time to work on the boat!

[jthatcher]

The craziness that accompanies the end of the school year will soon be over, and I will have the opportunity to get to visit the boat in New Jersey ..  there is lots to be done .. both fixing damage from Sandy and  working on some new items for the upcoming season.  

at this point,  there is a 4 switch panel on the boat, with each circuit already taken.    I bought a radio and a new antenna to be mounted on the mast  ( only had a hand held vhf up to this point)  ,  a new windex to be mounted on the radio antenna ,  and i want to install an anchor light on top of the mast as well..      

i believe that my  automatic tiller is hooked directly to the battery..  as is the engine, of course..  and the battery charger which is hooked to shore power is connected to the battery as well.   seems like a lot of battery connections!

the first question.  can i simply add an additional panel to run my  radio and anchor light ( and should i run the auto tiller through a switch as well?)   if so, is it a matter of just running  a pos and neg  jumper from the panel that is already in place?     wire size ?    

best way to pass anchor light wire and  antenna wire  through cabin top?    

any other thoughts or things that i should be considering would be more than welcome..    thanks!  jt

[brackish]

first the cables through the cabintop.  Left is a compression type fitting for the antenna, right is a four pin connector, anchor, steaming, deck, and common. They are located directly over the bulkhead below and there is a wire chase in the bulkhead, on my boat you can find it when you take the light off.



What is connected to your four switches.  You may be able to consolidate.  For instance, the radio doesn't draw much and can be combined with other stuff that have independent switches.  I have a number low draw items on a breaker named "cabin" and each item has its own switch to operate them independently when that breaker is on.

Your anchor light will have to be independent.

Yes you can jump to an additional switch panel from the buss on your existing, wire guage should be at least the same as what feeds that panel.  Many panels have a screw/nut for a jumper.  The tiller pilot should be on it's own if for no reason than to eliminate battery connection clutter and the ensuing corrosion.

A possible antenna/windex installation.  On this one, I modified a normal mount windex to be antenna mount, although they sell them already adapted for this purpose.  Mine works great. nylon spacer under to get the clearance height, spacer then heat shrink tube above to lock it down.  Had to add on to the bracket with a piece of aluminum in order to get a place for the angle reference tabs post.

[jthatcher]

thanks Brack.. nothing beats a picture!     i did buy the windex that mounts to the radio antenna.. so that should work out well.    the anchor light on the other side of the mast makes sense..   and i do have the four pin deck fitting for the current steaming light ( should probably replace that light while i am at all of this)    i bought another fitting similar to the one you show for your antenna wire..   i guess it is a matter of drilling a hole!  - not something that i particularly relish but obviously necessary       the fellow at  hamilton marine told me to  put the junction for the antenna wire just inside the cabin top..  but i am having some difficulty figuring out how that is going to work..  is yours under that white tape?   perhaps he did not understand that we would be taking the mast down each year..    hard to imagine how the end with the fitting for the junction would make it back through that deck fitting!     jt

[Bob23]

JT:
   If you use a Cable Clam, you will not have to have any junction (break) in the antenna wire. The coaxial connector will fit through. That's how I did it on Koinonia. I can't use the new Photobucket so if I can find a good photo, I'll email it to you. It has never leaked and comes apart easily when removing or reinstalling the cable. I used the full length cable that came with the radio.

http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|328|49758|112306|316467&id=28629
Bob23

[Shawn]

"best way to pass anchor light wire and  antenna wire  through cabin top?     "

I added a wiring goose neck to the deck. That lets you pass multiple wires through it at a later date without having to keep drilling more holes in the boat.



It also gives a little extra ventilation.

As far as the extra panel you will only be bridging the hot from the existing panel. Negative is a bus bar elsewhere. I added an addition 5 circuits to Serenity along with a 12v outlet inside the boat.

Shawn

[Salty19]

Bob, when you have the photo open in photobucket, move your mouse to the right and down over Image Links. 
Then codes will pop up.  Copy the Image Code IMG by clicking on it. Then of course paste that IMG code here in the reply.

Brackish- Great description and pics! Karma added!

[Harrier]

Shawn, I like that gooseneck.  Where did you get it?

[Shawn]

Harrier,

I bought it from ebay....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/STAINLESS-STEEL-BOAT-CHAIN-LOCKER-DECK-VENT-1-1-4-/330833034567?pt=Boat_Parts_Accessories_Gear&hash=item4d072f7d47&vxp=mtr

Nice quality. I had to cut down the under deck part so it didn't hang below the cabin roof.

Shawn

[brackish]

........is yours under that white tape?

yes, it is one of those solderless connectors that are so easy to use.

[Bob23]

Mike:
   I don't think it's a PB problem...more of a stone age computer issue. But I'll give it a try. Seems the new PB runs really slow for me.
Shawn:
   I really like that deck pipe and may steal your idea. Any reason it's facing forward and mounted aft of the bulkhead? It's definitely better than having a coax connection right on the deck of the boat. That'd wouldn't last in our salt water environment.
Bob23

[Shawn]

Bob,

A few reasons.

I didn't want to go through the cored part of the deck and add a potential area for water intrusion and core problems. I didn't want to go to the side of the cored part as it would make the wiring exposed for a longer area and might be accidentally grabbed by someone going forward. I pushed it back to reduce the change of it catching a jib sheet. It is angled it forward so if a jib sheet wrapped over it it wouldn't act as hook for the sheet. Going forward also reduces the length of exposed wiring slightly.

As I have electrical connection from the solar panel going through the aft edge of the hatch the hatch was already not able to open fully. As such the position of the pipe didn't really reduce the amount the hatch could be opened any further. I have never had a problem with the jib sheet catching it either.

Shawn

[crazycarl]

brack,

i like the 4 pin connector your using.

our 19 came with a 2 pin, but i'm installing a masthead anchor light and need another wire.

i looked through the defender catalog and didn't see one, where did you get yours?


carl

[brackish]

brack,

i like the 4 pin connector your using.

our 19 came with a 2 pin, but i'm installing a masthead anchor light and need another wire.

i looked through the defender catalog and didn't see one, where did you get yours?


carl

Came with the boat.  I think West Marine has them as well as Hamilton Marine and U. S. Binnacle