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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Mast electrics / electrical panel

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Bruce Baker
Captain

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USA
402 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/07/2003 : 07:44:23

I bought a new mast from Catalina Direct. The new mast has three lights: a mast head light, a steaming light, and a halogen deck light. It has four wires. Unfortunately, the old mast had three wires. I would be willing to put in a four-wire socket and wires, but I don't know if the electrical panel is up to it. My (1983) panel has switches for three sets of lights: running lights (includes red / green and stern white) bow light (runs the steaming light) and anchor light (presumably runs the masthead light, but it's never worked right). There's no spare switch on the electrical panel for a deck light. Ideas?

Thanks,
Bruce Baker
"Yee Ha"

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Leon Sisson
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1893 Posts

Response Posted - 04/07/2003 : 15:27:56

Bruce,

When I refurbished my mast, I installed the same set of lights you describe. I installed a new (Marinco?) 5-pin deck connector, and ran new wiring from the electrical panel. In the mast, I use one wire for common ground, split the remaining four into pairs, one pair to the masthead, one pair to the spreaders. That gives me two power leads and a ground at each location. The second masthead power wire isn't currently in use, but could power a masthead tricolor, or a windvane light. At the spreaders I have a combination steaming and foredeck light. I used 14ga. wire, but 16ga. would probably work too, and save a few ounces aloft. I bought enough 5-cond. cable to go from the spreaders to the panel (black,white,green,red,blue), and enough triplex to go from the spreaders to the masthead (black,white,green). I also installed thin wall 3/4" PVC to run protect and silence all the wiring inside the mast, although that diameter proved to be a bit tight. I'd try to use 1" next time.

-- Leon Sisson

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luckystar
Navigator

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USA
236 Posts

Response Posted - 04/07/2003 : 16:18:35

Leon, how did you secure the PVC to the inside of the mast? I'm really wishing that I had done that 4 years ago when I refurbed my mast and install new wiring. It's not too noisy, but is annoying. I'm also hoping to install internal halyards next year. I hope that if I start planning now, I'll get a wind meter, new sheaves, internal kit, another deck organizer, rope clutches and a mast plate. That should do it! I'm pulling her at the end of this month to do a bottom job.

Also, Bruce, I'm buying a new elec panel from the nice folks at Seaward Marine. Leo there has given me a great price on a huge AC/DC panel with batt switch and battery meters for around $380!! It also has the catalina logo on it, as they are the ones who make the panels on the new catalinas as well. Good luck!

Patrick Burnett, Little Rock, AR
S/V Lucky Star #2707 1982 SK/SR

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Leon Sisson
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1893 Posts

Response Posted - 04/07/2003 : 17:24:38

Patrick,<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>Leon, how did you secure the PVC to the inside of the mast?<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>Pop rivets. I used exactly the procedure described in "This Old Boat" by Don Casey. The PVC wiring conduit is located in one of the "back corners" of the mast extrusion, next to the luff groove.
<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>... hoping to install internal halyards next year. I hope that if I start planning now, ...<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>Where both the internal halyards and the wiring pass the spreader socket bolts, there's a risk that the halyards could chafe against the spreader hardware and/or wiring. There pretty much has to be a gap in the electrical conduit at the spreaders (let's say a 1' gap centered vertically at the spreader bolts). I routed both internal halyards through another short section of PVC (maybe 2' long) wedged in front of the spreader bolts. The exposed wiring passes behind the spreader bolts, except for the three leads to the steaming/foredeck light. This way, the PVC pipe for the halyards may end up pressing against the steaming/foredeck wiring, but it doesn't move against it.

-- Leon Sisson

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ronrryan
Admiral

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USA
561 Posts

Response Posted - 04/07/2003 : 19:59:59

You may also wish to consider the purchase of the video describing a variety of modifications from catalina direct; included in the halyard upgrade portion is a very clear description of one method of doing the pvc tube installation which makes it look pretty simple (but then Murphy was not the installer) Good luck, ron srsk #2343 Orion SW FL

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IndyJim
Navigator

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USA
130 Posts

Response Posted - 04/14/2003 : 01:12:30

Hey Skippers!

I wish I had read this thread before re-wiring my mast last fall and adding a foredeck light. I didn't think about the PVC thing but the P.O. had tied about 5 large strips of cushion type foam at intervals on the wire. Then it lodged itself against the mast to eliminate that beautiful clanging sound. So, I did the same thing. Now I wish I had gone the PVC route! Oh well, maybe next time!

BTW, Bruce I bought a new 12 switch panel from West Marine to replace the nearly 20 year old original because with auto pilot, cockpit lights accessory plugs etc., I didn't have enough switches either. Now I have lots of electrical distribution options! And I've spent the winter wiring lots of new electrical toys onboard! :)

Jim on "Itza Dew Sea"
'84 SK/TR #8525

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klinck
Deckhand

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USA
3 Posts

Response Posted - 04/14/2003 : 13:12:25

I also ran new wire in the mast to add a foredeck light, among other changes. How do you run wire from the deck fitting to the wiring panel? I tried pulling between the decks but it is stuck, or glued. I was going to just drill through the deck and run the wire against the ceiling/bulkhead join to the side and on to the panel. That seemed pretty crude and hard to reverse so I did nothing.

Any suggestions?

For the record, I used plastic ties as spacers in the mast to control the wire. Just place 3 ties at the same place evenly around the wire (make a Y shape) spaced about every foot or so. I read this in one of the many books I looked at, so this is not original with me. Sorry that I can not remember who to give credit to.

Thanks for the help.

John

John Klinck
Jojuleen, hull 4363

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John Mason
Admiral

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USA
687 Posts

Response Posted - 04/14/2003 : 18:06:08

When I rewired the mast, I drilled a hole through the deck in the center of the raised area for the deck fitting. I angled it slightly forward so it came out in the head side of the bulkhead. Ran it along the bulkhead/ceiling joint to the area of the deck/hull seam. If you look around the area of the deck/hull seam you'll see the original wires are run there. Just follow that back to the electrical panel.

John Mason
<img src="http://www.users.qwest.net/~jamason/ali.jpg" border=0>
pronounced "Ali Paroosa"
1982 - FK/SR #3290

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