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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Continuity in mast lights

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gmcdent
1st Mate

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USA
41 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/15/2004 : 23:20:47

My mast is not stepped yet on the "new" boat (1983). I had to change the wiring at the foot of the mast and reconnect to the wiring going up the mast. Had no difficulty and used a picture taken prior to removing the three pronged plug. Problem is no lights.
Bought an electrical test meter and tested system and found out that the problem isn't in my wiring job since there is no continutiy on the wiring going up the mast above my new connection. The steaming light socket is loose and I haven't had time this week to replace it. How is the interior wired? Would one loose socket at the steaming light cause no continuity up to the masthead?
Thanks for any suggestions.

George C. on At Last

Edited by - on

Dave Laux
Captain

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318 Posts

Response Posted - 06/16/2004 : 07:15:06

Almost anything could be wrong on a twenty year old mast. I would start by removing the steaming light and the anchor light and checking their connections, contacts, and bulbs. Putting in a new wire is not that big a deal if needed. Last my own personal opinion is that you should not have the anchor light at the mast head anyway. Aquasignal 25 steaming light and bracket is reliable and easy to fit. Dave

Edited by - on

Rob Wells
Deckhand

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USA
5 Posts

Response Posted - 06/16/2004 : 16:25:16

I had the same problem on my 87. The factory wiring in the mast was not "marine grade" and not 16 gauge as stated in the manual. It was run through a PVC conduit so was easy to run a new cable using the old one as a "fish". I suggest using 14 gauge marine grade cable. This is a long run for the wire and larger wire will cause less resistance. If the boat is any where near salt water, corrosion on the wire over time can kill the circuit and marine grade wire is tinned to resist corrosion. Also, clean the contact points whenever the mast is down to maintain continuity.

I agree with Dave, the anchor light on the mast head is not a good idea. I use a Davis "mega-light" hung from the boom where it is more at eye level to other boat operators.

Edited by - on

Dave Laux
Captain

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318 Posts

Response Posted - 06/16/2004 : 17:20:59

Rob, The anchor and steaming light are both 1 ampere lamps. Use 18 gauge wire and save some weight aloft. Keep everything off the mast that you can and reduce the weight of everything on the mast to the minimum. Dave

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dgabel
1st Mate

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USA
75 Posts

Response Posted - 06/16/2004 : 17:21:56

I just redid the wiring on Walkure and here's what I found/did.

First of all the wiring was untinned light-gauge copper. I replaced it all with 14-ga. wire for the power feeds and 14-ga for the ground. Try to get the colors that Catalina specifies, but it may be difficult.

I bought a combo deck/steaming light from AquaSignal to replace the old steaming light, which always filled up with water. That meant three lines to the combo unit, two feeds and one ground. The light couldn't take such thick wire, so I had to cut a lot of the wire away, which should not cause a problem, because

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dgabel
1st Mate

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USA
75 Posts

Response Posted - 06/16/2004 : 17:37:37

Sorry -- screwed up that post. Here's another try.

_______________________________________________________________
I just redid the wiring on Walkure and here's what I found/did.

First of all the wiring was untinned light-gauge copper. I replaced it all with 16-ga. wire for the power feeds and 14-ga. for the ground. Try to get the colors that Catalina specifies, but it may be difficult.

I bought a combo deck/steaming light from AquaSignal to replace the old steaming light, which always filled up with water. That meant three lines to the combo unit, two feeds and one ground. The light couldn't take such thick wire, so I had to cut a lot of the wire away, to make it thinner, which should not cause a problem, because

a. The length of wire that I "thinned" is very small, so there should be no real voltage drop;
b. Where the wire is thin, it's also in contact with the screw terminals inside the light fixture, effectively adding to the current-carrying capacity of the wire.

At the top of the mast, I used the old anchor light, but I ran new wires up there as well. To do that, I removed the masthead truck, and then was able to fish the new wires down. I used an electrician's fish tape for getting the wires through. It took two wires at the anchor light, one for feed, one for ground.

Now I had five wires at the base of the mast, so I spliced the two grounds together, leaving four. I got a four-pole connector from a local marine shop. You can find the equivalent at West Marine -- it's a cylindrical connector made of chrome-plated brass with what looks like a phenolic insert. The inserts (two, really, one for the make and female parts) uses very small screws that set the wires into the contacts, so you'll need a very small screwdriver if you want to use this connector.

Anyway, I fed the wires into the connector (they were too big again, see above) so wiring on the mast was complete. Now I had to replace the deck connector, and

a. Fish a new wire through for the deck light into the cabin and to the wiring panel; and
b. Connect everything into the deck connector, and then fasten the connector to the cabin top, making sure to caulk it well at the deck interface.

Make sure you have a diagram of where the wires go into your connector from the mast, because you have to match that pattern in the connector on the cabin top.

I also made a test box for the mast lights. I bought a surplus connector and used the female portion on the box. I bought a small project box from Radio Shack, and two switches (one SPST, one DPDT). The SPST switch I wired to test the anchor light. I used the other for the deck/steaming light. I got two battery holders for four each AA batteries, (8 1-1/2-V batteries gives you 12 V) and wired the thing up. If you want a wiring diagram, email me at dgabel@optonline.net, and I'll draw one, scan it in and send it back via email.

Now I can test the lights before the mast is stepped in the spring. We on Long Island haul every fall, so the mast will be down. All I have to do is plug the mast into the test box, and flip the switches to make sure the lights are working before I step it.

Hope this helps.

Dave Gabel
Walkure
1979 fixed keel tall rig
Sail 1484.

Edited by - on

Dave Laux
Captain

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318 Posts

Response Posted - 06/16/2004 : 21:57:41

Ok once more, all these lights have tiny curent draw. Using oversize wire makes no sense. Adding extra wires makes no sense. One hot wire for each light, one ground wire for everything, use tinned wire for corrosion resistance, 18 ga wire meets ABYC specs for this circuit. If it does not need to be on the mast don't put it there. Not only does it reduce power to carry sail but it is also unservicable without lowering or climbing the mast. I have a steaming light deck light combo from Aquasignal (It came with the boat but I don't think I have ever used the deck light except to test it) and a VHF antenna. One three wire in one jacket piece of 18 gauge tinned wire to the steaming light and one piece of Rg-8 to the antenna. I considered a deck mount antenna but could not figure a place to put it that was not in the way. Last things for now, solder all connectors , use cable clams to bring the antenna and light connections below deck, and put a drip loop on the wire before the plug (how convenient its in the head). Dave

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matsche
Captain

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USA
280 Posts

Response Posted - 06/17/2004 : 06:33:44

Dave: I like your approach for the wiring passing through the deck instead of using a deck connector. My deck connector has been a real pain, shorting out on a regular basis. I never trailer my boat, so I rarely drop my mast and don't really need a deck connector. I assume that a "cable clam" is the rubber piece that goes into the hole in the deck to water-proof it? Do you have a good source for these "cable clams"?

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Dave Laux
Captain

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318 Posts

Response Posted - 06/17/2004 : 07:31:20

Newmar and Blue Seas both make them or you can easily make your own. The .834 ones will pass a vhf connector. Another advantge is the large oen to the inside hole in the deck that will allow any water that leaks in to evaporate instead of soaking into the core material. Seal the hole with epoxy anyway. Home made ones are made of two pieces of wood witha hole drilled through then split through the hole to allow installation. This would work for an infrequently opened one. Dave

Edited by - on

Scotd
Navigator

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USA
136 Posts

Response Posted - 06/17/2004 : 08:47:33

Dave I am suprized that you used RG-8 and Not the RG-58.

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Dave Laux
Captain

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318 Posts

Response Posted - 06/17/2004 : 18:24:25

Sorry RG-8x is the stuff I've used. Dave

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