Connecting Steaming / Deck Light to in-mast wiring

[MattS]

I've bought an Osculati combined LED Steaming and Deck Light (Navigation and deck LED-light 12/24 V white body) and it comes with about 30cm of wires trailing out the back.



The unit appears to be sealed, so I'm assuming I'm not meant to be going in there and replacing with my own wire directly, but rather connecting the 30cm of provided wire to whatever wire I run up the mast.

Firstly, does this sound right?

Secondly - what would people recommend as the best method of connecting this?

I'm going to run new lighter 3-core anyway, given that the current draw on the LEDs will be much less than the previous light. Do I just use 3 solder seal wire connectors on the three cores to connect the two wires together, and then stick some large heat shrink tubing over the lot of them?

Sounds like it would end up being quite a bulky connection in the mast, and I guess would mean the weight of the wire up the mast would be hanging on that connection? How do I ensure the weight of the descending wire isn't just hanging off either these joints, or off their connections into the light itself?

Advice gratefully appreciated!

 

[prv]

Do I just use 3 solder seal wire connectors on the three cores to connect the two wires together, and then stick some large heat shrink tubing over the lot of them?

There's a number of valid ways to make the connections - personally for this sort of thing I like the clear adhesive heatshrink tubes with a ring of low-temperature solder inside, so that you just hit them with a heat gun and they simultaneously solder the core, shrink the insulation, and seal with glue onto the existing cover. Then, yes, an outer layer of heat-shrink over the lot, making sure to use the adhesive-lined type and that a neat, even ring of glue has extruded around each end.

Sounds like it would end up being quite a bulky connection in the mast, and I guess would mean the weight of the wire up the mast would be hanging on that connection?

If you trim the wires so that the three connections are staggered rather than all next to each other, it shouldn't end up too much larger than the original cable. If the joints are weak enough that the weight of the cable is a concern, then they weren't made properly in the first place.

Pete

 

[Moodysailor]

I also like the heatshrink connectors, my preference is the ones you crimp then heat, but the point is the same. I also usually add a layer of self-amalgamating tape to connections in the mast.
I'm also a "belt & braces" guy, and I'm not a fan of putting mechanical stress on connections, so I try to avoid the weight of the wire hanging on it by creating a loop which is then taped or cable-tied to prevent stress on the connection. This isn't always possible if the hole into the mast isn't large enough.

 

[MoodySabre]

I fitted one of those excellent lights and used heat shrink connectors. There is foam in the mast so not all the weight was taken on the join.

 

[MattS]

I fitted one of those excellent lights and used heat shrink connectors. There is foam in the mast so not all the wait was taken on the join.

Glad to hear that you like the light. Unfortunately I think my mast is completely hollow - I was hoping I might have some foam up there to help take the strain too.

 

[GHA]

I go for soldered joints and lots of heatshrink. Big long piece over the lot will mean no strain issues. A splice in some ethernet and power radar cable the other day had 5 layers of heatshrink Still not bulky.

 

[MoodySabre]

Unfortunately I think my mast is completely hollow - I was hoping I might have some foam up there to help take the strain too.

When you rivet the ears on could you have an extra piece of plastic across the back of the light to which the cable is tied? Make it a bit loose so it can poke back into the hole in the mast.

 

[MattS]

I also like the heatshrink connectors, my preference is the ones you crimp then heat, but the point is the same. I also usually add a layer of self-amalgamating tape to connections in the mast.
I'm also a "belt & braces" guy, and I'm not a fan of putting mechanical stress on connections, so I try to avoid the weight of the wire hanging on it by creating a loop which is then taped or cable-tied to prevent stress on the connection. This isn't always possible if the hole into the mast isn't large enough.
View attachment 112910

Thanks - I like that idea and will see if I can do something like this to just take a bit of the strain off.

 

[MattS]

When you rivet the ears on could you have an extra piece of plastic across the back of the light to which the cable is tied? Make it a bit loose so it can poke back into the hole in the mast.

That could work - and then just use a cable tie securing a loop in the cable to the extra piece of plastic, tucked inside the mast to take some of the weight.

 

[MattS]

Popped down to the boat to suss out the plan, realised the exit hole for the wire is small, so might need to adjust plan...

Thinking I could probably still get the connections inside the mast if I offset them from each other and heat shrink the whole lot with a long piece of shrink.

 

[Moodysailor]

Popped down to the boat to suss out the plan, realised the exit hole for the wire is small, so might need to adjust plan...

Thinking I could probably still get the connections inside the mast if I offset them from each other and heat shrink the whole lot with a long piece of shrink.

That sounds like a plan, as I think someone mentioned, double layers of adhesive heatshrink will help to take the load off the connections.

 

[GHA]

Popped down to the boat to suss out the plan, realised the exit hole for the wire is small, so might need to adjust plan...

Thinking I could probably still get the connections inside the mast if I offset them from each other and heat shrink the whole lot with a long piece of shrink.

Might be worth reaming that hole out a bit and putting in a grommet to protect the cable.

 

[MoodySabre]

Popped down to the boat to suss out the plan, realised the exit hole for the wire is small, so might need to adjust plan...

Thinking I could probably still get the connections inside the mast if I offset them from each other and heat shrink the whole lot with a long piece of shrink.

I wouldn’t push the connections inside that small hole. If anything ever goes wrong you will not be able to retrieve it. I’d wrap the protruding end In some self-amalg tape to stop it going in and leave the properly heat shrunk connectors behind the light.

 

[ghostlymoron]

You could use a western union splice Western Union splice - Google Search, solder then heat shrink. Best to stagger each core so it will easily fit through the hole in the mast. Use a grommet in the mast hole if you can.

 

[Moodysailor]

Another thought as I'm assuming the mast is down, and this depends on how much hassle/expense you want to go to is replacing the wire with one that is smaller diameter as this will has less weight aloft, and load on the joints.
As you are switching to LED, the cable size there (looks like standard household triple-core) is rated around 20 amps @12VDC. You could go with a smaller 3-core wire (1mm2 would be more than fine) and could then enlarge the hole at the same time if desired.

 

[ghostlymoron]

Another thought as I'm assuming the mast is down, and this depends on how much hassle/expense you want to go to is replacing the wire with one that is smaller diameter as this will has less weight aloft, and load on the joints.
As you are switching to LED, the cable size there (looks like standard household triple-core) is rated around 20 amps @12VDC. You could go with a smaller 3-core wire (1mm2 would be more than fine) and could then enlarge the hole at the same time if desired.

How do you enlarge a hole with the cable in it?

 

[Moodysailor]

How do you enlarge a hole with the cable in it?

A dremel, some tape and a careful hand is my method. Or a file if you like the "handraulic" approach

 

[MattS]

Another thought as I'm assuming the mast is down, and this depends on how much hassle/expense you want to go to is replacing the wire with one that is smaller diameter as this will has less weight aloft, and load on the joints.
As you are switching to LED, the cable size there (looks like standard household triple-core) is rated around 20 amps @12VDC. You could go with a smaller 3-core wire (1mm2 would be more than fine) and could then enlarge the hole at the same time if desired.

Yes - sorry should have been more clear. It's definitely my intention to replace the wire - it looks pretty ropey and is way overkill for LED. Thanks for tip on 1mm2 - that was what I'd concluded too after consulting the various tables and doing some bad maths...