[C38] hanging lamp

Sat Sep 5 09:22:14 EDT 2015

Tom,

This is a wonderfully detailed response to David's question.  Thoughtful answers like these make the listserv so valuable.  They also make ownership of a 35+ y/o boat less terrifying.

Just wanted to note that I agree with all you've said (from my own experiences with Crusader - #53).  I even found surface conduit that matches the cabin color so well that it's unnoticeable.

Finally, I can't help but to chuckle at your comment, "Maybe one of our readers can shed more light on this topic."  Was that meant to be a pun?

Anyway, hope you all have a fun, safe Labor Day weekend.

Bruce S. Liese
s/v Crusader (#53)
Coronado, CA

________________________________________
From: Listserve [listserve-bounces at catalina38.org] on behalf of Tom Troncalli [tdtron at earthlink.net]
Sent: Friday, September 04, 2015 10:22 PM
To: Catalina 38 Listserve
Subject: Re: [C38] hanging lamp

Hello David and group,

When I sawed a 4" hole in my cabin top for a vent, I cut out an
incredibly heavy piece of boat with no voids between the inner and outer
cabin tops.  I saved the sample cutout just because I am a pack rat.
The cutout makes for a very heavy paper weight.

Surface conduit may be the best choice for cabin top retrofit wiring.
It is very inexpensive and very easy to work with.

Your lighting wiring harness is hidden where the hull and deck join and
can be easily tapped into but for a professional upgrade, the original
harness should be replaced with marine grade wiring in a heavier gauge
than the original 16 gauge.  I think I used 10 or 12 gauge when I
replaced my harness.

The original harness started at the electrical panel and went counter
clockwise around the boat at the hull to cabin top joint but dropped
down at the forward v-berth lockers  where it then continued aft on the
port side. to the galley or sail locker  My new harness was routed the
same except I made my harness cross back to starboard at the engine room
door to make a complete loop which gives less resistance than the
original horse shoe shaped harness.  With a loop, every light can get
electricity from both directions with very little additional wire being
used which essentially cut the resistance to about half of what it would
have been otherwise.  I have been told this system is OK on low voltage
but against code on 120 volt circuits.  Maybe one of our readers can
shed more light on this topic.  This technique is used on fire sprinkler
systems in buildings so that water pressure is equally distributed to
all sprinkler heads evenly.

The original harness also used crimped three way connectors where the
wires from the light met the lighting harness.  These three way crimp
connectors can eventually fail according to the experience of myself and
several other of our members.  You can use butt connectors to make a
three way connection but the steel rivet in the middle of the original
three way connectors would eventually rust causing electrical failure.
The original three way connectors proved to be unreliable in a salt air
corrosive marine environment.

Some people have soldered their connections but they don't meet the boat
manufacturer's code without enclosed junction boxes with internal wire
supports or terminals or supports next to the junctions.   Where the
solder terminates on the wire it can develop fatigue if the wire is
allowed to flex and vibrate.  The wire can fail where the  wire meets
the solder. If you do solder, all wires going to the solder joint must
be supported near the solder junctions.

Properly done, solder is forever and has the least electrical resistance.

Tom Troncalli
Former owner #95

On 9/4/2015 6:36 PM, David Stoltz wrote:
> Hello,
> I'm installing a hanging electric lamp over the dining table and have a question. Does anyone know if there is a space between the inner cabin ceiling and the exterior cabin top?
> If so, I would prefer to run the power cord through there.
> Thanks as always.
> David Stoltz
> Andiamo #297
> MdR
>
>
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