poor deck connector connectons

[Simon Taylor]

I have 3 connectors for mast lights etc and each one has suffered poor connection over the past couple of years. The pins and sockets (male and female) are both brass. However the female part has a par of hairline cuts in it to accomidate expansion. I think the problem is that the female half is now too big and there is a gap causing poor connection. In my mind I think the malke pin should have a hairline splt up the middle, so that I can open it up and create a new good connection. Have other suffered ths too? and what is the resoluton?
Here s the item concerned.
Chrome-Plated Brass Plug & Socket Deck Connector - 3A, 2 Pin

 

[john_morris_uk]

Change to Bulgin waterproof connectors. They’re a bit pricier but you won’t regret it. You do have to solder the wires inside but they really are WATERPROOF and they will outlast you. IMHO

 

[simonfraser]

or a swan neck, all the connections to be made below deck and more robust than connectors that may suffer damage ?

 

[Boathook]

@Simon Taylor I used to have that type of connector. Replaced them all taking the cable connections below deck through index glands. If I was starting again all the 'electrical' cables would go through a swan neck type fitting.

 

[john_morris_uk]

or a swan neck, all the connections to be made below deck and more robust than connectors that may suffer damage ?

Not a bad idea. I’ve had to have fabricated a protective cage structure that I’ve fitted over my plugs and sockets and deck glands at the foot of the mast to stop people kicking them or standing on them. I’ll post a picture when it gets light here. (It’s 0500 as I type this.)

 

[Refueler]

As OP - I agree that much better is to have male pins with slot so they can be 'opened' wider ... which is exactly what I did with my Tillerpilot plug. Just took a razor saw and made the slots myself.

My mast base connections - I have two like that for lights - I threw away the male internals .... passed the wires up through the female pin holes ... mast lead comes into Male plug and then screw terminal joins it ... Male plug provides the weather protection. A round of tape finishes it off.
The screw terminal block of course corrodes - but its dead easy to replace regularly.

I know many here will 'poo poo' the idea - but it was at first a temp solution while on a boat trip ... that became more permanent !!

I thought about other ways - but my mast is removed usually at season end and I wanted a simple easy answer.

 

[johnalison]

I have had a swan neck for over twenty years and it’s one less thing to worry about. On our last boat, after maybe one season with misplaced trust in the connector, I used to seal it each season with self-amalgamating tape, and during the winter seal the open connections with BlueTak before taping over them, and they would stay bright and shiny.

 

[VicS]

I have 3 connectors for mast lights etc and each one has suffered poor connection over the past couple of years. The pins and sockets (male and female) are both brass. However the female part has a par of hairline cuts in it to accomidate expansion. I think the problem is that the female half is now too big and there is a gap causing poor connection. In my mind I think the malke pin should have a hairline splt up the middle, so that I can open it up and create a new good connection. Have other suffered ths too? and what is the resoluton?
Here s the item concerned.
Chrome-Plated Brass Plug & Socket Deck Connector - 3A, 2 Pin

Likely to break unless you are very careful,

You can still buy thses old style deck plugs so direct replacement is possible but as suggested far better ro replace with Bulgin Buccaneer plugs and sockets

 

[wooslehunter]

+1 for Bulgin. Swap them.

I had the brass type on a previous boat & replaced them every few years. They look great for a season, then start to corrode & unless the connections are greased, they corrode too. Bulgin last for ever.

I also had one connection for the wind instrument going through a deck gland & connecting inside. The problem with this was that you either need a large hole for the cable ends or you need to remake the ends every time you take the mast down. I did that every winter. If you don'ttake th emast down,it'snot a problem.

 

[PetiteFleur]

I had problems with those rubbish deck connectors. Now, I always try and make connections below decks with the cable going through an Index deck gland - available with a large hole so you can feed through a large connector. As mentioned the Bulgin deck connectors are also OK.

 

[PaulRainbow]

As most have said, those old style connectors are rubbish.

Index glands are neat and reliable, not so neat if you have several and not the easiest solution if the mast comes down regular.

Bulgin connectors are also good, the ones i have used didn't need wires soldering in. Best not to use them where they get stood on, as John found out.

Swan necks are a good solution where there are several cables, the connections can be made below decks and it's easy to take the mast down.

A variation on the swan neck is the cable dorade. It's neat and tidy, low profile and ideal for multiple cables and masts that need to come down. Stainless Steel Deck Cable Lead-Thru only 105,95 € | SVB

 

[rgarside]

Replaced the nasty brass connectors at the mast foot on my boat with Dri-Plugs over 10 years ago, no problems since. It also has other outside connectors which are Bulgin Buccaneer - they perform well too.