Marek - my wires exit the mast through a hole on the port side near the base and are terminated with #8 flanged fork terminals. Each wire is labelled. There is about 2' of wire sticking out of the mast. I have mounted a barriered dual row terminal block below the port settee, with the harness wires, also labelled, connected via ring terminals to one side. When the mast is stepped, the wires are fed through a hole in the settee and connected to the other side of the terminal block. Big, rugged, Easy. The flanged fork terminals can be installed on the terminal block without removing the terminal screws, and the flanges prevent the wire from falling off should the screws loosen. (Which they don't) Dead reliable, and if a contact should corrode, it can simply be cut off and re terminated. Worked in the connector biz for over 30 years and never liked the multi pin connectors typically used for low voltage in boats. This discrete wire, terminal, and terminal block makes a lot of sense to me for this application. If I had a cruising boat with a deck stepped mast I'd probably do the same thing, inside a junction box on deck. I had contemplated using a brad Harrison mini change system, but thought the better of it. To test your lights and wiring use a volt-ohm meter. Measure the resistance of the bulb itself, then through the wires from the base of the mast with the bulb installed. Easier than a battery and looking for lights. If your connections are unreliable, they are probably loose or oxidizing, or both. This was happening with my engine harness. You can probably trim and reterminate and protect with noalox or similar. Clean the contact surfaces if any. This is a periodic maintenance thing. I'd be surprised if your wire was crumbling though the conductor insulation (rubber) on my stern light wiring certainly was. The pvc insulated stuff in my mast is not though it's jacket is a bit stiff. Having a proprietary connector, trapped in the mast makes no sense to me. If you want I can post photos of the terminal block and wiring - I think I have a shot somewhere. Dave. Sent from my iPad
> On Dec 9, 2016, at 1:57 PM, Marek Dziedzic <dziedzi...@hotmail.com> wrote: > > Dave, > > If you have a good (i.e. reliable) way of connecting the mast wires to the > boat, when you step the mast, I would like to hear it. The worst part is that > my connector is inside the mast (under the mast foot when stepped), so you > have precisely 5 s in the spring to connect and verify if all lights are > working. For the last two years I am struggling with that. Two years ago my > anchor light was MIA, last year the steaming light. Two years ago a Sea Dog > connector disintegrated while in the mast (from heat in the summer?); last > year, there was no visible damage, but there was no connection either. I > suspect that because the old wires coming down from the mast are stiff and > the insulation is somewhat brittle, there might be something happening when I > stuff the connector and the wires in the mast cavity. The problem is that > there is no easy way to check this. Well, other than do a troubleshooting > session with the mast hanging on the masting crane (which is not, > realistically, an option – there is always a long line-up to the masting > crane). > > Marek > > From: Dave S via CnC-List > Sent: Friday, December 9, 2016 11:02 > To: C&c Stus List > Cc: Dave S > Subject: Re: Stus-List Rewiring mast and anchor light.. > > I think it is wisest to connect the windex light (LED) to the running light > circuit, so another masthead wire is required. The ground conductor from > the masthead anchor light could be used. > > Am going to look at my windex, but I agree with Doug, either discreet LED or > strips could be used. Only issue is reliable connection at masthead for > those of us who dismast ourselves annually. > > Dave >
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