| Author | Message | ||
     Lance Staughton New member Username: Twospeed Post Number: 17 Registered: 01-2001 Rating: N/A |
Bruce, I managed to install mine with the mast up(tricky). I used a metal plumbing snake and was able to push it up through the mast via the existing hole that the other wires come out of at the base of the mast. I wiggled it around awhile but did get it to go up the conduit (I think). The tricky part was to get it out the hole on top on the port side where the existing antenna wires go through and then pull the transducer wire back in. The sheaves manage to be in the way quite nicely. I spent awhile up top but managed to get it done. As a side note I built an instrument pod that mimicks the factory one and put my new instruments over the hatch - what a difference in seeing the readouts! Lance | ||
| Mike Bergmann Unregistered guest Rating: N/A |
Bruce, my boat has a small oval hole in the top of the mast that leads into the plastic conduit. If you have an anchor light at the masthead that wire probably leads thru the conduit. The advantages of the conduit are: 1. Your wires don't slap inside the mast. 2. The halyards don't wear on your wires. If you have an existing conduit, and your mast is down, you should be able to get into it. My mast has a large (about 1 1/2") hole in the port side of the tube about 4" above the butt. All the wires come out there. There is a piece of teak screwed to the bulkead on the port side, and the wires run under that strip from the mast into the area under the settee. I will take a photo of my setup inside the boat and e-mail it to you. I don't have any photos of the masthead setup, and I can't get that until I take the stick down for the winter. | ||
| BruceAnderson Unregistered guest Rating: N/A |
I an installing new wind transducer. Need to drill hole in top of mast and insert cable into top of mast and exit out somewhere in bottom of mast and run to control panel. Where will cable exit from bottom of mast? Do I need to drill exit hole somewhere in bottom of mast or what. | ||
| Mike Bergmann Unregistered guest Rating: N/A |
When I installed new instruments a few years ago, I pulled the old wiring out with a drag line, and used that line to pull in the new line. I don't think this will work with the mast up - the lower end of the conduit is actually below the access hole. I remove my mast every year, so this is no problem. If you are willing to have the new wires loose in the mast, Jeff's method will work fine. I have used a piece of string with a few lead split shot sinkers in place of the bicycle chain. I think drilling & tapping the top plate is by far the best way to go. If you decide to drop the stick, take a close look at your sheaves. The bronze bearing on my main halyard sheave was badly worn last year, and I got a new one from Offshore Spars. Also, if the mast is down, take the spreaders off and clean up the old lube that was used when they were installed. | ||
| Jeff Roy New member Username: Jeffr Post Number: 98 Registered: 03-2001 Rating: N/A |
Lance, Here is trick a rigger taught me for running halyards that will work for the wire as well. Use a 8-12" lenght of clean bicycle chain to lead the line/wire down the mast. It will bend nicely and in the case of halyards it will go right over a shive. The weight will pull the line down the mast and the links are easy to snag with a bent coat hanger once it is down to the opening you want to pull it out of. FWIW My wind transducer is mounted on the top with a couple of screws set in holes that were drilled and tapped and the wiring enters the mast on the side through a rubber grommet in a hole that was drilled. It would be ideal if you could get the wire in the conduit inside the mast, but I think that might be a little tricky. | ||
| Lance Staughton New member Username: Twospeed Post Number: 14 Registered: 01-2001 Rating: N/A |
I'm mounting a wind transducer (with the mast in). It looks to me like you have to drill and tap the top plate as its welded on. Also where is best to route the wire( am I in for trouble trying to route with the stick in?)? I thought I'd seen some chat about this before but can't locate it. Lance Symbiosis #54 |
