Water leaking thru steaming/deck light wire

bshock

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Jan 18, 2013
126
Beneteau 361 Sandusky Harbor Marina
Hi All, this is an odd one, and something new that wasn't happening last year; I have what I consider a significant, rapid drip coming through one of the wires coming from the mast, through the cabin top, and into the cabin. I've isolated the wire, and it is the steaming/deck light wire. Initially I thought perhaps my wrapping of the cabin top wire-intrusion point was inadequate, but upon removing the inspection plate, the water is actually coming through the gray outer covering of the wire bundle. See pic below with a drip in process:



I thought perhaps the light fixture was cracked or other wise damaged, but I see no evidence of that.



Here is a pic of the cabin-top intrusion points for the various mast wires. The leaky one, which feels tight, with no room for water within, is the third from the right.



Any ideas? Has anyone seen anything like this? Again, the water is coming through the gray outer covering, as though it's a straw.

On a really rainy night, I would estimate about two cups or more drip through.
 
Jun 18, 2013
39
Beneteau 41.1 Glen Cove, NY
Pure speculation on my part, but.. perhaps the wire originally had a loop going from the light upwards an inch or two before travelling down the mast, in order to prevent water intrusion. Pulling downwards on the wire from within the cabin would have eliminated that loop. If so, solution would be going up the mast, detaching the steaming light and pulling the wire upwards to recreate the uphill loop. Sort of like the inverted u elbows we see in rooftop pipes on house roofs where power, telephone, cable tv wires enter homes.
 
Aug 27, 2014
91
Beneteau 373 San Diego
Same exact thing happened this weekend on our 2007 373. It was very rainy in Chicago. I think reestablishing the top loops is a good idea too. I will also apply a dab of 3M 4200 at the top where the outer insulation is cut from the red and black wires.
 

bshock

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Jan 18, 2013
126
Beneteau 361 Sandusky Harbor Marina
I like that idea, helm. :) thanks for the recommendation.