent galvanic corrosion you don't want to use any chassis ground points except the final ground where you tie all other ground points wires. This is one difference between marine electronics and automotive, the later which is often chassis grounded internally in addition to a negative lead wire. To summarise, you want electricity going through your wiring, not your boat. Safety reasons also apply.
On boats it is always proper to run a ground wire for each circuit. If you wire both steaming lights and anchor lights to a common ground wire returning to your buss panel it will work; however, if you have a fault in the ground wire you will lose all circuits on it. To help prevent galvanic corrosion you don't want to use any chassis ground points except the final ground where you tie all other ground points wires. This is one difference between marine electronics and automotive, the later which is often chassis grounded internally in addition to a negative lead wire. To summarise, you want electricity going through your wiring, not your boat. Safety reasons also apply.
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