Teeny Tiny Wire - Big Headache

[redsky49]

I needed to replace my masthead anchor/tri-color assembly. Bought a fancy high tech LED unit. Time now to connect it and I am stumped. Cables running to masthead are 12g. Pigtail on new light is tiny. Really tiny. Smaller than the Hella fan wires. Smaller than my LED cabin lights. I'm talking really small.


There is no step-down crimp connector for this. Soldering (26 awg?) to 12g. looks extremely doubtful. Folding over the conductor 2 or 3 times and trying to crimp doesn't seem very professional or secure and there still is no appropriate butt connector for such a huge discrepancy in wire gauges.


What to do? TIA

[rslifkin]

Use one of the single ended crimps used for capping off wires and put both into it maybe?

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by redsky49

I needed to replace my masthead anchor/tri-color assembly. Bought a fancy high tech LED unit. Time now to connect it and I am stumped. Cables running to masthead are 12g. Pigtail on new light is tiny. Really tiny. Smaller than the Hella fan wires. Smaller than my LED cabin lights. I'm talking really small.


There is no step-down crimp connector for this. Soldering (26 awg?) to 12g. looks extremely doubtful. Folding over the conductor 2 or 3 times and trying to crimp doesn't seem very professional or secure and there still is no appropriate butt connector for such a huge discrepancy in wire gauges.


What to do? TIA

- Made in China ?
- USCG Certified ? https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/D...lerts/1015.pdf
- ABYC specifies no wire shall be smaller than 16AWG

[Franziska]

It might be one of those rare occasions whem soldering is best.

Just brace the solder very well with heatshrink tubing and make sure it doesn't get pulled on by the cable.



Maybe not to standart, but better than a botched crimp.



Do you have a photo?

[GordMay]

A Yellow crimp [#12-10] will accept a #12AWG and a #18AWG wire, in the same barrel end.


There are some exceptions, to the #16AWG minimum wire size, allowing #18 AWG, including:
For equipment pigtails [like on an LED lamp], less than seven inches long, which may use #18AWG wire.

[CharlieJ]

I suggest a heat shrink step down butt connector that accepts AWG 10/12 on one end (yellow) and AWG 18/20 (red) on the other end. Find them on the web or at West Marine.

WM link: https://www.westmarine.com/ancor-hea...015982408.html

[Kettlewell]

Practical Sailor article on this topic. https://www.practical-sailor.com/mar...ctions-part-ii

[team karst]

Check to see of the fancy LED light causes VHF comm issues.

[redsky49]

Here is a pic of my current (pun?) situation. The three conductor cable from the lamp, with an 18g. white wire and a 12g. black conductor for comparison.


I will admit I was not aware of a 12/10-18/22 adapter - thought 12/10 could only go to next size up, 14/16. That's good news.


As to only using min. 16g. wire on board (per AYBC), welcome to the real world Tiny wires appear way too frequently, though are generally easier to deal with than a 12 gauge to 22(?) gauge connection on top of mast. I am concerned with not just a good low resistance connection, but also corrosion resistance and most importantly fastening strength.


I think the way to proceed, for me, is to either insert the lamp leads into a crimp connector along with a piggy-backed additional wire (per Gord), or to use a 22g. to 12g. step down adapter also mentioned above (if lamp wire is indeed 22g. - I will try to measure), along with some heavy-wall adhesive shrink tubing to provide additional pull strength.


Very grateful for all the suggestions.

[redsky49]

And to answer another query, lamp is US manufactured and Coast Guard approved.

[rslifkin]

On the ABYC thing, they specify 16ga minimum, but as long as it's sheathed (like duplex cable) they do allow 18ga (but not smaller).

[CharlieJ]

And the ABYC requirement mimics the USCG.

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by redsky49

And to answer another query, lamp is US manufactured and Coast Guard approved.

I have had issues with Chinese LED nav lights. and could not find a US manufacturer. If you have found one. Please tell us who it is.

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

I have had issues with Chinese LED nav lights. and could not find a US manufacturer. If you have found one. Please tell us who it is.

On my boat I have the Hella NaviLED Pro lights for side and stern lights (not sure where they're manufactured) and a Signal Mate steaming and anchor light combo (listed as Made in USA). No issues with either of them in terms of reliability or VHF interference.

[Jammer]

The wire is probably 18 gauge.

I find that the most reliable way to connect two wires of radically different sizes is to solder them. Use good 63-37 rosin core solder, not the lead free junk, and use adhesive-lined heat shrink to provide both insulation and some physical strength.


There are now some really nice self-contained battery powered soldering irons and heat guns available.