Mast wiring

Archives
1

Posted by Max Lent (maxlent@…>)

Hi All,

I bought a mast light for “Top Cat” and have a few questions about
wiring.

  1. I can buy 2 strand gauge marine wire for the mast for $1+ a foot
    from West Marine or I can buy three strand wire from my hardware store
    for 40 cents a foot. Is the marine wire that much better?

  2. Have you done anything to reduce the strain on the connections at
    the top of the mast? 30+ feet of wire hanging on one connecter seems
    like a lot.

Thanks,

Max

2

Posted by Nick Marino (blueraven1@…>)

Hi Max,

I would definitely go for the marine grade (tinned copper) which is
more resistant to corrosion. Also you may want to use triplex if you
want provisions for a lighted Windex as seen in Blue Merle’s mast
photo. Regarding strain on the cable, try to secure to a bracket and
be sure to protect cable(s) penetrating the mast hole. Are you also
installing a VHF antenna on the mast?

Nick
F-21, #295



— In freedom21@yahoogroups.com, “Max Lent” <maxlent@…> wrote:

Hi All,

I bought a mast light for “Top Cat” and have a few questions about
wiring.

  1. I can buy 2 strand gauge marine wire for the mast for $1+ a
    foot
    from West Marine or I can buy three strand wire from my hardware
    store
    for 40 cents a foot. Is the marine wire that much better?

  2. Have you done anything to reduce the strain on the connections
    at
    the top of the mast? 30+ feet of wire hanging on one connecter
    seems
    like a lot.

Thanks,

Max

3

Posted by Max Lent (maxlent@…>)

Nick,

Yes, I have bought a new antenna for the mast. There is one already
there with a cable. I am only replacing the antenna module. Why do
you ask?

Max


— In freedom21@yahoogroups.com, “Nick Marino” <blueraven1@…>
wrote:

Hi Max,

I would definitely go for the marine grade (tinned copper) which is
more resistant to corrosion. Also you may want to use triplex if
you
want provisions for a lighted Windex as seen in Blue Merle’s mast
photo. Regarding strain on the cable, try to secure to a bracket
and
be sure to protect cable(s) penetrating the mast hole. Are you
also
installing a VHF antenna on the mast?

Nick
F-21, #295

— In freedom21@yahoogroups.com, “Max Lent” <maxlent@> wrote:

Hi All,

I bought a mast light for “Top Cat” and have a few questions
about
wiring.

  1. I can buy 2 strand gauge marine wire for the mast for $1+ a
    foot
    from West Marine or I can buy three strand wire from my hardware
    store
    for 40 cents a foot. Is the marine wire that much better?

  2. Have you done anything to reduce the strain on the
    connections
    at
    the top of the mast? 30+ feet of wire hanging on one connecter
    seems
    like a lot.

Thanks,

Max

4

Posted by Nick Marino (blueraven1@…>)

Max,
Only that a VHF antenna bracket may also provide means to support
your light cable.
Nick

— In freedom21@yahoogroups.com, “Max Lent” <maxlent@…> wrote:

Nick,

Yes, I have bought a new antenna for the mast. There is one
already
there with a cable. I am only replacing the antenna module. Why
do
you ask?

Max

— In freedom21@yahoogroups.com, “Nick Marino” <blueraven1@>
wrote:

Hi Max,

I would definitely go for the marine grade (tinned copper) which
is
more resistant to corrosion. Also you may want to use triplex if
you
want provisions for a lighted Windex as seen in Blue Merle’s mast
photo. Regarding strain on the cable, try to secure to a bracket
and
be sure to protect cable(s) penetrating the mast hole. Are you
also
installing a VHF antenna on the mast?

Nick
F-21, #295

— In freedom21@yahoogroups.com, “Max Lent” <maxlent@> wrote:

Hi All,

I bought a mast light for “Top Cat” and have a few questions
about
wiring.

  1. I can buy 2 strand gauge marine wire for the mast for $1+ a
    foot
    from West Marine or I can buy three strand wire from my
    hardware
    store
    for 40 cents a foot. Is the marine wire that much better?

  2. Have you done anything to reduce the strain on the
    connections
    at
    the top of the mast? 30+ feet of wire hanging on one connecter
    seems
    like a lot.

Thanks,

Max

5

Posted by Max Lent (maxlent@…>)

Hi Nick,

How would you use the VHF antenna bracket to suppor the light cable?

Max


— In freedom21@yahoogroups.com, “Nick Marino” <blueraven1@…>
wrote:

Max,
Only that a VHF antenna bracket may also provide means to support
your light cable.
Nick

— In freedom21@yahoogroups.com, “Max Lent” <maxlent@> wrote:

Nick,

Yes, I have bought a new antenna for the mast. There is one
already
there with a cable. I am only replacing the antenna module. Why
do
you ask?

Max

— In freedom21@yahoogroups.com, “Nick Marino” <blueraven1@>
wrote:

Hi Max,

I would definitely go for the marine grade (tinned copper)
which
is
more resistant to corrosion. Also you may want to use triplex
if
you
want provisions for a lighted Windex as seen in Blue Merle’s
mast
photo. Regarding strain on the cable, try to secure to a
bracket
and
be sure to protect cable(s) penetrating the mast hole. Are you
also
installing a VHF antenna on the mast?

Nick
F-21, #295

— In freedom21@yahoogroups.com, “Max Lent” <maxlent@> wrote:

Hi All,

I bought a mast light for “Top Cat” and have a few questions
about
wiring.

  1. I can buy 2 strand gauge marine wire for the mast for $1+
    a
    foot
    from West Marine or I can buy three strand wire from my
    hardware
    store
    for 40 cents a foot. Is the marine wire that much better?

  2. Have you done anything to reduce the strain on the
    connections
    at
    the top of the mast? 30+ feet of wire hanging on one
    connecter
    seems
    like a lot.

Thanks,

Max

6

Posted by Nick Marino (blueraven1@…>)

Hi Max,

Since I do not know what your mast configuration looks like - I can
only talk to what you might do. Look at Blue Merle’s mast photo and
there appears to be a hole to starboard of the antenna bracket and a
cable tie around both the antenna cable and the light/windex 12 vdc
cable(s). Note that her antenna cable may have a separate mast
hole. If it is practical for your cable routing, you could use one
of the bracket screws to mount a cable clamp on the bracket or do as
Blue Merle did. In any case, try to use hardware to serve multiple
tasks instead of individual tasks.

I do not know if this helps – hard to be exact without being there
and see what you have in mind for your installation.

Nick,
F21, #295




— In freedom21@yahoogroups.com, “Max Lent” <maxlent@…> wrote:

Hi Nick,

How would you use the VHF antenna bracket to suppor the light cable?

Max

— In freedom21@yahoogroups.com, “Nick Marino” <blueraven1@>
wrote:

Max,
Only that a VHF antenna bracket may also provide means to support
your light cable.
Nick

— In freedom21@yahoogroups.com, “Max Lent” <maxlent@> wrote:

Nick,

Yes, I have bought a new antenna for the mast. There is one
already
there with a cable. I am only replacing the antenna module.
Why
do
you ask?

Max

— In freedom21@yahoogroups.com, “Nick Marino” <blueraven1@>
wrote:

Hi Max,

I would definitely go for the marine grade (tinned copper)
which
is
more resistant to corrosion. Also you may want to use
triplex
if
you
want provisions for a lighted Windex as seen in Blue Merle’s
mast
photo. Regarding strain on the cable, try to secure to a
bracket
and
be sure to protect cable(s) penetrating the mast hole. Are
you
also
installing a VHF antenna on the mast?

Nick
F-21, #295

— In freedom21@yahoogroups.com, “Max Lent” <maxlent@> wrote:

Hi All,

I bought a mast light for “Top Cat” and have a few
questions
about
wiring.

  1. I can buy 2 strand gauge marine wire for the mast for
    $1+
    a
    foot
    from West Marine or I can buy three strand wire from my
    hardware
    store
    for 40 cents a foot. Is the marine wire that much better?

  2. Have you done anything to reduce the strain on the
    connections
    at
    the top of the mast? 30+ feet of wire hanging on one
    connecter
    seems
    like a lot.

Thanks,

Max