Raymarine Pathfinder Radar

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SteveA

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Has anyone got a neat way of reconnecting the 13 core cable at the base of the mast for this radar when the mast is refitted?

Presently the cable goes through a deck gland and crimp connectors are refitted to connect to the cable going to the display creating a bit of a cats cradle which is then stuffed under the deck head panel; this means that they will all have to be snipped off again when the mast is next lowered - surely there must be a better way.
 
SteveA said:
Has anyone got a neat way of reconnecting the 13 core cable at the base of the mast for this radar when the mast is refitted?

Presently the cable goes through a deck gland and crimp connectors are refitted to connect to the cable going to the display creating a bit of a cats cradle which is then stuffed under the deck head panel; this means that they will all have to be snipped off again when the mast is next lowered - surely there must be a better way.
Click to expand...

I use a strip of good quality choc-block connectors inside an aluminium junction box - Index Marine used to do a range of sizes with some being slim enough to hide behind headlining. This minimises any external RF interference getting at the junction.
If you also use bootlace ferrules on the individual wire cores then it is usually easy to make and remake the connection since the bootlace ferrules should easily pass through the deck gland.
 
Crimp bootlace ferrules to the wires. This adds very little size, so they still fit through the hole with the deck gland removed. Then shove the ferrules into choc blocks. Choc blocks are fine but only with bootlace ferrules, never directly on stranded wires. You must also make sure the cables cannot move after installation. If you have a leaky boat, put the joint inside a box - but better to fix the leaks! ;)

022425Ferrules.jpg
 
The cableport looks great but I don't have enough room to fit one (self tacking jib track) but I will try the bootlace ferrules and choc block.
Thank you
 
If the Pathfinder radar is anything like the model immediately after it, then one of those cores is a small co-ax. You certainly don't want to just mush the whole thing in one way of a choc-block, you could I suppose separate the core and screen and choc-block them separately, but a proper coaxial connector seems like a better bet.

Pete
 
It's a bugger, isn't it.

Mine didn't have crimp connectors but used a sort of press connector chock block - a bit like these https://www.ebay.com/itm/30pcs-2p-C...nal-Block-Spring-Connector-Wire-/351941965099 but smaller: as you say, there are a lot of wires in the cable, and more when you worry about the light cables coming down the mast.

My cables all pass through tight holes in a rubber deck fitting which means they won't squeeze through with plugs or crimp connectors on the end. But I like JohnAlison's idea of changing this for a swan-neck fitting, or the SaltyJohn product in IanFr's post, so you can fit proper connectors - even a BNC plug for the coaxial cable - just pass them through, and plug and play.

I've lost the iPhone photo of my wiring which I used to reconnect mine, but I know it took me the best part of a day and I sympathise. It's almost a good enough reason to buy a HR rather than a Beneteau, as JohnAlison had the vision to do...
 
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