Mast Wiring

reefmagnet · Oct 31, 2012

Hi Alan,

When I did my mast I used automotive style harness connectors at the base
of the mast. These use 1/4" spade lugs. You just need to make sure that the
style you choose will pass through the hole in the mast base! The connector
itself joins to the harness of the boat inside the cabin in the void beside
the mast compression beam. I used lanolin grease on the connector as a
corrosion inhibitor. At the top of the mast, I wired the harness straight
to the radio antenna and tri-colour light. I riveted clamp to the top of
the mast to provide a strain relief for the cable.

To stop the cable slapping inside the mast, I placed the wires inside
"split loom" conduit (the stuff that is used on cars). This was then taped
with insulation tape at intervals to prevent the wires escaping through the
split. I then attached 3 or 4 long cable ties to the split loom at approx
500 mm intervals in a star pattern. These act as springs for both centreing
the harness and cushioning it from slapping the mast.

The only thing you need to watch out for is that there is a brace inside
the mast at the spreaders and the ties need to be able to slip past this,
so avoid using too big a tie (from memory I used 300 x 5 or 6 mm ties.

Doing this to mine as above, I don't have a problems with the harness
slapping the mast - but the halyards, that's another story! lol.

Cheers

reefmagnet · Oct 31, 2012

Hi Alan, your link gave me a 404 error. Here's a link to the style of
connectors I used

http://jaycar.com.au/ShowLargephoto.asp?id=9895&PRODNAME=Automotive%206-Way%20Plug/Socket%20-%20250%20Series&IMAGE=

They're cheap, easy to fit and easy to replace if need be. I used them
internally throughout the boat when I rewired it. There is also a version
available that is waterproof, which is again pretty much the same as found
on cars where connectors are subject to water.

As for water getting down the mast, I sealed all the openings I could with
silicon which really only allows water to get in via the sheaves. The
"trick" to stopping water from coming down the wires is to get a strip of
rubber or thin plastic (e.g. ice cream container) and cut it so that it
forms a cone of suitable dimensions that can be zip tied and taped to the
bottom of the loom. The idea is that when you pull the cable through, it
should be the height that allows it to sit immediately over the top of the
hole in the mast base (I guess it could also be retrofitted and pushed up
through the hole as well). The idea is that any water running down the
cable is deflected past the hole and out through the bottom of the mast. To
be honest, I think I just taped a plastic bag in place when I did mine and
I haven't noticed any water coming in.

Cheers

reefmagnet · Oct 31, 2012

Oh yeah, to make life easier, tape some wire to the old harness before you
pull it out so you can use it to pull the new harness back through along
the same path.This makes things soooo much easier.

tim_klynn · Oct 31, 2012

you could try to find some kind of sealed automotive connector: TE Connectivity: Connectors & Sensors for Harsh Environments
I would guess that there is a marine equivalent somewhere. -tim

________________________________
From: n4lbl alan.schulman@...
To: AlbinVega@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, October 31, 2012 6:05 PM
Subject: Re: [AlbinVega] Mast Wiring

Thanks particularly for the warning about the obstruction at the spreaders.
That might have confounded me!!

Are you using spade lugs that you bolt together?? What I found when the
mast was unstepped was just like:

http://www.easternmarine.com/flat-4-prong-trailer-connector-plug-v5400ax

??

During one ghastly downpour we had lots (and lots and lots) of water coming
throuugh the mast and down the bulkhead. I'm hoping that filing more small
escape routes at the bottom of the mast will cure that. Any other ideas??
That experience just after buying the boat was just awful!!

thanx,,,

n6ric · Oct 31, 2012

One of the books I read gave me the idea of using the canned insulation spray that you can buy at most home stores. It expands out as you spray it into and area and seals really well. They used it on passages to spray in the chain hole below their windlass. It formed around the chain and completely sealed the hole to keep water out on passages, but would easily break away and allow the chain to deploy when they got to port. My mast mount is just an open tube, so I'm planning on building out my harness and suspending it in the middle of the hole, put some duct tape across the bottom and filling it with the insulation. A knife can easily shape the top into a cone when dry and should do well at keeping the water out. That's the plan anyhow.

Ric
s/v Blue Max
#2692
www.ric-maxfield.net

vegatern · Nov 2, 2012

Ric, I like the idea of using the foam in the hawse pipe. In the permanent location at the mast step you may want to seal the top of the foam block with a bit of paint. The expanding foam absorbs water and takes forever to dry out. Probably not good for the mast. (from personal experience)

Craig
Tern 1519

SVFlyAway · Nov 3, 2012

You are so right. The stuff sold in home stores is an open cell foam.
However the good plastics outlets (like Tap Plastics all over the West
Coast) sell a closed cell foam. This is what boat builders and board
builders use. As I recall it is CG certified for marine use. Oh yeah, it
ain't cheap, probably three times the cost of the home stuff.