lpdsn
Well-Known Member
I bought mine for checking fouling on the prop and as you say the field of vision was useless for that, but it has been handy running electric wires.
External mast conduit
- Thread starter webcraft
- Start date
I bought mine for checking fouling on the prop and as you say the field of vision was useless for that, but it has been handy running electric wires.
lpdsn
Well-Known Member
As lw395 says, probably 3-core with a common negative, but a bit awkward if the lights are at different positions (e.g. steaming light halfway up the mast).
Bit of a dilemma between the risk of chafe inside the mast and UV damage outside. I guess you don't bend your mast much so the conduit wouldn't be strained everytime you pull on the backstay.
chubby
Well-Known Member
I have used plastic conduit as from B and Q, dead cheap, easy to fit and work with, has lasted several years already and if it needs replacing after several years would be easy.
webcraft
Well-Known Member
lpdsn
Well-Known Member
No. Separate switches as they are independent circuits that are just sharing the same cable. You just make one wire the common negative for both circuits.
A1Sailor
...
What I did was 3 core to the masthead then 2 core from there down to the steaming light. The negative earth was "common", but since the tri-colour and steaming light were never on at the same time it wasn't an issue.
I didn't have a masthead all round white - just a "lantern" hung in the fore-triangle when at anchor.
I had a three-pin plug/socket at the bottom - one pin was earth, the other two tri and steaming light. Each +ve wire had its own switch on the panel.
Are any of the holes big enough to take pictures of the inside of your mast?
Edit: In fact you don't need a steaming light part way up the mast on a "small boat". When motoring an all-round white at the masthead above a bi-colour light at the bow would suffice
and
you can do it using a twin core cable with one of these as your masthead light!
One on/off switch on the main panel, and a switch/circuit board (supplied with the light) to reverse polarity and swap between tri-colour and all-round white.
http://www.nasamarine.com/product/supernova-combi-tri-and-anchor-l-e-d-mastlight/
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webcraft
Well-Known Member
rogerthebodger
Well-Known Member
In stead of plastic conduit why not use aluminium tube ro top hat section as I posted earler
I managed to fit 2 separate aluminium tubes inside my 15 metre mast by removing the foot casting .
I fixed the tubs inside by fitting aluminium saddles to the tube at about 3 meter intervals then marked the positions of the saddles on the outside of the mast drilling holes to match up with the saddles. I then inserted the tube and lined up the holes in the mast with the saddles on the tube and pop riveted from the outside.
I was a bit fiddly but it ended up ok. Has been like that for 9 years now.
Fit spare wires to your mast so you can add lights /equipment later.
webcraft
Well-Known Member
Obviously I would ahve to pull all the halliards out first, leaving mouses. And the mouses could get caught. Also not sure how to rivet. Sounds great but probably beyond my technical capabilities. The wires are external at the moment, but not in a conduit, so really looking for the easiest solution.
- W
Appledore
Well-Known Member
I had a similar problem more than 10 years ago and I found a company in Plymouth who advertised plastic conduit, which I purchased and fitted externally on the side of the mast. It has a base which I pop-rivited to the mast, and a 'U' shaped outer cover which snaps over the base. I managed to run a 3-core power cable plus the aerial cable quite easily.
The company is SMG Plymouth, tel 01752 241000. The code used to be 715-sc33, but I can't seem to find this number nor the conduit listed now. Perhaps give them a ring and see what they say? IIRC it was advertised for use with radar systems. BTW, the conduit is still in fine condition!
Geoff
rogerthebodger
Well-Known Member
How about some of this. The fixing could be reinforced with screws or pop rivets if need be. I used this at home to hide cables going up a wall outside.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/D-Line-S...-Conduit-Wire-Channel-Dline-PVC-/292283972331
https://www.google.co.za/search?q=D...WIesAKHblRDPQQsAQIJw&biw=1898&bih=873#imgrc=_
webcraft
Well-Known Member
How about some of this. The fixing could be reinforced with screws or pop rivets if need be. I used this at home to hide cables going up a wall outside.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/D-Line-S...-Conduit-Wire-Channel-Dline-PVC-/292283972331
https://www.google.co.za/search?q=D...WIesAKHblRDPQQsAQIJw&biw=1898&bih=873#imgrc=_
Looks ideal, and has been suggested to me by another forumite. Easily fixed to the mast by self-tappers. The only worry would be if the snippety snappety fastening unsnapped in flight.
- W
rogerthebodger
Well-Known Member
That can easy be solved by running some PVC glue into the snippety snappety fastening once you have the cables fitted.
I would use an aluminium top hat section like I posted before fixed with screws on the flange. This would allow it to be removed to replace or add wires at a later stage.
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