Running wires in steering pedestal

[BarryL]

Hello,I am trying to add some electronics to my boat. I plan on mounting a Lowrancechartplotter at the helm. I need to run 4 cables from the plotter down underthe cockpit. I would like to run the wires inside the steering pedestal tokeep things neat and also to avoid putting a hole in the deck.The boat is a 1986 O'day 35 with Edson wheel. I have a Richie compass mountedon the pedestal. How do I remove the compass? There are two phillips screws that I think hold the compass in. Is that correct? I will need to drill a hole in the side of the steering pedestal to run the wires. The chartplotter uses NMEA 2000, and the wires have special connectors, thatare on the large side. I don't believe I can cut the connectors, run the wire,then splice the connector back on, so I will have to make large (1") holes.Is that true, or can I splice the connectors back on?Thanks,Barry

 

[Scott]

Barry, take a look at the attached page ...

This is an example of NMEA 2000 installation that may be useful in your application. I ordered the field connect plugs that may help you find a way to run the cable thru your pedestal without having to drill a hole any larger than the cable itself.I haven't received the order yet. I am using it for a disconnect at the mast base for my new wind instrument.http://www.maretron.com/products/cabling.php

 

[Jim Rushing]

Cutting the wire

The only reason that you can't cut a connector off and resplice it, is if you have a coax cable. The splice will change the impedance of the cable at that point. Wires that are handling dc signals should not notice any splices in the cable. Just be sure and resolder everything.

 

[T37 Phil]

Compensators for deviation correction?

Are the two screws for compensators? You might want to be sure before you mess with them.

 

[Bill Roosa]

Make the hole a slot

If you can run the cables where the compass housing meets the pedestal then you can use a U-shaped slot in the compass plastic and a U-shaped grommet. Neat and quick and you can by-pass the larger hole.On my Edson the compass is held in by three screws that enter the compass vertically around the rim. Don't know if yours is the same. I agree with Phil that there are two screws at right angles usually slot headed that are recessed into the compass (no head on them just a threaded rod) that control deviation. You don't want to mess with these.

 

[Bill Coxe]

Cables and an Edson pedestal

When my friend with the ODay 35 had to run extra cables to his pedestal for an autopilot setup, he ended up running them down through one of the legs that supports the pedestal, becasue with what was already there, there wasn't any room for anymore. His speed/distance stuff and the shift and throttle cables take up the room. There is a similar arrangement on my Oday 40. YOu might try Edson themselves and see how that compass is mounted. On my friends's, there were 4 vertical bolts that were not going to come out, so he ground off the heads, pulled the compass and then vise-gripped the bolts out. This was as advised by the Edson expert. My friend does very little without verifying procedures to the max with th people who are supposed to know. Coming up through the leg doesn't solve the connector problem, though. I wpuld try Scott's suggestion about the field connectors. FWIW,Bill Coxe, O40 Kukulcán, New London (and maybe soon New Bern, NC) CT

 

[Dan Johnson]

Maine...

if you cut a piece of small diameter PVC pipe to fit the verticle length needed to reach from the base to the compass head, you'll be able to fish the wires inside the pedestal and not get them caught up in the chain/cable of the steering. A carefully placed self-tapping ss screw through the pedestal, catching the top of the PVC tube will keep it from flopping around. Just one solution previously used.

 

[BarryL]

THANKS

Hi Guys,I was on the boat today checking things out. It was very easy to get the compass out. Remove the two screws that hold the light on, lift the light and binnacle out (just as Maine Sail described) and then remove the 4 long screws. On my boat they came out nice and easy.There isn't a lot of room in the pedestal to run the wires. There is definitely not enough room to run a conduit. I might be able to run the wires in the pedestal guard, but the SONAR wire has a large plug on the end - and hole large enough to fit the plug would be too large to make in the pedestal guard.So not I'm a little confused about how to run the wires. There are four wire bundles to run - SONAR transducer cable, power cable, NMEA 0183, and NMEA 2000. I will try to run them up through the pedestal, but I need to make sure the wires stay away from the chain. Worst case is I drill a hole in the steering pedestal base and run the wires through there. The challenge will to make it look nice and professional.Barry

 

[DannyS]

I'm facing the same issue

Hey Barry, I have an O'day 35 as well (1985) and I am adding a multifunction display at the helm. I'm planning on installing it this weekend. I'll take the camera along and perhaps we can compare notes and photos. I have to run a NEMA cable, a rather large power cable and a large radar cable. I'd be interested to see your solution. Good luck.Danny