Leaving old cables & wiring in inaccessible areas.

[LloydB]

Had to look in Google to find one in the 2017 codebook which is at least 10 years newer than my hard copy or the one that I carry around in my brain and 99% more complete. Here's what found: '390.8 requires removal of circuit conductors in underfloor raceways when outlets are abandoned.'
As I recall the original code I found was someplace in between " Leave it alone we didn't bid to do that." and "... because they won't pay us anything until the inspector signs off."

 

[mikeracca]

Due to the way boats are built, you may or may not be able to remove cables easily or sometimes not at all. One of the worst things is to start working on a boat (or car, RV, house) and find wires with no homes and no labels. IF you cant remove it then label it as a dead circuit on both ends. Also label it so that future you or someone else will know that the wire in the Vee berth is the same as the one under the chart table on the other end.

Another thing you can do is simply bury it. Cut it off as close to a bulkhead as possible anywhere you see it, and then paint or glass over it so that it's not immediately apparent that it's a wire or what not. Many times a cable or wire will get laid before the final assembly of a boat and during the final assembly the adhesives or construction methods will fuse the wires to the hull structure and there is nothing except the above mentioned chainsaw will fix.

 

[jeepbluetj]

There are indeed spots in Catalina's that you're never removing the wire. In my old MK1 C-30 all of the deck cables were installed during the construction of the deck and thus completely stuck in the deck sandwich and cannot be removed or re-fished when they fail.

The 387 (likely much closer in construction details to the 320) has most of the cabling run in a channel where the deck meets the hull (all has to be pulled out to get to the stanchion bolts). Some of the lighting cabling is loose between the ceiling liner and the deck, and some of it is stuck up there in massive balls of plexus. When I changed out all the interior lighting I reused the stuck stuff and fished new wiring everywhere I could. I have 2-3 dead cables that I cannot remove that are now labeled as such.

If it can be removed I'll always remove dead cable. My c-30 had no less than three sets of engine panel wiring (the infamous "trailer connector" wiring). It had one when I sold it. If not removed, label it. I'm quite keen on heat shrink labels for labelling wire.

 

[DArcy]

Abandoned wires is a pet peeve of mine. I have pulled about 20 pounds of unused wire out of my boat. There are some wires that I left but labeled. I just don't like not knowing what that dangling wire is doing.
If you can't remove it then at least label it as to where it goes, or what it was for. Sometimes these old wires come in handy but that is rare.

 

[Sailbaum]

I hate abandoned wires and my boat has quite a bit of them. I'm slowly working through removing them. Good labeling would be really helpful. Do your next owner a favor.

On a somewhat related note, I have several gps antennas on my arch that are abandoned in place. I have 2 active gps devices. 5 antennas. Anyone have an easy way to tell which are active and which can be removed?

 

[DArcy]

Anyone have an easy way to tell which are active and which can be removed?

Try wrapping one at a time in aluminum foil and see if you loose signal. If you loose signal, don't cut the wire

 

[kappykaplan]

Anyone have an easy way to tell which are active and which can be removed?

Some antennas have a flashing light, so that's something else to look for.

 

[Sailbaum]

Try wrapping one at a time in aluminum foil and see if you loose signal. If you loose signal, don't cut the wire

Thanks - that was my first thought but wasn't sure if aluminum foil would be enough. Worth a try.

 

[All U Get]

I have removed some bundles while attaching a string to the end. After cutting the zip ties to remove the useless wires, run the remaining wires back to their device. One I removed this winter was labeled loran. I’ve pulled a lot of coax and phone wire with bundles coiled on each side of a bulkhead attached to nothing, maybe the PO had a phone to call the galley from the aft cabin. All of this is time consuming which I have somewhat. The next owner will have an easier time of it.

 

[mikeracca]

Thanks - that was my first thought but wasn't sure if aluminum foil would be enough. Worth a try.

Depending on the quality of the GPS you may need to “ground” the foil to the shield of the RF cable or at least the negative side of the boat’s battery. Higher quality antennas/devices will easily “see” through a single layer of foil, older and low quality not so much.

 

[LloydB]

Verifying loss of continuity with an ohmmeter is more dependable/faster than a disappearing signal from a device. Been burned by that and also relearned the definition of assume btw.

 

[jeepbluetj]

I find a "fox and hound" tool invaluable for these sorts of things. Takes some practice to know the "real" signal from the crosstalk but it's not too tough.

 

[Sailbaum]

I find a "fox and hound" tool invaluable for these sorts of things. Takes some practice to know the "real" signal from the crosstalk but it's not too tough.

This sounds like the ticket. I figured something like this existed and couldn't think of the name. A quick search turned up several options. Thanks!
Now I just need to get one and learn how to use it...