Severing and suturing instrument cables

[wufibugs]

A recent post about installing an autopilot prompted me to wonder about the problem posed by installing sensors, transducers, and other devices that have a continuous cable between two large ends. One either drills a large hole, or cuts the cable before routing, hoping to be able to rejoin it without having compromised it.
For example, the transducer to my new/old Raymarine ST-40 is continuous from the large thru hull to the large plug that fits the display. I either create a new wider dedicated conduit at the pedestal guard to run stuff like this, or cut the cable so it can be run through the existing guard. I'm not even sure how many wires are in the cable and how one reconnects the metal sheathing, which I assume is a ground. Cutting might work if quality male-female connectors were available to repair the wound.

 

[Anonymous 121765]

Wuf,

When I added my Autohelm autopilot, Garmin GPS & separate bottom finder, I had to cut the cables. Look in your manual for the electrical, color coding. Select the proper plug to use if wanting to do a bulkhead plug. I take my instruments home with me & not leave them on the binnacle for obvious reasons. The plugs make it a snap.

Aqua Signal makes a selection of bulkhead plugs.

CR

 

[seadaddler]

Cables

This topic was discussed a while ago here and maybe do a search
under maybe transducers,but I did change some transducers on
my boat recently and did cut the transducer cables and used a electrical
block from radio shack.
Radio shack has them and used the real small white ones for the small
wires for the transducer cables,not sure what they are called but they
are a white strip with screws on 2 sides for multiple connections and
you splice in your wires and just tighten down the screws each side
to make a good connection of the 2 cables.
I have them in my chartplotter and at the DC/AC panel where most of my transducer wires run for 12 volts and than to my instrutments that are under
my companion way hood.