I was stepping my mast this weekend only to realize that when the previous owner (or factory?)installed the through-deck mast electrical wiring fitting, he was never intending on stepping the mast aft... How do you most people run the mast wires i.e. anchor light, steaming light, mast grounding wire, VHF antenna wire, wind speed/direction indicator wire through the deck on a deck stepped mast in a waterproof, disconnectable manner? In my mast I have an anchor light, steaming light, foredeck light, VHF antenna, and a mast grounding wire. Using a shared ground conductor for the light circuit that makes 6 conductors that must somehow get through the deck. Presently my through-deck fitting is a kick pipe style. Basically a 1" diameter hole is drilled through the deck and a 1" diameter aluminum pipe with 1/16" wall thickness is fitted into the hole. All the wires listed above come from below the deck go through the pipe/conduit and through the deck with a few inches of extra cabling protruding out of the pipe which terminate in a barrel connector for the VHF, one 4 pin, one 2 pin cole-hersee connector. To water proof the conduit, a whole lot of 5200 was squirted all around the wires about an inch down into the pipe from the top. This setup would be fine if the pipe was not directly aft of the mast and protruding 2" from the deck. Due to its height above the deck and its position when the mast is stepped aft down to the deck the pipe would be crushed by the mast. Are all Hunter 25.5's through-deck electrical fitting done this way? Did the Hunter factory do this? To allow stepping of the mast I cut the pipe so that there was only a 1/2" inch protrusion above the deck which allows enough clearance to step the mast. I am considering leaving the setup this way with the 1/2" protrusion but I am also considering replacing it with something better. Any suggestions? There must be some deck stepped boats out there that have multiple conductors i.e. 6 or more going into the mast requiring a waterproof connector. How do those boats do it? Thanks for all your help.
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Anthony Bavuso
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Peter Albright
Bigger Problems to Fix
Each light circuit should have its own negative wire, unless you will never turn more than one on at a time. Combining the "neutrals" works with AC circiuts, but not marine DC. You will get increased voltage drop on the negative, and decrease the lamp output. Lamp wattage is proportional to the square of the voltage, so it makes a big difference. A bad wire will also kill all of your lights. If you don't know, "Anti-Bond" is available to soften the 5200.
Each light circuit should have its own negative wire, unless you will never turn more than one on at a time. Combining the "neutrals" works with AC circiuts, but not marine DC. You will get increased voltage drop on the negative, and decrease the lamp output. Lamp wattage is proportional to the square of the voltage, so it makes a big difference. A bad wire will also kill all of your lights. If you don't know, "Anti-Bond" is available to soften the 5200.
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Dale Wile
The Females Sit On The Deck...
My H23.5 came factory wired with a three-pin surface mounted female receptacle installed slightly to starb'd and aft of the mast. This connects with the male plug and wire which carry power to the masthead lights (anchor and steaming). I added a second three-pin surface mounted receptacle (alongside the factory connector) which powers a foredeck light I installed and a spare outlet on the mast into which I plug a portable spotlight. And, I added a surface mounted VHF "PL" connector for coax cable to the VHF antenna at the top of the mast. All three male plugs have threaded rings with which to secure to the threads on the corresponding female receptacle. It takes a full ten seconds to connect or disconnect the three cables after stepping, or before unstepping, the mast. The receptacles have threaded caps to keep water out of the pin holes. In the cabin the cables run between the deck and the liner to wherever they terminate: at the electrical breaker panel or the VHF radio. It has been a "no problem" arrangement. Dale Wile S/V "Grandechild" Sandpoint, Idaho
My H23.5 came factory wired with a three-pin surface mounted female receptacle installed slightly to starb'd and aft of the mast. This connects with the male plug and wire which carry power to the masthead lights (anchor and steaming). I added a second three-pin surface mounted receptacle (alongside the factory connector) which powers a foredeck light I installed and a spare outlet on the mast into which I plug a portable spotlight. And, I added a surface mounted VHF "PL" connector for coax cable to the VHF antenna at the top of the mast. All three male plugs have threaded rings with which to secure to the threads on the corresponding female receptacle. It takes a full ten seconds to connect or disconnect the three cables after stepping, or before unstepping, the mast. The receptacles have threaded caps to keep water out of the pin holes. In the cabin the cables run between the deck and the liner to wherever they terminate: at the electrical breaker panel or the VHF radio. It has been a "no problem" arrangement. Dale Wile S/V "Grandechild" Sandpoint, Idaho
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Anthony Bavuso
Common ground?
Thanks for your comments. About the common ground arrangement, say I have 3 lights each drawing 1 amp a piece. If I size the ground wire the have a large enough gauge to handle 3 amps when all the lamps are turned on then what would be the problem. I don't see how that would be any different than having one 3 amp light with the proper sized wiring. Peter could you please explain? Thanks. BTW I didn't know about anti-bond. I called West Marine and they said there wasn't anything to get rid of that stuff. I am glad to know that there is. Does 3M make that also? Thanks. Dale, thanks for your description. Who is the manufacturer of the deck connectors that you describe?
Thanks for your comments. About the common ground arrangement, say I have 3 lights each drawing 1 amp a piece. If I size the ground wire the have a large enough gauge to handle 3 amps when all the lamps are turned on then what would be the problem. I don't see how that would be any different than having one 3 amp light with the proper sized wiring. Peter could you please explain? Thanks. BTW I didn't know about anti-bond. I called West Marine and they said there wasn't anything to get rid of that stuff. I am glad to know that there is. Does 3M make that also? Thanks. Dale, thanks for your description. Who is the manufacturer of the deck connectors that you describe?
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Phil Teter
Common ground 2
Anthony you are absolutely correct. Size the return to the maximum combined load and there will be no problem. Size the other conductors to the fuse or circuit breaker protecting the circuit. I think you will find all the conductors will be the same size. The connector needs to be sized for the conductors. Check your mast for a lightning path through the mast to hull connection. Your mast wiring isn't large enough to carry a lightning strike. Do not electrically connect the return conductor to the mast as that would direct part of any lightning strike through the in mast wiring.
Anthony you are absolutely correct. Size the return to the maximum combined load and there will be no problem. Size the other conductors to the fuse or circuit breaker protecting the circuit. I think you will find all the conductors will be the same size. The connector needs to be sized for the conductors. Check your mast for a lightning path through the mast to hull connection. Your mast wiring isn't large enough to carry a lightning strike. Do not electrically connect the return conductor to the mast as that would direct part of any lightning strike through the in mast wiring.
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Dale Wile
Deck Fittings
I had time today to crawl under the blue tarp covering my boat and look at the deck-mounted electrical fittings. Neither the factory installed, nor my add-on, carried any identification. The factory fitting had "3A3S" stamped on the fitting, but no brand name. I think my receptacle, which is four pin (not three pin as I described), was made by Perko and purchased at West Marine. The VHF coax fitting is a different matter. I searched high and low and could not find a satisfactory ready-made deck-mount fitting, so I designed and built my own, which has worked well. It is a little complicated to describe. If you want the details, send my your e-mail address via my address (wileworks@norlight.org) and I'll attempt to describe what I did. Dale S/V Grandechile Sandpoint, Idaho
I had time today to crawl under the blue tarp covering my boat and look at the deck-mounted electrical fittings. Neither the factory installed, nor my add-on, carried any identification. The factory fitting had "3A3S" stamped on the fitting, but no brand name. I think my receptacle, which is four pin (not three pin as I described), was made by Perko and purchased at West Marine. The VHF coax fitting is a different matter. I searched high and low and could not find a satisfactory ready-made deck-mount fitting, so I designed and built my own, which has worked well. It is a little complicated to describe. If you want the details, send my your e-mail address via my address (wileworks@norlight.org) and I'll attempt to describe what I did. Dale S/V Grandechile Sandpoint, Idaho
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brian
stepping your mas...t
hey... I sympathize with your situation. I found that a 1" diameter PVC pipe cut to a height of 3/8" at the deck and flush on the interior overhead works better. For weatherproofing I simply started at the 3/8" PVC tube and wrapped the PVC protruding wires with rigging tape and wrapped all the way to the mast. This should give you the flexibility you need to step the mast. I have had this setup for a year and NO leaks or problems so far.
hey... I sympathize with your situation. I found that a 1" diameter PVC pipe cut to a height of 3/8" at the deck and flush on the interior overhead works better. For weatherproofing I simply started at the 3/8" PVC tube and wrapped the PVC protruding wires with rigging tape and wrapped all the way to the mast. This should give you the flexibility you need to step the mast. I have had this setup for a year and NO leaks or problems so far.
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brian
stepping your mas...t
hey... I sympathize with your situation. I found that a 1" diameter PVC pipe cut to a height of 3/8" at the deck and flush on the interior overhead works better. For weatherproofing I simply started at the 3/8" PVC tube and wrapped the PVC protruding wires with rigging tape and wrapped all the way to the mast. This should give you the flexibility you need to step the mast. I have had this setup for a year and NO leaks or problems so far.
hey... I sympathize with your situation. I found that a 1" diameter PVC pipe cut to a height of 3/8" at the deck and flush on the interior overhead works better. For weatherproofing I simply started at the 3/8" PVC tube and wrapped the PVC protruding wires with rigging tape and wrapped all the way to the mast. This should give you the flexibility you need to step the mast. I have had this setup for a year and NO leaks or problems so far.
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