In Mast Wiring

[seapuppy]

I would like to install wind instruments and an anchor light on my Ericson 32 but have no idea how to run the required power and signal wiring up through the mast. The mast is deck stepped. The halyards are all external.

Kirby - Skipper Uff Da, Ericson 32

[jbanta]

Do you have a head liner in your cabin? This will require drilling a hole in your cabin head to run wiring through. If you can come up directly under your mast you won''t have to drill you mast at the step but if you do... well it''s important to have a anchor light..

[mikes-zephyr]

While you have the mast down you might as well do some spreader lights also. There should be a wiring conduit inside the mast to run the wires up for the instruments and light. The spreader lights have to pulled outside of the conduit. Before you pull them wrap a long wire tye around the bundle and don’t trim it off. This will keep the wires from clanging around inside the mast. I ran the wires for all of the external lights to some switches mounted on the instrument panel so I can turn them on from the cockpit.

Mike T
E-29 Zephyr

[seapuppy]

Jim, Mike:

Thanks for the help. As I understand Mike''s answer, there is a wire channel running from the bottom of the mast to the top. Is there a practical way to feed the new wind instrument and anchor light wiring through this channel without dropping the mast? Spreader lights are already installed thus I will not need wiring for that.

Thanks again for your assistance.

[DelmarRey]

You can run a fishtape (what elecricians use) down or up the internal conduit. Then attach the wires and pull them thru, providing there is enough room for all that wire. Be sure to use marine grade (tinned) wire for you anchor lighting and seal (waterproof) the connections of the wires. The salt spray gets into masts very easy.