[C38] masthead wiring

[Les]

I don't know if this applies to you gentlemen, but JACE's mast stuff is
routed to a terminal strip which is located above the waste tank in the
forward port settee of the table.  The routing from the power panel to
that terminal strip is via wires run in a piece of tubing which is
routed through the bilge.  I have not yet divined where that tubing
runs, but I suspect that it runs along the bilge opening on the
starboard side, under the floor to the riser beneath the chart table
(where most of the wiring is routed) up to the power panel.  Whenever I
lost lighting somewhere I suspected a barrel crimp or one of those
dreaded riveted three-way things.  But on JACE, there was miles of
electrical tape wrapped on wrapped connections in all kinds of places.
I think I have gotten all of it out of the system and have replaced
about 40 6" pieces wire patches by replacing the whole run with one
piece.  These boats have been around a while, so it is hard to fault
someone.  You don't really know what they were involved with when the
problem occured that they had to patch around.  But it makes for
interesting troubleshooting.  I would hope no one would do that inside
the mast, but it is hard to tell.  The wiring from the base of the mast
comes out on the side toward the port side settee.  The access hole on
JACE is not protected, (still) so one thing to check is for chage at
that location.

	You can also open the connections to the mast at the terminal and check
that voltage is there, and ground return.  If you have voltage there,
clip a light on it and make sure it can deliver sufficient current.
Typically the lamps for the masthead, anchor and all around white draw
about 1-2 Amps each.  You can use a standard automobile 93 bulb with
wires soldered to it, or a cheap bulb fixture and add alligator clips to
ensure a good connection for the test.  Then with the bulb on check the
voltage.  It should be within 2% of the battery voltage at that point
under load.  If the voltage is too low, check the fuse holder.  Mine
have corroded a bit and are beginning to be intermittent occasionally
(breaker panel in hand but not installed yet.)  If the fuse holder is
good and the fuse is good, check the switch and make sure it is
supplying the voltage to the circuit and that it is receiving voltage
from the buss (a jumper from switch to switch).  If all of those points
are good, you need to replace the suspect piece of wire.

Regards,
Les H
On Sun, 2008-04-20 at 13:40 -0600, Max Soto wrote:
> Hi Charles,
>  
> Funny thing, I was doing the same last weekend, but I have two black
> wires, one grey and a white one(totally diffferent from the wiring
> diagram).This light was used also as steaming light. I tough that the
> previous owner had  the original wiring replaced. 
> The light stopped working a year ago, so I bought an aqua signal
> anchor light and a led bulb from doctor led to replace the high power
> consumming festoon bulb.
>  I went up the mast and checked the wires for current at anchor. The
> grey was supposed to be positive and the white negative, and when we
> came back to the slip I went up the mast and installed the light, only
> to find out that I didn't work!!!
> I'm going to disassemble it and check the wires next weekend, but I
> think that I will end up replacing all the mast wiring, since nothing
> on the mast works. Non the spreaders lights, steaming and anchor
> lights, only an spreader mounted strobe light form the burglar alarm
> system, wich won`t help me for night navigation!
>  
> Regards,
>  
> Max Soto
> C38 #198 ESTANCIA
> Puntarenas, Costa Rica
>  
> 2008/4/19, Charles <charles at finn.ws>: 
>         I am installing the OGM tri-color / anchor (LED) as a
>         replacement to the
>         anchor light.  The mast is currently mounted on the deck and
>         the boat is
>         of course still on the hard, which means I cannot reach the
>         wires coming
>         from the bottom of the mast.  My problem is I just removed the
>         anchor
>         light and discovered it was actually two bulbs with four wires
>         (it
>         appears that one is white and three are black, but I am
>         standing tiptoe
>         at the top of an 8 foot ladder in bright sun).    Is this
>         normal (I am
>         referring to the wiring and not my mental state:-)?    Why
>         only one white?
>         
>         Thanks,
>         Charles Finn
>         Mighty Quinn #114
>         
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> 
> 
> -- 
> Max Soto
> C38 #198 ESTANCIA
> Puntarenas, Costa Rica 
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