Running Mast Wiring Woes

[ausnp84]

Hey guys,

Having trouble rewiring my 11m mast - it seems at the join, I cannot get any of the Garmin or 12V cables through. Not sure if it's a padded area or if it's just being bloody difficult (wires previous ran through there) but no dice.

Any tips or tricks to getting wires down a mast? Have tried using 6mm 7x19 as a messenger line (no luck) and also sheer force.....

n

[Terra Nova]

SOP is a heavy hex nut on a messenger line. Heel the boat one way or the other to get around obstacles. Or try an electrician's snake.

[ausnp84]

Originally Posted by Terra Nova

SOP is a heavy hex nut on a messenger line. Heel the boat one way or the other to get around obstacles. Or try an electrician's snake.

Ta - I should have noted the mast is currently on the ground with the wiring the only job holding it up being refitted.

You'd think being on the ground would make life easier.....

n

[Terra Nova]

On the ground it is way easier. You can look right into the mast to see what's going on. Use the snake.

[sailortype]

someone has possibly jammed something down the mast in an effort to stop the wiring from slapping. It is pretty well useless and you should be able to see it, just push it through with a long pipe or a few 1X2's screwed together; and then install a conduit, worth every second it takes. Several ways of doing it... otherwise you end up with annoying slap when trying to sleep

[lhusty]

Use a fishtape or the screw together
Fibreglass rods that Home Depot sells

[jldilworth]

I found a cable-pulling lubricant (which I bought at Home Depot) to be a huge help.

[Terra Nova]

Originally Posted by jldilworth

I found a cable-pulling lubricant (which I bought at Home Depot) to be a huge help.

Unnecessary in a mast, unless pulling through a too-small conduit.

[Cheechako]

"at the join"... you mean at the spreaders? It's often the hard part for sure. Are you replacing all wiring? Are there spreader lights? If so and those wires are still in there it can be trouble to fish around them. Basically need more info.
Radar cable?
is your bundle a nice taper from the pull cord to the fat bundle? or just a blunt end?

[MBWhite]

IMHO the first thing to do, since it is on the ground, is to look up in the mast with a bright flaqshlight and see what is causing the obstruction. You might need to do it in the evening or at night. If you have a big enough aperture at the masthead try using a leaf blower to clear out the passage. A really good method to run wires in obstructed areas is to make a little fluffy yarn ball and tie it to some stout nylon cord, then slowly feed it through the end while using a leaf blower. You can then "blow" the ball around the obstructions and it will show up at the hole on the other end, just tape over the other holes. Fishtape can work too but for long runs as mentioned the fiberglass rods work better, harbor freight has a cheap one that works well and is pretty cheap (I don't mind spending money for tools but this is not one of those applications).

Had to remove some spray foam insulation once for a wire run and used electrical conduit. It was between bulkheads, what we did was cut conduit sections small enough to fit into an access hole, then we bolted the pieces together one section at a time until it was long enough to jab at the foam, when the end pipe got filled with foam we took it out piece by piece and pushed the foam out of the end section, then repeated the process. Sounds tedious but after we got everything figured out it took about an hour to run the wire VS a day to dismantle the interior to get access.

I suspect you could do the same thing with a mast and just use 10' sections of conduit.

[Canibul]

Tie a piece of spectra fishing line to a rat. Put rat in one end of mast. Put cheese at other end of mast. Put cat in end with Rat. Stand by.

[Terra Nova]

Ca--good one!

[Sailing55]

Originally Posted by Canibul

Tie a piece of spectra fishing line to a rat. Put rat in one end of mast. Put cheese at other end of mast. Put cat in end with Rat. Stand by.

All the cat has to do is step on the line...
What happens when the cat eats the rat and is to fat to scat?

[hamburking]

If you can borrow a digital endoscope with a long probe cable, you could see what's going on in there. Once you know the real problem, the solution often comes quite quickly after. They aren't that pricey to buy, and pretty handy to have for looking in places you can't see...like tanks, vent lines, way down that deep locker, up your exhaust, or at home to find the clog in the central vac.

Its also a good idea to attache a small line to any line or cable you pull out, to lead the new line in.

And finally, think about how that new cable will sound, swinging back and forth in there. Best to give consideration when installing, rather than go insane with the constant noise (like I did).

[Barkie]

Suck a piece of cotton through with a strong vacuum cleaner . Cotton joined to fine nylon joined to.....and then your cable bundle with the ends staggered